Hackett: 'It'll Be Exciting' if Rookie QB Guarantano Plays for Broncos

Assuming Russell Wilson (concussion) sits out Week 15, as is predicted, the Denver Broncos would be down to just one healthy quarterback on the active roster: third-year backup Brett Rypien.

In which case Denver likely would elevate undrafted rookie QB Jarrett Guarantano off the practice squad. In which case Guarantano would be a snap away from seeing the field against the Arizona Cardinals.

It's an utterly terrifying scenario to most — except Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett.

“It’ll be exciting if he’s out there," Hackett said of Guarantano on Wednesday. "He has some really good intangibles. His ability to throw the football is very good. He has very good athleticism up to this point. He’s picked it up really well. We got him an interactive playbook and he dove right in there and started learning everything. It’ll be exciting if he gets out there.”

Brought in for a Nov. 22 workout and signed two weeks later, Guarantano went unselected in April's draft after tallying 6,478 passing yards, 39 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions as a collegian, completing 62.5% of his balls across 40 career starts — 38 at Tennessee, two at Washington State.

The 6-foot-4, 230-pound signal-caller spent the preseason with the Cardinals before being waived at final cuts, re-signed to the taxi squad, and released again on Oct. 4.

“He’s all the physical measurables that you would want," former NFL QB Jordan Palmer said in March. "He’s about 6-foot-4, probably runs a low 4.6, he’s really accurate and he’s got a strong arm. I would say he’s got one of the top couple arms in this entire draft class and I understand how strong that statement is. He’s training every day with Carson Strong and Desmond Ridder so I think that’s a really good reference point. He’s one of the biggest secrets of this draft.”

With Rypien prepping for his second 2022 start, Wilson was listed as a limited participant in Thursday's practice following a Did Not Practice (DNP) designation Wednesday.

"We're playing it day-by-day and minute-by-minute, and we're making sure that he's right," Hackett said. "We're making sure we're getting ‘Ryp’ ready, also.”