National Football League

Broncos QBs keep it drama-free

Published Aug. 30, 2010 12:28 a.m. ET

foxsports

When it comes to toeing the company line, the Denver Broncos quarterback trio of Kyle Orton, Brady Quinn and Tim Tebow amounts to a three-headed Olga Korbut. Like the 1970s Olympic gold medal gymnast, they twist and contort themselves in and out of impossible positions … all the while looking to make it appear effortless. The goal? We have no quarterback drama in Denver.

Nobody’s supposed to step in it. No slips of the tongue. No displays of frustration. Everybody’s happy, or better be. We Are The World.

“It’s been a great working relationship. I’ve enjoyed working with Brady. I’ve enjoyed working with Tim,” says the undisputed starter Orton.

Then Orton remembers something. Insert yourself whenever the focus turns to newcomer and former first-rounder Brady Quinn and this year’s megawatt first-rounder Tim Tebow. That much potential can be disconcerting.

“Those guys bring, um, I think every one of us brings something into the room,” Orton says. “It’s been good in meetings. It’s been good on the field.”

Fans don’t really seem to enjoy the Orton era, and this is just his second year in Denver. The collective sigh released after Denver extended Orton’s contract blew strong enough to rattle the house. They thirst for Tebow. His dynamic persona makes them forget he’s more brute runner than a beauty of a passer.

“I feel like a rookie who’s got a long way to go. But I think I’m getting there,” Tebow says. “I’m constantly trying to get better each day. My mind-set is … the things I messed up the day before … I can’t repeat those errors.

“I’m working to get to that point … where I feel I have the offense and I can understand it. And I can do everything … then it’ll be great.”

In the middle sits Quinn. His belief in his ability is solid even if his play during his three-year stay with the lowly Browns proved atrocious. If he’s irrelevant, it’s lost on him.

“I want to be the guy, I want to achieve perfection. And it’s something that the past three years hasn’t been what I wanted,” Quinn says. “So regardless of what anyone else’s expectations are outside of this or even in this building, they won’t be higher than mine.”

With the Browns, Quinn watched more than he played. Tebow will do the same, for a while at least, judging from the Broncos’ move this week to give Orton 8 million reasons to stave off Tebow.

“This is the greatest job in the world, and you’re always going to have somebody that wants it or somebody’s going to try to replace you,” Orton says when asked about his tiresome road to the top.

As for the impossibly fine line Tebow must walk so as not to overshadow the starter, “I’ve just got to be myself,” he says. “Me, Kyle and Brady have a great relationship.”

There they go again.