Sean Payton building Broncos’ rep as QB development destination with Sam Ehlinger

Denver Broncos quarterbacks Jarrett Stidham (8), Sam Ehlinger (4) and Bo Nix (10) during training camp at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit in Centennial, Colorado, on Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)Sean Payton put the hard sell on Sam Ehlinger over the past few days.

Stay here. Develop. Think about the longer-term future. Cash in down the road.

For Ehlinger, that meant getting cut Tuesday and signed to the practice squad Wednesday, even though the Broncos’ No. 3 quarterback could have gone somewhere else.

Payton went as far Thursday as to say two other teams had interest in Ehlinger as their No. 2.

“This is the first time I can ever recall a player like Sam…