Why Sam Ehlinger could win the Broncos' backup quarterback job

With training camp now in full swing for the Denver Broncos, one of the top storylines to follow for the remainder of this summer is the battle for the team’s backup quarterback job between Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger.

Whether or not this is a legitimate battle is anyone’s guess (former Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay doesn’t think it is), but from everything that we can tell, coach Sean Payton is giving Ehlinger a chance to win the job.

Does Ehlinger have any real chance to win the job?

The simple answer is yes.

Though Payton has long supported Stidham as his backup quarterback, his lackluster performance in the AFC Championship Game is likely still as fresh in his mind as it is in that of the collective fanbase. That opens the door for a guy like Ehlinger.

It’s possible that Payton is just throwing Ehlinger a bone for being loyal to the team last season. But if this is a legitimate competition, one can argue that through the first week of training camp, Ehlinger has looked better.

Another RJ Harvey wheel route. Wide-open on ball from Sam Ehlinger. That appears to be a real, developing weapon for #Broncos.

Ball hasn’t touched the ground much today on Ehlinger’s reps.

— Luca Evans (@bylucaevans) August 5, 2026

There is more than one reason why Ehlinger could be selected as Bo Nix’s backup in 2026. First, on the field, Ehlinger can make the type of off-schedule plays that Stidham likely won’t. He’s mobile, and he can ad-lib quite well. But off the field, the fact that the Broncos could save $4.5 million against the salary cap by cutting Stidham could also be a motivating factor for the team (or trading him for extra draft capital would be even better).

In other words, Stidham can’t sleepwalk his way to winning the job. He won’t beat out Ehlinger by playing the way he did against the New England Patriots last January, either. If he does and he still hangs onto the backup spot, you’ll know that Payton was just showcasing Ehlinger to teams looking for a quarterback.

This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Why Sam Ehlinger could win the Broncos’ backup quarterback job