Sam Ehlinger Looks 'Light Years Ahead' and Denver's QB Room Is Already a Mess

Alright, Emerald City faithful! Hope you're all geared up for another Mariners game, maybe enjoying a crisp pint down by T-Mobile Park. But hold up, because some "reports" are out there, talking about a certain team down south. And if what I'm reading is true, the Denver Broncos are already a whole mess in their quarterback room. Seriously, it's wild. While our guys are grinding on the field, these folks are just wrapping up two-thirds of their offseason training program, and the early returns on their QB situation? Yikes.

Denver's Quarterback Roller Coaster Starts Early

So, here's the scoop from their voluntary organized team activities: Sam Ehlinger, who was signed just last summer, has apparently "impressed" during the media-open practices. The word on the street is he looks "light years ahead" of where he was last year, showing comfort, confidence, and real sharpness thanks to a season in Sean Payton's scheme. Payton himself was quoted saying, "Today there were a handful of plays maybe a year ago at this time from a terminology standpoint or just the rhythm... But I definitely feel like you can see that, and that’s encouraging.” Good for him, I guess? They're trying to spark a competition for the No. 2 QB spot, and Ehlinger is supposedly off to a hot start. But then there's Jarrett Stidham. This dude has been running the *first-team* offense because Bo Nix has been sidelined, but despite that, he hasn't looked as good as Ehlinger. He's not "bad," but he's already "a step behind" when it comes to momentum. A competition for the *backup* spot already heating up? Man, our guy Sam Darnold just *gets* it done for the Hawks. We don't need this kind of drama, we just need results, and Darnold is focused on balling out. It really makes you appreciate the clean slate and focus our coaching staff, Mike Macdonald and Brian Fleury, bring to Lumen Field.

A Rookie on the Rise, But How Much Does It Even Matter?

Beyond the QB chaos, there's a rookie defensive lineman, Tyler Onyedim, who's apparently making some noise. The report says he's adopted a "pro’s mindset" already, with Zach Allen being impressed by his "zeal for film study." That's "atypical for a rookie," they say. You gotta respect that hustle, no doubt. But let's be real, it's super tough to get a solid read on trench players during these early offseason workouts. It's not full pads, it's not real game speed. Still, he's making an impression as they gear up to whittle their bloated 90-player roster down to the final 53 by the end of August. That's a brutal competition, something our guys already know all about. So yeah, while the Broncos are out there trying to figure out who their *backup* QB is and if a rookie DL can study film, we’re here in the PNW just enjoying our teams. They've got mandatory minicamp next week, and then it’s full-on training camp for them in late July. Meanwhile, we've got the Mariners on the field at T-Mobile Park, our Kraken dominating on the ice with guys like Matty Beniers and Joey Daccord, and the Seahawks are just quietly grinding, knowing what's really important. Go Hawks, Go M's, Go Kraken, Go Sounders! We bleed green and blue, and we know our teams are built different.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.