For the last few years, the Denver Broncos' offseasons have been embroiled in quarterback competitions. Case Keenum's signing ends that string of uncertainty.
"I appreciate it, for sure," receiver Emmanuel Sanders said, via the team's official website. "This is the first time in two or three years that I'm not standing up here talking about a quarterback debate."
Since Peyton Manning retired in 2016, the Broncos have harbored a QB quandary. The first year it was Trevor Siemian, Paxton Lynch and Mark Sanchez splitting offseason snaps. In 2017, the question was whether Siemian or Lynch would win the starting job.
With the addition of Keenum, and the Broncos passing on quarterbacks in the draft, the situation is settled for 2018.
"I remember when I got out here, I went out to the team store and I saw Case Keenum's jerseys. I was like, 'Thank God I don't have to deal with that again,'" Sanders said. "Case is our guy. We can go from there. We can work our butts off, try to gain chemistry and try to put up points."
Sanders is coming off his worst season in Denver, catching just 47 passes for 555 yards and two touchdowns. While he didn't throw any of his quarterbacks under the bus, it's clear that the QB merry-go-round the Broncos dealt with influenced his production. Without a clear-cut starter, the chemistry was limited.
"You can sit back and say we're all professional football players and you've got to deal with that situation, but at the same time, obviously you can't gain the same chemistry. You don't have the same mindset. You have to talk to two different quarterbacks," Sanders said.
"When you're going into individual routes, you have to go to one guy and then go with the next guy. You don't really gain that chemistry. You're not maximizing the opportunity. Now we're maximizing the opportunity, and hopefully it pays off."
Sanders now has a full offseason to focus on building a rapport with Keenum as the Broncos attempt to get back to the playoffs for the first time since the QB mess started.