Once again, an Indianapolis Colts quarterback has agreed to sign with Denver as former backup QB Sam Ehlinger signed a one-year deal Monday with the Broncos.
Once again, an Indianapolis Colts quarterback has agreed to sign with Denver as former backup QB Sam Ehlinger signed a one-year deal Monday with the Broncos.
Ehlinger received multiple offers, but saw the best fit under Broncos head coach Sean Payton. The 26-year-old joins the Broncos QB room with Bo Nix and Jarrett Stidham for an opportunity to compete for a backup role. Last season, Ehlinger played in all three preseason games, including the preseason opener against the Broncos.
Indianapolis selected Ehlinger in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. In his first four NFL seasons, Ehlinger played in eight games and was limited to just three starts. He completed 64-of-101 pass attempts for 573 passing yards and threw three touchdowns against three interceptions.
Ehlinger got the starting nod during the Colts dreadful 2022 campaign after QB Matt Ryan was benched. Earlier in the 2022 preseason, the Texas product showcased his athleticism and speed with an astounding 45-yard touchdown run in a Week 3 exhibition against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Broncos pick up 3 time Preseason MVP Sam Ehlinger.
Broncos got a good one. Thank you for your service Sam https://t.co/I70zluHmuh pic.twitter.com/iNVehzHKbU
— Colts Enjoyer (@AR5Renaissance) March 31, 2025
Despite Indy’s never-ending carousel of different starting QBs throughout the last four seasons, it always seemed like Ehlinger never got a true shot to become a starter. Ehlinger backed up Carson Wentz during his entire rookie campaign, then shared starts with Ryan and Nick Foles in 2022, but never saw the field beyond the preseason during the last two seasons while playing an emergency third QB reserve role behind Anthony Richardson, Gardner Minshew and Joe Flacco.
The emergency third QB rule came into effect in 2023, which allowed teams to designate another QB available to play without having to report him on the gameday roster. The Colts may seek to fill out their QB room with a third-string emergency QB in April’s draft following Ehlinger’s departure.
