When the Denver Broncos set their initial 53-man roster last summer, they carried two quarterbacks: starter Bo Nix and backup Jarrett Stidham.
Denver managed to keep Sam Ehlinger on the practice squad despite the third-string QB drawing active-roster offers elsewhere. Ehlinger ended up rejecting three other clubs to remain with the Broncos in 2025. He bounced between the practice squad and active roster in Denver last fall and re-signed on a one-year deal this spring.
After he showed so much loyalty to the club last season, it wouldn't be surprising to see Ehlinger rewarded with a spot on the active roster in 2026. Doing so would require carrying three QBs on the 53-man roster (or a surprise Stidham trade or cut, which seems unlikely).
Last week,
Broncos coach Sean Payton was asked about the possibility of rostering three QBs.
“I think [last Tuesday] we were talking about it," Payton said. "A lot of it… There are so many things that come into that, but we’ve got time for them.”
A very non-committal stance from Payton. It will likely come down to the numbers, and Ehlinger's willingness to stick around. If Denver has room for a third QB, it's a no-brainer to reward Ehlinger. If they are desperate for another roster spot, though, Ehlinger could be asked to once again begin on the practice squad. The 27-year-old quarterback has made it clear that he's happy with the Broncos and wants to be part of the club's journey, but he will likely get active-roster opportunities again in 2026. We'll see how it shakes out this weekend.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Sean Payton non-committal on keeping 3 quarterbacks on 53-man roster
