No quarterbacks left for NFL Broncos due to Covid-19 risks
The Denver Broncos faced the prospect of playing an NFL game Sunday without a quarterback after three signal callers were declared ineligible as close contacts from Covid-19 tracing.
The Broncos (4-6) are scheduled to play host to the New Orleans Saints (8-2) after the setback.
Broncos quarterbacks Drew Lock and Brett Rypien as well as practice squad quarterback Blake Bortles will not be allowed to play, the NFL Network and ESPN reported, after being pulled from Saturday practice.
They were deemed in close contact to quarterback Jeff Driskel, who was placed on the Covid-19 reserve list Thursday.
With the Broncos not expected to forfeit, they could be pressed into using an emergency quarterback, with KUSA-TV in Denver reporting that the team's last-resort is third-string running back Royce Freeman.
Freeman, 24, is a third-year NFL rusher with 1,096 career yards and 66 receptions for 401 yards.
The Saints own the best record in the National Conference while the Broncos are two games out of a wildcard playoff spot in the American Conference.