The Broncos are having another rough year, as their struggles since a Super Bowl 50 victory continue. They sit at 4-6 and in third place in the AFC West Division. They’re currently still alive in the playoff hunt, but injuries have made this year very difficult on the Broncos, with quarterback Drew Lock being one of many Bronco players sidelined from injuries after he hurt his shoulder in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers and landed on the IR for the foreseeable future.

It looks as if injuries aren’t the only thing stopping Lock from playing this week.

After being in close contact with a fellow teammate testing positive for COVID-19, Lock is ineligible to play their matchup against the New Orleans Saints this week due to the COVID-19 protocols set by the NFL, which states that, “a club must place any player as a ‘high risk’ close contact on the reserve COVID-19 list upon such designation. Such players will remain on that list until five days have passed since the date on which the player was last in contact with the infected individual.”

To make matters worse, the football gods have decided to make this week even more unlucky, as backups Brett Rypien and Blake Bortles are also ineligible to play this week due to the fact they were with the same teammate that tested positive.

The Broncos organization revealed in an ESPN article that, “All three have consistently tested negative for COVID-19 via both daily PCR testing and additional POC testing administered as a precaution.”

The organization and their fans can breathe a sigh of relief that no one else tested positive for the virus. This ensures that all the QBs will be healthy for next week unless other virus or injury related hindrances occur.

Because of this setback, the Broncos will be the first team this year to use an emergency QB, as they are planning to use WR Kendall Hinton, who actually played QB in high school and in college at Wake Forest as a freshman before switching to receiver. Interestingly enough, Hinton is being activated off the practice squad for this week so this is the first we’ll see of Hinton all year, and it’s at a position he doesn’t even play.

Multiple Denver players have shown some frustration on the subject of not playing a regular QB this week. 

Tight end Noah Fant tweeted, “I’m not one to complain, but NFL, y’all can’t possibly send us into a game without a QB. The most important position to an offense.”

Star linebacker Von Miller jokingly tweeted, “VON Elway. (I’m) a passing QB (I) don’t need to run much. Ankle is good for QB.” 

This will be one interesting week for Denver, as the Bronco fans and the entire NFL will witness the first situation this year with a wide receiver starting at quarterback. If Hinton doesn’t work out this week, perhaps Von Elway will come through to lead the Broncos to victory.