"Brady Quinn has wounded veterans in his heart, sick kids in his hair and a football career that leaves him little choice but to think about No. 1.

Quinn made his first appearance at the Broncos player workouts at the South Suburban Sports Dome this week, his presence a reminder of the team's mucked-up quarterback situation.

Kyle Orton, say the Broncos bosses, would be the starting quarterback if the season began today. Tomorrow, though, is assumingly reserved for Tim Tebow.

Until then, the NFL lockout has splintered the Broncos across the country. Even if they were gathered together, though, the quarterback quandary likely would leave the team less settled than most.

"I don't like it, and I can say that," said Brandon Lloyd, the Broncos' No. 1 receiver. "I don't like the uncertainty because it puts the quarterback on eggshells and makes them not want to throw interceptions in practice. So they don't take chances, and they don't throw balls that they should be throwing for fear that they're going to get a negative check on their play."

Quinn is one who will take uncertainty over the status quo. One of the NFL's most marketable players when he entered the league out of Notre Dame as a first-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2007, Quinn fell to No. 3 on the Broncos' depth chart last season.

A starter for the Browns in 2008 and 2009 until injuries ended both seasons, Quinn didn't play one down for the Broncos last season after he was acquired by coach Josh McDaniels , who has since been fired and replaced by John Fox.

"I don't want to look at last year as a lost year," Quinn said. "I learned something from Coach McDaniels, although I don't think he did me any favors by not giving me an opportunity to play. But in the end, you can't look back in a negative sense about last year." "