ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Vic Fangio said he would decide Tuesday whether Jeff Driskel or Brett Rypien would be the Broncos’ starting quarterback for their game Thursday night against the New York Jets.
"We’ve been talking about it today," Fangio, the Broncos’ head coach, said at his day-after-game press conference Monday. "And we’ll have a decision by tomorrow on which way we’re going to go."
Fangio added veteran Blake Bortles, who has the most starting experience on the Broncos’ roster, is not under consideration as he didn’t sign until Thursday.
"Yes, Blake was here two days last week and to expect him to be able to play this week on a short week where practice will be very limited I think would be unrealistic," Fangio said.
It could be that both Driskel and Rypien will play as Fangio indicated the chosen starter could be on a short lease.
"Yeah that’s always available," Fangio said. "Pulling quarterbacks in and out, unless you have a good reason to isn’t something you want to do. But in this situation, it could be a mix of the guys."
Fangio pulled the starter Driskel in the fourth quarter Sunday with the Broncos trailing Tampa Bay, 28-10, and replaced him with Rypien. Fangio explained he wanted to go with a quarterback who would get the ball out a little quicker as Driskel had taken 11 sacks in roughly six quarters, going back to when he replaced the injured Drew Lock against Pittsburgh in game 2.
Rypien came in for one series that lasted 6 minutes. He completed his first 8 passes for a methodical 53 yards while moving the offense from the Broncos’ own 27 to the Bucs’ 13. On fourth-and-1, Rypien threw an in-route to rookie receiver Jerry Jeudy, but it was intercepted in the end zone by Bucs’ safety Mike Edwards.
The Broncos gave Driskel, a free agent who played for the Bengals and Lions the past two years, a two-year, $5 million contract in March that included $2.5 million this year. Rypien was a four-year starter at Boise State whom the Broncos signed last year as an undrafted rookie.
Although he was activated as the Broncos’ No. 2 quarterback behind Brandon Allen for three games last year, his series Sunday against Tampa Bay was his first NFL action.
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