The Facts: For the most part, chalk this next item up to coaches never wanting to admit a starter has a job wrapped up before camp. Still, it was a little surprising to hear Broncos HC Josh McDaniels endorse a competition at QB when asked if Simms would have to play out of his mind to overtake Kyle Orton, who was named the starter in June. “He doesn’t have to play out of his mind,” McDaniels said. “We’re going to evaluate the QBs just like we do like every other position. If Chris is the most effective quarterback in our system by September, then he’ll start."

Diehards Line:As Gazette staffer Frank Schwab stressed, it's not like McDaniels is calling it a dead heat, and most of that quote should be attributed to coachspeak. There’s a reason he named Orton the starter more than a month ago. And Schwab believes it’s a longshot the job changes hands. Simms would have to play at a very high level, or Orton at a very low one. But as Schwab summed up, "it's a quote that will be interesting to revisit if Simms outplays Orton in training camp and the preseason."