Denver Broncos blog, news and rumors


FB

[hype it up!]
[Share with Yardbarker]

Published on 03/08/2011 at Tue Mar 08 08:02.
Tagged: ,,,,.



SPEAK UP: What should the Broncos do with Kyle Orton?

Posted Tue Mar 8th by

Late last week news hit the Minnesota Vikings were interested in acquiring Kyle Orton.  This news marks the first time anyone has publicly heard that another team was considering trading for Orton. If you look at Orton’s solely stats over the past two years then it is no surprise other teams consider him an instant starting quarterback on their roster.

Below I tallied up some of Orton’s statistical achievements over the past two seasons and compared them to a statistically similar quarterback to put it all in perspective, in this case Joe Flacco.

Over the past two seasons

orton Kyle Orton

  • Passing yards: 7,455
  • Touchdowns: 41
  • Interceptions: 21
  • Completion rate: 60.5%
  • Record: 11-17

flaccoJoe Flacco

  • Passing yards: 7,235
  • Touchdowns: 46
  • Interceptions: 22
  • Completion rate: 62.8%
  • Record: 22-12

As you can see with the exception of their records Orton and Flacco are quite comparable, and Orton had four less starting games than Flacco did. So, exactly where does Orton’s issues lay? As Kyle pointed out on twitter, ESPN’s Bill Williamson jotted down a few trouble spots.

In the fourth quarter when down by eight points or less, Orton completed 50 percent of his passes, which was the sixth worst percentage in the NFL. He had a passer rating of 51.3, which was the tied for the fifth worst in the league

Orton wasn’t much better on third down in 2010. He completed 50 percent of his passes on third down, which was tied for the eighth worst in the league. His passer rating on third down was 58.0. He threw five interceptions on third down.

So what exactly should the Broncos do? Surround Orton with a more stable offensive line and hope he continues to improve? Keep Orton around as a backup in case Tebow takes another rib shot? Or should the franchise mortgage its future on Tim Tebow and trade Orton for whatever they can get? You tell us Bronco fans.

What should the Broncos do with Kyle Orton?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

← 
Newer Comments  →
  • Buddyshark

    Orton's only issues are a bad defense and no running game.

  • areferee

    Kyle Orton's issues are starting for a team with an extremely poor defense and playing for a team with a fan-base that largely does not support him.

    He is a workman-like quarterback that knows a great deal about how to play his position in the NFL. He is way ahead of many of the others that play that position for the other 31 teams. His numbers for 2010 reflect that skill.

    As I have stated before, I am a fan of Tim Tebow and I believe he will eventually be a star in the NFL. A winner. It should be with the Denver Broncos. It may be as a starter in 2011. But it may also be better for him as a player in 2012.

    Kyle Orton deserves an opportunity to hold his starting job this year if he can compete and win the job, based on his performance in training camp, if any.

    He does not deserve some of the blame he is receiving for the Win/Loss record for the past season. Had the defense allowed only 16 points or fewer, our record would have been 11-5, with a division win, without changing anything in his, (and Tebow's), performance.

    I personally would like to see him remain as a backup to Tebow in the long term. I believe he wants no such thing and it may be better for him to seek a trade. Unfortunately, it has been shown that we won't receive much for him in a trade. Probably a 3rd round pick, which isn't much, considering his cost to the team.

    What is better for Kyle Orton, and what is better for the Broncos may not be the same thing. That is where the problems lay.

  • dogheadbrew

    I like Orton, he is an overachiever and a great team player.

    That said, the eloquent and succinct Mr. Buddyshark summed up the record differential between Orton and Flacco perfectly.

    That said, the question is not; “Is Kyle Orton a quality starting QB?” The posed question is “What should the Broncos do in this situation.”

    Fortunately for the Broncos the answer to the first question is yes, depending on the team. In this case the Vikings would be a great option. The Broncos are a team in disarray who have been endemically flawed for some time now. The repair for a problem like that is to strip the problem to the core and rebuild the whole thing. Even though the QB is a brilliant figurehead in this debate, it is not as important as having a sea worthy hull again. We have a good start with El Fox way, and I am sure they are much less worried abut Orton than the rest of us.

