Cody Parkes
Sports Columnist

The Denver Broncos have acquired former first round draft pick Brady Quinn from the Cleveland Browns in a trade for full back Peyton Hillis, a sixth round pick in 2011, and a conditional pick in the 2012 draft.
This trade by Josh McDaniels is another in the long line of moves made by the new head coach that have not been well received by much of the Bronco nation. However, those who feel this way about the Hillis/Quinn trade need to wake up and get past this idea that Hillis is anything more than a talented full back/blocking tight end. This was a great deal for the Broncos. Hillis is not very fast, he has average footwork at best, and he relies purely on his power and size when running the ball.
Not exactly the characteristics of a healthy, successful NFL running back last time I checked.
Now, consider what the Broncos have gained in exchange for what is essentially a glorified blocker and two late round draft picks. They’ve acquired a first round pick from the 2007 draft who has a better arm and more mobility than any quarterback currently on the Broncos roster. A quarterback with those qualities could open up an offense in ways that quarterbacks like Orton simply can’t; or, at the very least serve as motivation for Orton to play at a higher level.
Seems like a good deal to me.
While I will admit that Quinn has had more than his fair share of problems during his time in Cleveland, I would also argue that the Browns lack of commitment to him as a starter combined with a poor offensive line could have greatly contributed to his lack of success during the early part of his career. Giving a young, talented quarterback like Quinn a chance to play with a higher quality offensive line and legitimate offensive weapons could be exactly what he needs to find his stride in the NFL.
In the worst case scenario for the Denver Broncos, Quinn would turn out to be nothing more than a backup to Orton, which frankly would not be all that bad. In fact, considering that former backup Chris Simms’ performances last season while filling in for the injured Orton were nothing short of pathetic, it would actually be quite an improvement.
Only time will tell how, and at what level the acquisition of Brady Quinn will ultimately affect the Denver Broncos. The bottom line is that he will be a nice addition to the team who will have a greater impact on the team now and in the long run than Peyton Hillis ever did.
Cody Parkes hosts the Friday Morning Fanatic at 9 a.m. on KMSA 91.3 FM and KMSA913.com

cparkes@mesastate.edu