ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- When you’ve gotten the Peyton Manning seal of approval before you’ve played in an NFL game, it usually means you’re going to be a player worth keeping an eye on.

And wide receiver Jordan Taylor has certainly evolved in his three years with the Denver Broncos. He has gone from the undrafted rookie on the Broncos' practice squad who caught many of Manning’s passes as the future Hall of Famer was trying to come back from a foot injury to perhaps the Broncos’ biggest multitasker, the more-you-can-do guy.

“Smart guy," said Broncos coach Vance Joseph. “I trust Jordan."

Taylor, by trade, is a wide receiver, one who earned every inch of his journey into the Broncos' lineup. After his days on the 2015 practice squad, he got minimal playing time last season before breaking out in his current role.

Jordan Taylor has shown himself capable of handling multiple roles for the Broncos. Jay Biggerstaff/USA TODAY Sports

And his role, of late, seems to entail whatever Joseph can dream up. With Trevor Siemian on injured reserve with a left shoulder injury he suffered in Thursday night’s win over the Indianapolis Colts, Taylor will again resurrect a role he had in the preseason: emergency quarterback.

The Broncos worked Taylor at quarterback some in training camp, as well as in the preseason when Paxton Lynch suffered a left shoulder injury and the Broncos didn’t want Siemian to play in the preseason finale. Enter Taylor, who in his high school career threw for 3,766 yards and ran for 2,500 yards as a quarterback in Denison, Texas. On Thursday night, with Lynch a game-day inactive and Siemian knocked out of the game, had Brock Osweiler been hurt, Taylor would have gone behind center.

“Absolutely, we had some toss plays for him, we had some quick game for him. ... We’ve taught Jordan the last couple months," Joseph said. “... If we lose two guys, he’s in."

Joseph said Friday the Broncos will “probably not" sign a third quarterback, so Taylor will essentially serve as the team’s No. 3 quarterback, if needed, during the last two games of the season.

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This, in a year when Taylor, who had never returned punts at any level of football -- “Never done it before, never" he said -- has already made himself into the Broncos’ punt returner. Taylor stepped in for rookie Isaiah McKenzie, who was benched as the returner after too many fumbles.

Taylor has spent time after practice each day fielding punts, and the Broncos have entrusted him with the job of late. Taylor has averaged 10.6 yards per punt return in his past four games -- he was a game-day inactive in Miami when McKenzie had his sixth fumble of the season -- and if he had enough returns to qualify for the league rankings, he would be sixth in the NFL.

But consider Taylor has also worked, Joseph said, as an “emergency safety" on defense when the Broncos have had injuries there. Both Justin Simmons and Jamal Carter missed practice time in recent weeks with ankle and shoulder injuries, respectively -- Simmons was moved to injured reserve a week ago -- so Taylor was prepped there, as well.

“I think they know I’ll do anything that helps me get on the field," Taylor said. “As far as quarterback, I’m learning. I think I could get a completion or two with the receivers we have if I had to. I would love to throw to [Demaryius Thomas] or Emmanuel [Sanders] or all of our guys. ... But if [the Broncos] need me to do something, I want to do what I can."