Brady Quinn To Push Tim Tebow Further Down Depth Chart For Broncos

With all the talk about whether Tebow or Orton would be the starter in Denver this season (it sure isn't going to be Tebow), not much attention has been paid to the third quarterback on the roster: former first-round pick and Notre Dame-alum, Brady Quinn.

However, folks in Denver are saying that Brady Quinn has improved so dramatically in the off-season (an off-season that saw Tebow running around the country signing books rather than working with a quarterback coach) that he's now in position to be the long-term backup behind Orton.  Some might even say that he could be ready to start for a team soon.

Quinn was drafted out of Notre Dame in 2007, and was most notable for dropping a lot further in the first round than he was expected.  Some had him pegged as a top-5 pick, but Quinn (as the second quarterback taken) fell all the way to the Cleveland Browns at #22.

His biggest mistake was probably in holding out of camp for ten days to get his contract signed.  Had he gone to camp immediately, he might have had a chance to start the season, but instead Derek Anderson had a Pro Bowl-caliber year.  As it was, he didn't get a chance to start until his second season in 2008, and played well in a few games before ending  his season with a broken finger.

After that, new coach Eric Mangini rotated his quarterbacks in a completely asinine way, but Quinn still led the team to victories over Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Kansas City.  He ended 2009 early with a foot injury.

When he got traded to Denver before the 2010 season, he thought he'd have a chance to win the starting job, but when the Broncos drafted Tim Tebow a month later, the writing was on the wall.

However, a new coaching staff under John Fox has come in and all the players have gotten a clean slate.  During the lockout, Quinn reportedly hired long-time quarterbacks coach David Lee who had also worked with the Manning brothers.

Lee went to work on Quinn's mechanics, tweaking his technique to help improve throwing velocity and accuracy.  It apparently worked.  He has improved greatly since last season ended.  In fact, his improvement is in stark contrast to the step back that Tebow seemed to take in the off-season.

"I'm going to tell you this right now: Brady Quinn has a stronger arm than both the Manning brothers," Lee said. "No question. I worked them all out."

 "I don't know why it is, or exactly how to explain it, but Brady is much better this year than he was last year," Broncos star cornerback Champ Bailey said. "He just seems much more confident."

Whether Quinn finally gets another shot will be up to fate, but he's done what he can so far to put him in a position to succeed when he does get that chance.