Elway: Osweiler got 'bent out of shape' about benching
Those still seeking an explanation for Brock Osweiler's departure from Denver finally have one. And it comes straight from the Broncos general manager John Elway.
In an open, two-part interview with Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post, Elway revealed why the man the Broncos drafted in 2012 to be Peyton Manning's successor opted for free agency rather than to quarterback the defending Super Bowl champions. The reason stems from a benching in the final regular-season game before the playoffs. That game was Osweiler's seventh straight start in Manning's stead.
The Broncos - 11-4 and chasing home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs and a first-round bye - led the San Diego Chargers 7-6 at halftime. However, Osweiler had gone 14-for-22, thrown two interceptions, and lost a fumble.
In the team's second series of the second half, Osweiler was replaced by Manning.
Osweiler would not throw another pass for the Broncos.
"I haven't talked to Brock about it. I've only kind of heard about it, of why he may have been a little bit upset about the way things went," Elway said to Jhabvala.
"I can understand that he didn't want to sit down and have Peyton come back in that San Diego game, but it wasn't the fact that Brock was playing bad. We needed a change of something. So I was a little surprised just how he seemed to be a little bent out of shape about that. But he had an opportunity to make a tremendous amount of money in Houston, and for us, it just didn't fit."
The four-year pro would sign with the Texans in free agency on a four-year, $72-million deal, and the Broncos would spend the offseason finding replacements at the starting quarterback position.
"That's why you can never lock into one solution," Elway said. "You always have to have several options and go with what's best."
Denver signed Mark Sanchez and drafted Paxton Lynch out of Memphis to compete with Trevor Siemian for the starting job.
Elway acknowledged the trio of signal-callers on the roster may not inspire confidence in the fan base.
"It may not look as good from the outside as people want it to look, but we feel pretty good about how it looks from the inside," he said. "We feel good about that spot in the years to come and of what Mark can do. We think he's got the ability, if we get him in the right situation, to be a very sufficient and adequate quarterback."