Orton Hears a Two
Kyle Orton suddenly finds himself with a little bit of stability.
Orton, who signed a one-year, $2.6 million tender with Denver as a restricted free agent this Spring, has agreed to a one-year, $9 million contract extension through 2011, with $5.5 million in guaranteed money.
The former Purdue Boilermaker has thrown for over 9,000 yards, with 51 touchdowns and 39 interceptions in his career. He also posted his best quarterback rating last year of 86.8, which is pretty solid.
The Tim Tebow hype machine is in full effect and Brady Quinn was supposed to challenge him this offseason, but Orton has solidified his spot as the starter with a solid camp and preseason.
This surprising extension changes some values in dynasty leagues.
Kyle Orton, QB, DEN
This will stabilize what was a rapidly falling dynasty stock.
Orton was being avoided like the plague in many dynasty leagues. In fact, he was taken at #317 overall in our Experts League Draft we participated in with other distinguished fantasy sites a few months ago.
It’s too much to expect Orton to be a No. 1 quarterback in fantasy with the youth that surrounds him on offense. However, he could be a very solid No. 2 for the foreseeable future now that the Broncos have a little more invested in him.
Tim Tebow, QB, DEN
Don’t hit the panic button.
Tebow was drafted to be a long-term project and that’s exactly what he is. The Orton extension is actually a good thing for him. He should now have ample time and opportunity to learn and grow in the offense.
He remains a solid late second round pick in rookie drafts as a high risk and high reward option in dynasty leagues.
Brady Quinn, QB, DEN
Hit the panic button.
Had Brady Quinn showed anything so far in camp, the Orton extension may not have come so quickly. His putrid outing last week and inconsistent play in practice made it a priority.
The Denver offense is incredibly difficult to learn and Quinn has admitted such. It’s going to take some time for him to feel comfortable.
However, it’s pretty tough to justify keeping him unless you’re in a very deep dynasty league.
Maybe it wasn’t Cleveland after all.
Broncos Skill Players
The Broncos  are loaded with young players at the skill positions.
Knowshon Moreno, Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, and others will continue to progress with Orton at the helm, while developing a good relationship with Tim Tebow off the field.
It’s really a positive move for a team with long term potential.
Meanwhile, Jabar Gaffney and Eddie Royal remain major fantasy sleepers and are quickly developing a nice rapport with Orton.
SUMMARY
It looks like the Tim Tebow era in Denver is at least a year and a half away. This extension for Orton rewards a very deserving and underrated player. It also helps define the Broncos future a little better.
It would have been tough for Orton not to look over his shoulder if he started slowly this season. He’s now in position both physically and mentally to put together a good year.
Ken is on Twitter at DLF_KenK
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