While most of the talk heading into the Super Bowl has been about Peyton Manning and his future in the NFL, Brock Osweiler is waiting in the wings. The backup quarterback played a big part in why the Broncos got to the big game in the first place and there will come a time when he must decide if he wants to continue in Denver or head elsewhere. The backup quarterback's contract is set to expire after this season, but he admits he has not thought about the future.
Osweiler is taking a page out of Manning's book. The veteran quarterback told the media that he is simply focused on Sunday and has yet to give a thought about the future. Osweiler is saying the same thing knowing everyone is wondering if he is the future of the franchise.
"I haven't even thought about that," Osweiler said, via ESPN.com. "I am 100 percent focused on the Carolina Panthers defense and getting prepared for the Super Bowl on Sunday. That is something that we will look at in the future...And I can't control whether Peyton keeps playing football or he doesn't. So I'm not going to think about it. I'm not going to worry about it. I'm going to show up and do my job to the best of my abilities every day, every week."
General manager John Elway has stated that the Broncos intend to bring Osweiler back next season. The quarterback did not blow anyone away necessarily in the games he started this year, but he showed plenty of potential. The quarterback went 5-2 in the games he started in place of Manning leaving everyone impressed from head coach Gary Kubiak to teammates like Demaryius Thomas.
Osweiler will not come cheap. Given the weakness of the quarterback market this offseason, Osweiler will have some leverage to command a little bit of money in his next deal. The Broncos have to decide the best path to take. The team could re-sign Osweiler or they could also chase an established player like Sam Bradford who will be looking for a lot more money. There is also the NFL Draft and late-round prospects like Kevin Hogan, Jake Coker, Dak Prescott and Connor Cook. The Broncos have plenty of options to look at.
The Osweiler endorsements are already coming in. With many believing Manning is set to retire at the end of the season, there is a strong contingent of Broncos players that like the idea of bringing back Osweiler. He proved that he can handle the starting job and the spotlight.
"We kept winning," Thomas said, via NESN.com. "Brock came in as a big leader, ... stepped up big, and we haven't paid him back. It's our time."
