Denver Broncos QB Kendall Hinton (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
The Broncos don’t have a quarterback on the active roster, and it shows.
Poor, poor Kendall Hinton. You didn’t deserve this. Hinton, a quarterback out of Wake Forest, switched his position long ago before the Denver Broncos decided to drag him off the practice squad because every QB on their active roster has COVID-19. The Denver quarterback room is a lesson in roster management during the coronavirus era, and that’s how important it is to always keep one emergency QB in quarantine. Smart teams are doing so, but the Broncos aren’t one of those teams, hence the article you are currently reading.
Hinton went 0-for-7 in the first half with one interception, thrown to New Orleans Saints CB Janoris Jenkins. New Orleans doesn’t have a noticeably productive defensive unit, either. But when a defensive coordinator can essentially take away the passing game without lifting a finger, the rest tends to fall into place.
The Broncos offensive numbers in the first half were laughable
There is a major difference between Hinton and Taysom Hill. While we make fun of Hill on a semi-regular basis, and the Saints plan to make him their quarterback of the future is questionable at best, at least he’s a capable passer. Watching these two head-to-head showcased just that, and Sean Payton should be applauded for his playcalling in Drew Brees’ absence. Payton is always prepared. The Broncos were not.
Drew Lock doesn’t offer much promise when healthy, but at the very least he can complete passes when given the proper protection by his offensive line. Hinton is out of practice, and trying to switch over to wide receiver for a reason. The Broncos have stinted that development with such an egregious decision.