ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos discovered a painful lesson final yr once they have been compelled to play a sport with no quarterback. So, they’re isolating third-stringer Brett Rypien as a precaution with the brand new, extremely transmissible type of COVID-19 resulting in a spike in infections throughout the NFL.
Coach Vic Fangio mentioned Friday that he determined to make Rypien the workforce’s “quarantined quarterback” this week.
“He was not in the meetings, he was in virtual meetings, and when he was out here on the field, he was under strict orders to not be near anybody,” Fangio mentioned.
All week, Rypien was standing far-off as starter Teddy Bridgewater and backup Drew Lock took snaps at apply. The Broncos (7-6) host the Cincinnati Bengals (7-6) on Sunday.
Lock missed a sport earlier this season whereas on the reserve/COVID-19 checklist.
The Broncos applied superior protocols on their personal a number of weeks in the past. This week, the league ordered all groups to take additional precautions. The omicron pressure of COVID-19 has led to a considerable improve in instances throughout the league and compelled the NFL to maneuver three video games this weekend.
Although they don’t seem to be isolating anyone aside from Rypien, “we’ve emphasised with everyone to unfold out on the apply subject,” Fangio mentioned. “We’re assembly within the (spacious indoor apply facility) and we’re method unfold out. The key’s that the tracker machine would not flash.”
Fangio declined to designate a “quarantined quarterback” final season, a call that backfired when the league disqualified all of his quarterbacks over coronavirus considerations on the eve of Denver’s Nov. 29 sport in opposition to the New Orleans Saints.
Lock, who was then the starter, his backup Rypien and apply squad veteran Blake Bortles have been discovered to have been maskless round No. 3 QB Jeff Driskel earlier than he examined optimistic for COVID-19 on Thanksgiving Day.
The Broncos needed to promote receiver Kendall Hinton from their apply squad — he had made 5 begins at quarterback at Wake Forest — and gave him the majority of the snaps in a 31-3 loss to the Saints.
Hinton finishing extra passes to the Saints (two) than he did to his personal receivers (one) whereas posting a passer score of zero. But he drew reward from teammates and opponents alike and his wristbands and the play name sheet from the sport ended up in a show on the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
This summer season, Hinton lined up at defensive again in his quest to make the Broncos’ roster any method he might, however he made the workforce as a receiver and has caught 13 passes for 152 yards and a landing.
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