Broncos release Chad Kelly following arrest
Denver Broncos backup quarterback Chad Kelly was arrested on Tuesday morning and charged with criminal trespassing. On Wednesday, the Broncos decided to part ways with the young quarterback.
Throughout his collegiate career, Chad Kelly was given second chances by programs despite his inconsistent play on the field and his problems off of it. Kelly was arrested in a nightclub altercation in 2014, and he was dismissed from Clemson’s program earlier in the year.
So when the Denver Broncos selected Kelly with the last pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, they were taking a chance on a quarterback coming off of a season-ending injury in college who had added character flags.
Kelly’s time in Denver didn’t last long, as they waived the backup quarterback today following his arrest on Tuesday morning for criminal trespassing.
Earlier, the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Kelly’s arrest was “on the table” following this incident, noting that general manager John Elway was furious with the former Ole Miss standout.
Although Kelly will likely latch on somewhere due to his perceived physical tools, he missed out on a huge opportunity to make an impression in Denver. Current starter Case Keenum has floundered despite playing in an offense with Emmanuel Sanders, Demaryius Thomas, and high-upside running backs, so Kelly could have even received a chance to start for the Broncos in 2018.
That’s all out the window now, and this latest arrest makes it even harder for Kelly to be trusted by teams going forward. He’ll find a place in a quarterback-hungry league, as some team will want to see if they can manage Kelly and get something out of him. That said, any team that signs Kelly would put him on a short leash, because this isn’t his first arrest.
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Furthermore, he drew the ire of the Broncos upper brass for his actions that came at a time when Kelly held importance as a backup quarterback on a team without a stable situation at the position. It’s hard to trust him even as a modest backup, but Kelly’s preseason resume and college statistics will entice at least one organization.