ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — There’s a new sheriff in town.
After Peyton Manning rode off into the sunset after the 2015 season, the Denver Broncos attempted to find their new deputy through multiple different avenues. But after two years of falling short, they broke the bank to bring in a proven vet to take the reins.
Thirty-six million dollars later, it appears John Elway dug up the hidden treasure he was looking for.
Since the team landed Case Keenum, kind comments from coaches and players have been thrown his way every day about his leadership and demeanor. But it wasn’t until this week his teammates actually got to see his play, and leadership, in person and on the field.
In just the third practice of OTAs, Keenum not only got the attention of his fellow offensive players — literally — but the seven-year vet grabbed the eyes, and approval, of his defensive teammates, as well.
“Today, just now, the offense was kind of jogging, and he was like ‘Men, huddle up!’” Chris Harris Jr. explained. “He takes command out there. Lets them know ‘I got the play here.’ He’s a leader out there on the field so far.”
It’s not that the Broncos three quarterbacks they had the last two seasons didn’t possess this leadership and alpha-dog mentality, it just was never displayed to a degree where other players, specifically on the defensive side, took notice like they’ve already done just three practices in with Keenum.
On Wednesday, when asked why this coming season will be different than last year’s 5-11 season, the “truthful-no-matter-what” Derek Wolfe pointed to a few things, one being: “We got a new quarterback.”
“Our offense has a leader now that’s going to be out there,” Wolfe said without missing a beat. “Not that Trevor [Siemian] wasn’t a good leader. But we’ve got somebody who’s experienced in leading a football team. And you saw what kind of work he did in Minnesota.”
Of course, a 22 to seven touchdown to interception ratio, like Keenum had last year, will significantly help the team rebound from a woeful 5-11 season. Nearly as important, though, if not more, is his teammates’ belief that they do, in fact, have a starting quarterback, a sentiment not even Vance Joseph couldn’t say this time last year.
“Last year, we felt like we’re going into the same old thing: defense was going to pick up a lot of the slack, this and that,” Wolfe reminisced honestly. “Now our competition is great. It’s not one-sided anymore.”
For years, Denver’s defense stressed time and time again how beneficial it was for them to go up against a Peyton Manning-led offense day in and day out during practices. Now, while a Keenum-led offense like isn’t the high-flying 2013 Manning offense, the defense hopes to get the toughest task they’ve had in years with No. 4 at the helm.
“We’re going to keep making it hard for him,” Harris said, setting the stage for what the team hopes is many competitive practices to come.
