The Broncos’ quarterback situation continues to be puzzling.

Multiple reports have indicated that the Broncos will trade Kyle Orton, most likely to the Dolphins. And yet when the Broncos practiced for the first time today, Orton wasn’t just on the field — he was running the show with the first-string offense, and from all accounts outplaying Tim Tebow, the 2010 first-round draft pick who is supposedly the team’s quarterback of the future.

Mike Klis of the Denver Post reports that Orton looked poised and polished, while Tebow looked slower in finding receivers and less accurate in his passing. Klis writes that not only did Orton look better than Tebow, but Brady Quinn looked better than Tebow, too.

Tebow seemed to think he played well, which isn’t necessarily a good sign.

“We’ve got to work on some timing with certain things, but for a first day, I thought it was pretty good,” Tebow said.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/07/28/kyle-orton-outplays-tim-tebow-at-broncos-practice/ 

Michael David Smith wrote:

I have no opinion on Tebow, but if he is of lesser skill and the Broncos continue to stick with him then the only reason is because someone with decision-making power can't admit their mistake and cut their losses.

Originally Posted by: rabidgopher04 

The real competition in Denver could be Quinn vs. Tebow 

We know there is a school of thought in Miami that says Kyle Orton could still be traded there. It makes a lot of sense.

In the meantime, Orton could be convincing the coaching staff in Denver that he’s the right man to lead the Broncos. Mike Klis of the Denver Post writes that Tim Tebow is no longer getting any snaps with the No. 1 offense.

“Tim Tebow is in a serious quarterback competition all right. He and Brady Quinn are neck and neck in the battle for the No. 2 quarterback spot,” Kils writes.

Orton is getting all the snaps with the starters, while Quinn occasionally takes the No. 2 snaps over Tebow. If the Broncos are playing a game of chicken here, it’s an expensive one.

They already paid Orton $1.5 million. They owe him $2.9 million in salary even if they cut him. Tebow needs the offense to be tailored around him if he’s going to be the starter, which is hard to do when Tebow is splitting second team snaps.

Nothing would shock us with this situation, but we’re starting to wonder if there was something to that February NFL Network report that said Tebow “lacked support” within the Broncos building.

Gregg Rosenthal wrote: