Broncos secure Manning backup

Now that Peyton Manning is officially under their roof, the Denver Broncos have begun to look at the bigger picture as far as their team needs are concerned.

Tight ends Joel Dreessen and Jacob Tamme, who played with Manning in Indianapolis, have been signed in free agency to bolster their receiving corps. Now, you can add Caleb Hanie to their list of recruits.

Yesterday afternoon, the Broncos and Hanie officially reached an agreement to bring the former Chicago Bears backup to Mile High.

Hanie will be remembered, not so fondly, by NFL fans as the man who filled in for the Bears when Jay Cutler suffered a season-ending broken thumb. From there, Chicago’s campaign plummeted, and Hanie went 0-4 as starter with three touchdowns and nine interceptions until he was put out of his misery and replaced by Josh McCown.

Another change could be coming to Denver’s QB depth chart, with the news that the Broncos are hosting former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dennis Dixon, via Bill Williamson of ESPN.

I’m not sure if Hanie and, potentially, Dixon form a “Plan B” at the quarterback position, but in John Elway’s ideal world, that plan won’t see the light of day.