Andy Benoit

Posted by Josh Katzowitz

Since the Broncos made the big news of the day by giving Kyle Orton a huge break waiving former starting quarterback Kyle Orton, speculation has run rampant on Twitter about the next chapter of Orton’s career journey.

The two most popular choices are the Bears and the Texans, although the Chiefs, who would have waiver priority over Chicago and Houston, also would make sense.

Well, according to the Houston Chronicle’s John McClain, you can count out the Texans for making a claim on Orton.  Writes McClain: “Texans aren't interested in Orton. if (injured quarterback Matt) Schaub learns Wednesday he needs surgery, they'll sign one of vets they brought in for tryouts Monday.”

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Among the group of veterans who performed for Houston’s staff were Jeff Garcia, Trent Edwards, Kellen Clemens and Brody Croyle. While you’d think Orton would be a better choice than any of those signal-callers, the Texans apparently are content to see how Matt Leinart will fare.

The Bears, though, might have real interest. The Chicago Tribune’s Vaughn McClure confirms the speculation that the Bears will make a claim on Orton, though Orton doesn’t have any experience in offensive coordinator Mike Martz’s system. Also, as the Trib's Brad Biggs points out, since the Bears are 30th in the waiver order, they could not bother making a claim and then try to sign him to their own deal if nobody else has taken him already.

And CBSSports.com’s Clark Judge makes this point: “Both need him, but Chicago really needs him. I mean, whom would you trust -- Caleb Hanie or Kyle Orton? Orton not only has been with the Bears; he helped lead them to the playoffs. Teammates loved him then, and they will love him again ... because he's a quarterback who can win and who has won. I'm not so sure about Hanie.”

The waiver deadline is Wednesday at 3 p.m., so for now, all we’ve got is speculation. And who knows? The team which is first on the waiver wire, the Colts, are in desperate need of a quarterback as well.

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