    That said, the best scenario I can come up with is trade Orton to a team that wants him and he can win with i.e. Minnesota for as many second to fourth round picks as you can get. Pick up a relatively cheap veteran rental QB to keep Tebow from being pure cannon fodder this year. Get the BEST TALENT available at every pick you have, regardless of position (as far as I am concerned every position on the field is up for change; and last time I checked we get to field two corner backs on every play). Fill out the roster with current players and some decent FAs. Then realistically aim for an 8-8 season battling the Raiders for second place in the AFC West, rather than SD for last (too early for pseudo-predictions?). By then reestablishing line play and a RB. By then Tebow, who will have started a couple of injury games, will show if he's going to be a QB, or just a media icon. Either way the dude will do just fine in life.

    The only small hiccup is who could that FA QB be? A quick glance at this years crop points me, maybe, to Hasselbeck. Then again throwing Tebow to the wolves, with the right direction, can still work out. Or maybe we can't get a deal for Orton, and he's stuck here for another year, which is OK too. If it goes that way Orton is going to need a hug.

    Wait, what does this trump card say on it? What is See Bee Eh?

  • Nathanp7

    he is a well rounded quarterback aside from not being very fast on the run but a great arm with accuracy. His record as a passer speaks for itself he is just reliable get him the defense to quire the ball for him and a great receiver core and I think it will work fine

  • Tebow Fan

    It is a sad day when the management does not support a quality player such as Tim Tebow. It shows the lack of judgement and tact that the current management has. Tim has proven himself as an outstanding player, a quality person and a leader both on and off the field. I wish he could get traded to a team that believed in him and would help him become the star of the NFL. The day he is traded, is my last day as a Bronco Fan

  • Bretzked

    he is a good qb but not for denver the fans want to see tebow and wiht the broncos rebilding there team they should start with the qb that they think will lead them for the next 5-10 years. tebow might not be as good right now he is a rocky but what he dose have is a hart. he is 100% a bronco and dosent want to be any were els. un like ortan tebo is not afraid to get hit so he can extend the play. if we keep ortan we need to get getter o line for him

  • Irisher78

    I'm a Brady Quinn fan and I like Tebow. But why should the Broncos trade the best QB they have – Orton? If it comes down to them getting more for KO than TT or BQ in a trade I get that. But Tebow wont be winning games on a regular basis for a few years.

  • MrPete

    Ortons only issue is you cannot depend on him in a clutch situation. He is about as dependable as a wet paper bag. (Sorry Kyle, it is what it is) Stats are very shallow when you don't have the W's to go along with them.
    You can blame the defense, the running game, the supporting cast he had, but the one thing you cannot ignore is deep down everytime Orton was under center in a clutch situation, most of were more concerned about Orton and his ability to “Get it done” above any other person on the field at that time. If we see it as fans, I can gurantee you the players feel the same way. To further my point, look at how the players responed when Tebow started the last few games. Tebow might not be completely ready, but the players responded to his ability to make something positive happen in a clutch situation. Belief in each other is what drives every team sport and belief in your on field leader is even more important.
    With that said I do see the stats comparison between Orton and Flaco, but I see no comparison in the “Get it done” factor between the two.

    I am not saying that Tebow is the answer, but I am saying Orton isn't. Let's move on!

  • Bo

    Endless dinky little play action passes are more responsible for those stats than actual meaningful plays.

  • Paradisimo

    You realize that only 2 teams allowed less than 16 points per game last year and absolutely NO team held their opponent under 16 points in EVERY game. Just sayin…

  • http://nation.theorangepage.com/blog Ian Henson

    Trade value will not be there for Orton. I am completely assuming here, but I cannot imagine a team giving up more than a third round pick for him. To me he's worth far more, I could see value in a player for player trade, but for what kind of player? A DT? A LB? Who amongst those seeking quarterbacks has a defensive tackle or linebacker that would be worth trading Orton for?

    I say keep Orton, he will win a QB battle in training camp; focus on defensive acquisitions in free agency and in the draft. The Broncos are better with him than they are without him (which is what I said with Cutler, but I've grown to like Orton).

    The other thing that fans will run into next year is a major statistical decrease in production from Orton due to the teams refocus on the running game. This too will lead to calls for Tebow (or in the event that the Broncos deal Orton, it will lead to fans calling for Xanders head for dealing Orton). Pretty damned if you do and damned if you don't atmosphere here.

    Orton will win the battle, he did in Chicago, he did in Denver. There is no harm in keeping Tebow as a backup for one more season with the Broncos, but it would be a catastrophic year if the Broncos trade Orton and Tebow gets hurt. Not that I don't have faith in Brady Quinn, but I would definitely be nervous.

