NFL Player News

Siemian completed 18 of 26 passes for 178 yards, one touchdown and two picks in Thursday's win over Carolina. He added 20 yards on five rushes.

It was far from a perfect night for Siemian, who was picked off on a screen and an underthrow and was nearly picked again at the goal line following a batted pass, but he remained steady and flashed impressive short accuracy and scrambling ability. The team's early struggles on Carolina's side of the field looked like it would cost them the game, but Siemian made some key conversions with his arm and his legs and made a nifty flip to C.J. Anderson on a touchdown screen. The stat line doesn't look impressive, but Thursday's game showed that Siemian could help Denver beat a quality team and that he's not simply a bridge to first-round pick Paxton Lynch.

Bridgewater underwent surgery on his left knee Thursday, Ben Goessling of ESPN.com reports.

Head coach Mike Zimmer relayed that the procedure didn't reveal any structural damage but the torn ACL and dislocated left knee previously known from Bridgewater's last MRI. While he commences a lengthy rehab, the Vikings will turn the offense over to Shaun Hill or newcomer Sam Bradford, who was acquired Saturday from the Eagles.

Morris was signed to the Indianapolis practice squad, Indysportscentral.com reports.

Scott Tolzien will be the backup to Andrew Luck to begin the season. Morris will likely spend all season on the practice squad in the the hopes he'll develop to be more of a factor in 2017.

Jones (shoulder) did not practice Thursday, Sal Capaccio of WGR550 reports.

After appearing in the team's final preseason affair, it looked as if his shoulder injury was a thing of the past. However, the fact that Jones was held out of Thursday's practice hints that his shoulder issues may linger into the regular season. Whether or not Jones is available as the No. 3 quarterback Sunday will likely be determined within the coming days.

GM John Elway told starter Trevor Siemian -- who Lynch backs up -- not to worry about looking over his shoulder, ESPN.com reports.

The vote of confidence in Siemian doesn't necessarily serve as a knock on Lynch, who performed statistically better than Siemian in the preseason, albeit against lesser competition. Few would question that Lynch has the better physical skill-set, but he lacks where Siemian shines. Broncos coaches have praised Siemian's ability to handle a lot of information and control the line of scrimmage. When and if Lynch takes over this season will be dependent on when his ability to handle and process information rises to a level that his physical gifts push him over to the starting spot on the depth chart. Cementing the backup role to start the season should help in his development.

Broncos GM John Elway told Siemian to go out and play and not worry about making mistakes, ESPN.com reports.

The message reiterates the sentiment that head coach Gary Kubiak has repeated all week: that Siemian cannot play tentatively. Typically, with a first-round rookie in the wings, that's hard to take seriously. However, given the fact that Paxton Lynch has been billed as a longer-term project and Siemian has been praised for his mental acumen and understanding of the offense, last year's seventh-round pick might have a longer run under center for the Broncos than some anticipate.

Shaun Hill led quarterback drills in the portion of Wednesday's practice open to reporters with Bradford following him, ESPN reports. However, head coach Mike Zimmer said he will not announce a starting quarterback for this week until Sunday.

Week 1's starter will likely depend on how quickly it takes Bradford to become familiar with the offense. Both quarterbacks are expected to split reps with the first-team offense this week and it may not be known who will start until Sunday. It's also possible both quarterbacks see action, especially if the game is lopsided.

Morris was released by Indianapolis, the Indianapolis Star reports.

It was always curious that the Colts decided to keep three quarterbacks on the active roster. Scott Tolzien will be the backup to Andrew Luck. Morris will likely land on the Indianapolis practice squad.

Goff will likely be a healthy scratch Week 1 in San Francisco, but he is expected to serve as the backup Week 2 against Seattle, NFL Network's Andrew Siciliano reports.

With Goff coming off a hideous preseason, the Rams apparently feel their quarterback of the future isn't quite ready for the backup role. Sean Mannion will thus serve as the No. 2 quarterback, at least for the first week of the season. Case Keenum may have a longer leash than initially expected when he was named the starter.

Bridgewater will have surgery Thursday to repair a torn ACL and other structural damage in his left knee, ESPN's Ed Werder reports.

It's a good sign that Bridgewater will be ready for surgery just nine days after suffering a torn ACL, dislocated knee and other structural damage, as a long wait for surgery is often associated with a longer recovery/rehab schedule. The 23-year-old quarterback does still face a lengthy process, but he at least avoided any nerve or arterial damage, which means he should get back on the field at some point, if not by Week 1 next season. With Bridgewater placed on injured reserve, Sam Bradford is expected to take over as the starting quarterback, though Shaun Hill may handle the first game or two of the season while Bradford gets up to speed.