Josh Johnson didn’t win the Denver Broncos’ backup quarterback job, but he’ll still have a role to play with the team this season.
Denver opted to go with Brett Rypien as Russell Wilson’s backup, but the team also re-signed Johnson to the practice squad, so both backup QBs will remain with the team.
“Both of those guys did a really good job,” coach Nathaniel Hackett said Wednesday. “They really did. It was a very hard decision for all of us, for our entire staff. So much respect for Josh and ‘Ryp.’
“I think that just from a consistency standpoint, ‘Ryp’ edged him out just a little bit, but it doesn’t say that we wouldn’t be absolutely ecstatic to have Josh go in for a game if we needed to. So, it was definitely a very close competition.”
Broncos fans will hope Wilson’s available for every game this year, but if the team ever does need another QB on the active roster, Johnson will be ready for a call-up from the practice squad at any point during the season.
And even if Johnson spends the entire year on the practice squad, he’ll be a candidate to mimic Denver’s upcoming opposing quarterback in practice each week, and that’s a key part of game preparation.
Johnson won’t have a flashy job with the Broncos — which has been the case for most of his journeyman career — but he’s an experienced, veteran QB who will be ready if called on this season.
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