Tuesday 5 September 2017 14:59, UK
Brock Osweiler is returning to Denver as the Broncos' backup quarterback after he was cut by the Cleveland Browns.
The Broncos agreed a one-year deal with Osweiler, contingent on him passing a medical on Monday.
Trevor Siemian is Denver's starter after he beat Paxton Lynch to the job for a second straight summer. Lynch, who was the Broncos' number one draft pick in 2016, will miss a month or more with a sprained throwing shoulder.
In his first spell in Denver two years ago, Osweiler went 5-2 in relief of an injured Manning during the Broncos' run to the Super Bowl.
Following that season Osweiler rejected a multi-year deal to stay in the mile high city, instead accepting a four year $72m offer from the Houston Texans.
His one season in Texas did not go well, he finished last in the NFL in yards per attempt, 27th in completion percentage and second-to-last in quarterback rating
In March the Texans traded him to the Browns, who will pay Osweiler, who is still just 26, his $16 million guaranteed salary this season, minus the offset from the Broncos. The minimum for a sixth-year pro is $775,000.
Meanwhile, the Broncos have parted ways with their Super Bowl-winning safety, T.J. Ward, and within hours of cutting the defensive back from their roster, he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers,
Ward's deal is for one year and worth up to $5 million, per sources informed of the deal, and he will compete in Tampa for playing time with Chris Conte and Keith Tandy, who the Buccaneers list as their starting safeties.
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The regular season of home and away matches run from September to December 2017, culminating in PlayOffs from January 6, 2018 and the Super Bowl on February 4, 2018 at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota to determine the world champion.
