Broncos waive Christian Ponder; let the Peyton Manning questions begin

Less than two weeks after signing quarterback Christian Ponder, the Denver Broncos announced they’ve waived him, leaving the team with Trevor Siemian as the only backup behind starting QB Brock Osweiler.

Peyton Manning remains sidelined with a plantar fascia tear, according to DenverBroncos.com.

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Ponder didn’t take a single snap for the Broncos and hasn’t played in the NFL since October 2014, so his departure isn’t surprising. It offers, however, a couple insights into the team’s quarterback situation.

First, the Broncos appear to be 100 percent confident in Osweiler’s ability after three NFL starts, and with good reason. He sandwiched wins against the Chicago Bears and San Diego Chargers around an upset that ended the New England Patriots’ perfect season. His numbers aren’t great, but as a game manager on a team with an elite defense, he’s proven capable of keeping Denver on track to contend.

Second, the Broncos must believe Manning will return healthy soon. It’s hard to imagine Denver general manager John Elway being too comfortable with Siemian — his seventh-round pick in the 2015 NFL draft — as the team’s backup quarterback for the remainder of the season. If Siemian were forced into duty by an Osweiler injury, the odds of the Broncos winning the Super Bowl would surely plummet.

Maybe we’re reading too much into the move, but you don’t cut a capable third-string quarterback if there’s any chance he can help you win a game this season, especially when one game could mean the difference between a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the AFC. It does not appear the Broncos will replace Ponder with another QB, so that leaves Osweiler as the only viable option, unless Manning is almost healthy.

Of course, that’s when the controversy begins. Will Elway start Manning as a courtesy when he returns? Would Manning make a public stink about being a backup? Ponder’s exit paves the way for that argument.

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