If everything goes according to plan, we won't see Brock Osweiler take a meaningful snap for years.
The Broncos rookie quarterback is receiving the Aaron Rodgers treatment in Denver. Tucked away from civilization, Osweiler is learning the pro game from two pretty decent teachers.
"I walk down the hallway and there's John Elway, a guy who's hoisted the Lombardi Trophy as a quarterback, and I go in the room and there's Peyton Manning, a guy who's hoisted the Lombardi Trophy as a quarterback," Osweiler told The Denver Post. "They've been league MVPs, they're Hall of Famers. I mean, how good is that? I just soak it all up.
"Soak it up and just try to pick the right time to ask questions and learn all I can from them."
You can probably find 30 stories on this site about Osweiler "learning from a master," and we won't hit you over the head with that hammer again. Osweiler is widely seen as a raw prospect, so it will be intriguing to see if an extensive preparation period means anything.
Cam Newton excelled from the first snap, but we're learning there's only one Cam Newton. When Blaine Gabbert was thrown into moving traffic early last season, we saw a player who could have benefited from more time watching and learning. Would Aaron Rodgers have been the same player if he was pushed onto the field from Day 1? We'll never know.
If Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady gives way to the new-age grudge match of Brock Osweiler vs. Ryan Mallett, it's another case for time and preparation with young passers -- something that's increasingly rare in today's NFL.
