Kubiak's Corner: For Peyton Manning, "Today the cast came off"

For the Denver Broncos, it’s Brock Osweiler‘s offense until Peyton Manning can regain his health.

Head coach Gary Kubiak echoed his own sentiments on Wednesday afternoon, saying, “Listen, like I told you guys before, we’re totally committed to getting our quarterback—getting Peyton healthy and getting him back. Nothing has changed. Nothing has changed with where we’re headed this week. Brock is our starter this week, and we’re all-in getting ready for San Diego. We are week-to-week and doing everything we can to win the next football game. Absolutely nothing has changed.”

Yes, Brock Osweiler has started two weeks in a row and, yes, the Broncos won both of those games. Including the “Blizzard of Os” game — as Klein Kubiak tweeted today — beating the previously undefeated New England Patriots. But Kubiak knows Manning — even on his last legs, literally — is still a more proven option at quarterback when the playoffs and ultimately the Super Bowl rolls around, if Denver is lucky enough to attend.

“We’re trying to get him healthy where he can get back on the field and get to work with us,” Kubiak continued about Manning. “Today the cast came off, but the boot is on. The boot is going to stay on, it’s my understanding, until Friday or Saturday. With the boot, he can go through rehab. With the cast, he couldn’t. That’s what he’s doing right now, and the next step will be when that comes off for good.”

So, Manning will now undergo rehab, and it seems highly unlikely he’ll be good to go even as an emergency backup this Sunday in San Diego. It even seems unlikely he’d be back when the Oakland Raiders come to town on Dec. 13. What about against the Pittsburgh Steelers Dec. 20?

Simply, it’s too far out to tell, and only Manning knows for sure if and when he’ll be ready to take the field for the Broncos again this season.

While there was an erroneous report this morning that Osweiler will start the rest of the Broncos season, sources tell BSN Denver exactly what Kubiak is saying, they’re utilizing a “wait and see” approach.

AFC West leading Denver takes on the 3-8, division bottom dwelling Chargers this Sunday with a 2:05 p.m. MT kickoff.