  • OrtonS*cks

    Kyle Orton sure does get a lot of love for a guy who's below average on third down, and any clutch situation in the 4th quarter. You can't keep covering for him with “no run game, bad defense” garbage. He's partly responsible for both. Defenses didn't and will never respect him, so they take the run away. He can't convert on third down, nor can he consistently lead the team on scoring drives, hence the damn defense is always on the field. Get over it, he sucks.

  • areferee

    It is a good goal for the “Orange Crush” defense. OC2 :-)

  • NMBronc

    Definitely trade him for a couple of twinkies and an Orange Crush.

    Orton's numbers generally came when we were down by 30. If you are going to compare him to someone, be fair, because Flaco is a real starting QB. If the assertion is with a better defense, he would suddenly – not scream like a little girl and collapse when a defender is within 5 ft and be a winning fourth quarter QB, then the proper comparison is with someone like Dilfer. The problem is that the Ravens Def was one of the best in history.

    Try as you might mediocrity is difficult to defend when expectations are higher.

  • CJ

    How could anybody want Orton to play another season. Lets not f*ck around here. Trade orton for more picks. Give your faith in Tebow and see what happens. worse case scenario he blows and we draft another quarterback with a high pick next year.

    And fix the damn defense. A decade of shit is enough

  • RCT930

    Trade him for a 3rd rounder. As a team leader he is uninspiring. You can see it in the body language of the players vs. when Tebow is playing.

    Tebow is raw but electric. Players naturally rally to him. I say start him this season and give him the experience he needs to mature as an NFL QB. It might be ugly at times. But in most cases a developing QB often is ugly.

  • Reverendofrock

    Then, obviously, you're not a Bronco fan. Go away!

  • ReverendofRock

    Let me clarify a little. I like Tebow. He's exciting, and the team seems to like him. That is promising. All I'm saying is, don't call yourself a Bronco fan if you will walk the minute Tebow leaves, assuming he ever does. If you don't support the team, regardless of who's on it, you are NOT a Broncos fan, so don't pretend to be one!!

  • ReverendofRock

    A pathetic excuse for a running game, and crap for defense, are the reasons for a lack of “W's”. Orton may not be the answer, but he's definitely NOT the problem. Get him some help in the running department, and a defense that can beat even a college team, and Orton will look like a champion!!

  • ReverendofRock

    This team could do NOTHING but pass, pass, pass, and you blame Orton for the opposing defense shutting them down??? Our defense couldn't beat my local high school team, but that means Orton's to blame for all the losses?? I'm not a big Orton fan, but the guy's done well with what he had to work with. Get a clue, idiot!!

  • ReverendofRock

    Give Orton a guy like Rice, and a line that can block, and see how he blows Flacco away!!

  • ReverendofRock

    I agree with you about the defense, for sure. I'm not saying that Tebow won't work out, but Orton hasn't had ANY help on offense. The poor guy's had to carry the offense by himself. Give him a running game and see what happens before throwing him to the wolves!!

  • ReverendofRock

    How inspiring can he be when he knows most fans were pissed that Cutler was traded for him, and then a young QB was drafted. Doesn't give you much to look forward to.

    I'm no Orton fan, but I truly feel for the guy. He got a raw deal in Chicago, and he's getting one in Denver. How do you rate a QB who's had no running game to back him up, and a defense that ranks dead last and squanders what points you manage to put on the board??

  • ReverendofRock

    So, those same “dinky little play action passes” make Brady a Superstar, but make Orton a chump? I don't like Brady for that very same reason, but he sure seems to be a “great” QB in the eyes of a lot of people! So, who's good, and who's not????

  • OrtonS*cks

    I think you're Kyle Orton defending his own shitty play… either that or you watched his one great game versus KC this year.

  • OrtonS*cks

    Raw deal in Chicago? Grossman took that team to the Superbowl two years prior to him winning the starting spot by default, then Cutler took his team to the superbowl two years after Orton won the job by default. That “default” year, your boyfriend was 9-7. Quit giving him credit. That's like accepting your kids is a D+ student and saying his school and teachers suck.

  • TheTroglodyte

    If the Broncos hold opposing teams to 16 points or less they could bring back Bubby Brister and go 11-5. Seriously, they could.

