Broncos HC McDaniels named QB Kyle Orton the starter June 12, giving Orton the rest of the summer to establish himself as the offensive leader in the huddle and in the locker room. It is admittedly an unfamiliar position for Orton, who engaged in heated quarterback battles in training camp during his four seasons in Chicago.
Orton said the early vote of confidence from McDaniels has only helped in his preparation for training camp and the season.
The work from the extra summer sessions was starting to show in Orton's performance this week. He appeared more crisp, his throws more accurate, than in the team's final minicamp in June.
"He's a leader. He definitely knows what he's doing," center Casey Wiegmann said, adding that Orton and Simms are both "leaps and bounds" ahead of where he was during the spring minicamps. "They put in their time in the meetings and behind the scenes, doing whatever it took."
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