Kyle Orton, who finished with 20 touchdowns and nine interceptions this year, would upgrade a lot of quarterback situations around the league. He’s a perfect candidate to pair with a raw young quarterback. Like, say, Tim Tebow.

Despite that, Mike Klis of the Denver Post writes that Orton will “likely be traded.” The Broncos will reportedly ask for a second round pick for Orton. A few points here:

1. The Broncos don’t even have a coach. Will it be a requirement for possible coaches that they have to believe Tebow is their future? This seems very short-sighted.

2. Orton is due $8.4 million next year. He might inspire another team to give up a second or third-round pick if he was cheaper, but not at that price. Too big a cost.

3. We think Tebow showed a ton of promise in his first three starts. He deserves every chance to start next year. It is very risky to count on him as the only option, though, especially if the Broncos change from an offensive system that suited Tebow.

4. It’s possible there will be no offseason practices this year and a limited training camp because of a lockout in the offseason. In that scenario, could Tebow learn an entirely new system in a few weeks and then hit the ground running? Good luck.

5. If the Broncos dump Orton, they will wind up looking for a lesser version of Orton to pair with Tebow. Much of Orton’s money is guaranteed. Getting Orton excited to return might be a better option, especially if there is a lockout.