  • Bo

    Brady can throw those dinky little passes to convert on 3rd down. Brady can throw those dinky little passes for a touchdown when down 7 late in the 4th quarter. Brady can throw those dinky little passes all the way to a superbowl. If Orton can turn his dinky little passes into meaningful plays like Brady I'm all for him.

  • jdkchem

    Your point is what exactly, that the defense and running game didn't suck? Quitler plays for Green Bay now?

  • ReverendofRock

    Not when he has pressure, which isn't too often, now is it?

  • MrPete

    Orton will still fold under pressure, he proved it over the last couple years. You either have the skill set to produce under pressure or you don't…Orton posesses alot of skills but the most important one he dosen't.
    You have to remember players want to go where there is a chance to win. You cannot tell me that Kyle is highly regared as a get it done, clutch player in the NFL. The players see exactly what we see when we watch him fold under pressure.
    I kike Klye but he's not the answer to the future of the Broncos. So either keep him as a back up for a couple more years to see what Tebow can do, or trade and get what ever you think you can for him.

  • ReverendofRock

    If you think Grossman played better than Orton in Chicago, you must have missed more than a few games.

    Like I said on another comment, I'm no Orton fan, but I believe in giving credit where credit is due, unlike you. When an offense is one dimensional, like ours has been, how can you cast blame on a QB who has no choice but the throw the ball over and over again, and sometimes not much time to do that. Defensive coordinators aren't stupid. If the only thing you can do is pass, you're fortunate to do anything at all! Add to that the worst defense in the league, and a losing season is guaranteed, as we found out. And fools like you simply want to blame it on the one guy who did his job pretty decently. All I'm saying is give Orton a chance with running game and a defense that can play, and see what happens. There's no guarantee how he'll do, but we'll never know if we let him go, now will we?

  • CJ

    hate 2 burst your bubble, but do you really think we will have a running game and a defense achieved in a single offseason?

    Maybe 2-3 years and by then Tebow will still be raw as shit.

    Tebows the future man. Ortons not. Denvers in Rebuild mode.

  • Pwsbronco

    Are you Orton? Why are you the only one commenting on everyones opinion that don't want Orton here next year or as our starter?
    If you are not going to use the win/loss record with Orton then how can you use it with any other QB? That is how a QB is judged. That is just the facts. If that QB has a terrible team around him then he goes down with the ship, he is after all the captain.

    I don't recall anyone out there screaming for us to take Orton when the trade rumors were going on about Cutler. I don't ever remember anyone praising the coaches for receiving Orton as a throw in QB in that trade. Everyone was happier about the trades that we did get.

    Orton is what Orton is. He is an avg QB with inflated stats. Until he at least has a winning record and wins something then he will be nothing more than what he is.
    He is very good at hitting the dirt whenever a shadow of a d lineman gets even close to him.
    He will always be known as the QB that folds up in a close game. His sideline expressions will not be missed by me at all when we are 20+ down. His laughing on the sidelines when we are being destroyed by the raiders will not be missed at all.

    Look at the poll and you will see that you are in a very small minority as to who wants Orton around anymore.

    If Orton can win the QB job from TT then that only tells us that we need to get another QB in the draft.
    But now that Orton will not have a year advance in the new system Tebow should have no problem taking care of business.

    As soon as a new CBA is done then Orton will be playing for another team and hopefully he has a bigger line to protect him or at least block the d lines shadow so he doesnt hurt himself diving into the dirt.

    Goodbye Orton, it is time you go make a name for yourself on another team because the one you made here is just like your play in a close game…FLOP….

    So if you are not Orton then you must be his mom…… Let someone else stick up for him because you are starting to embarrass him I believe…

  • MrEast

    Are we talking about when Brady has pressure? Because that's why he makes $20 million a year whiling having a pony tail and not getting crap for it.

  • Mergrath

    “IF” the value is there…you trade him! He (like Flacco) is not Championship material. We could use another 2nd round pick with the defensive line depth in this draft to build a GREAT defense.

    Tebow has enough skill to win behind a GREAT defense and a good running game. One 1st and 3-2nds will go along way in shortening this rebuild.

  • Hunterdeanmoore

    Totally unrelated to QB's, but has anyone heard the status on Perrish Cox?

  • The Mascot Army

    You can officially be a Broncos fan and leave if they did something that (you think) sucks bad enough. Think Big Ben. I am sure there are plenty of used-to-be-fans of his, and that doesn't mean they were never fans to begin with.

