(Reuters) – The Denver Broncos have no plan to forfeit their Sunday game against the New Orleans Saints even though all four quarterbacks on their roster are unavailable for COVID-19 related reasons, ESPN reported on Saturday.
Drew Lock, Brett Rypien and Blake Bortles were all deemed to be a “high-risk” close contact to fellow Broncos quarterback Jeff Driskel, who tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday, it said.
The report, which cited unnamed sources, said Lock, Rypien and Bortles were pulled off the field early during Saturday’s practice and told to isolate at home after contact-tracing concerns had arisen.
A report on the NFL website said practice squad receiver Kendall Hinton, who played quarterback in college, is expected to fill in at the position, while running back Royce Freeman, considered the team’s emergency quarterback, could play a role.
The Broncos (4-6) are third in the four-team AFC West division, while the Saints (8-2) lead the NFC South and are riding a seven-game win streak.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by William Mallard)
