Former Longhorns quarterback Sam Ehlinger is beginning to make himself known in Denver.
Former Texas Longhorns quarterback Sam Ehlinger might just be moving up the depth chart for the Denver Broncos this offseason.
With Bo Nix the starter for Sean Payton, how the quarterback situation develops behind him has been a fascinating watch over the course of preseason.
And on Saturday, according to Mike Klis of 9news, it was Ehlinger who got snaps with the second team at practice.
That meant Jarrett Stidham, who stepped in for the injured Nix in the AFC Championship game last year, was the third-string quarterback at practice.
Now, we know that often coaches like to rotate their players throughout camp, giving one player reps for a couple of days in a row before changing it up.
It isn't known if this is what has happened in Denver, but either way, it is a little tip of the cap to Ehlinger this offseason.
Having started just three games in his NFL career since being drafted in the sixth round by the Indianapolis Colts in 2021, Ehlinger has been a career backup with the Colts and then made the switch to Denver in 2025.
He didn't play a game last season, as he continues to develop, and now, maybe Payton is starting to see something in the quarterback, giving him second-team reps.
Ehlinger was a serviceable quarterback for four seasons with the Longhorns, throwing for 11,436 yards, 94 TDs and 27 interceptions.
While he hasn't gotten a true runway as a starter in the NFL, and in all likelihood, he won't in Denver as long as Nix is healthy, the next-best thing is for Sam to develop and hone his craft as a backup so that when his time does come, he can show the world what he's got.
While there are some who think Ehlinger taking the second-team reps is noteworthy, Payton, in talking with Klis, doesn't think so.
"“There was nothing remarkable or anything that we discussed in a meeting, so maybe they just unfolded where … I wouldn’t make anything into it," Payton said.
And he might be right, or he might be keeping his cards close to his chest.
Either way, the former Longhorn got his chance to run the second-team offense, and to us, that seems like a storyline to watch in the coming weeks.