  • Speedracer1963

    Agreed ! why throw orton under the bus when he was not only doing an outstanding job with a mediocre o-line / WRs Its unfortunate that tebow was drafted into this team and other important issues concerning getting TDs were BLOWN OFF. Why beat the same drum on who wants orton when the answer to the problem lies with this offensive line and the horrible defense that lets up so many points each game !!!! grow a brain Tebow fans

  • LarryB

    Is that all you can do, attack another poster, then make nebulous statements about how you think Orton is a bum? Who are YOU, anyway? Because someone posts positive comments about a player, you have to trash the poster?

    Now, do you have somethng intelligent to say?

  • LarryB

    Let me try to translate your post for the benefit of your readers: “Duh.”

  • LarryB

    And whose passes would you be talking about. Certainly not Orton's since, before his rib injuries, his 7.9 Yards Per Attempt was #2 in the NFL, and he was #1 in the league in plays more than 40 yards, and Elway said he was passing as well as anyone in the league.

    Might be a good idea to get your facts straight . . .

  • LarryB

    “do you really think we will have a running game and a defense achieved in a single offseason?”

    Yes.

  • Broncofan!

    Ortan may have put up big numbers this season but look at how many times he threw the ball. e averaged around 30-40 passes a game. Of course he will put up big numbers. Once the Broncos brought in Tebow he had a couple of 300 yard games. He may not be the best quarterback. But the team played better and averaged more points under Tebow then they did Ortan.

  • Theman!

    I like this. If he plays terribly and the Broncos blow for another year maybe we can get Luck

  • Nisse

    people seem to forget we will have the same offensive cordinator.
    dont know if the offense will change that much actuelly.
    and any increase in running the ball next year will probobly have to do with a better runningback core.

    and yeah, i guess most of u will say mccoy wasnt all that involved in what we called on offense, but he must have had some to say, and the offense didnt change that much the last 4 games(if u dont count the tebow scrambles).
    this, ofcourse, is mostly becouse they couldnt implement a new playbook in a week, but still.
    the thing is, mccoy was a quarterback coach at carolina which usually means they like to throw the ball more.
    john fox is a D guy as well, which means he wont put his stamp on the offense as much as a Offensive coach would.
    and lastly, mccoy must have had kinda the same offensive philosofi as mcdaniels, otherwise mcdaniels wouldnt hire him.
    and fox making the decision not to fire him shows this is what he wants his offense to look like, otherwise he would have got someone else to run it.

  • Mike

    I don't think its that simple Speedracer. On a Monday night loss this last year, Steve Young made a brilliant statement following the game. He basically said that while the Broncos may have been playing football, they weren't making plays. There was nothing exciting about watching them execute play after play. I was struck by how much that nailed it on the head for this season. Now I'm not saying that rests squarely on Orton's shoulders. I think there are a lot of “leaders” and vets on the Denver squad that need to step up to the plate and inspire the team to get hungry. However… when Tebow played the last three games, that spark was there. Yeah, we lost two and won one but I for one was riveted the whole time. Here I was watching a team that WANTED to win. This was a clarifying difference from the rest of the season for me. I think Orton is a solid statistics QB much like the one we traded him for, Jay Cutler. As far as both those QB's go, I think they will be almost great their whole career. At this point, I'm not willing to say that Tim Tebow is the answer to all of our needs and hopes, but I'm pretty confident in saying that Orton is not the long term answer and if we can get a solid trade offer for draft picks or a strong defensive player, then we should go for it.

  • CJ

    After reading the post and watching NFL network today, it looks like Orton is heading into training camp. If a CBA is done early i think they will ''entertain'' the possibility of a trade. But if a lockout happens, we could see another season of Kyle Orton's impressive mobility, Great leadership qualities, Passion, consistent arm strength, 3rd down converting machine, and most of all his clutch like ability to put a mother f***ing game away.

    All the while, Tim Tebow sits on the bench learning nothing

  • MrEast

    Learning nothing? Do you know how slippery those clipboards can be?!

  • OrtonS*cks

    I said championship, not Super Bowl… but now I just taught you there's a difference. Glad I could help. How about 09 when the Defense was respectable? Or are you just huggin' Orton's nuts because your a stat guy who sits in club level and drinks wine wearing his wife's panties?

←  
Newer Comments  →