Our offseason look back at the best players to wear each jersey number in Denver Broncos history continues. We've hit the No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3, so today, it's time to give some love to the three best Broncos to ever rock the No. 4 jersey.
Numbers below No. 7 tend to have an inordinate usage by specialists, and that's evidenced by the best Bronco to ever wear No. 4. Keep in mind, these rankings are weighted by Pro Football Reference's Approximate Value metric.
Without further ado...
Britton Colquitt | P | 2009-2015
Colquitt went undrafted out of Tennessee in 2009, initially signing with the Broncos before being waived at the final roster cut-downs. He spent a good chunk of his rookie season with the Miami Dolphins, before returning to the Broncos in December of 2009.
That would kick off a six-year run with the Broncos that would see Colquitt become the highest-paid punter in the NFL (in 2013). He was also part of the Broncos' 2015 World Champion squad and technically, he punted in two Super Bowls. That big second contract he landed was a three-year, $11.7 million deal.
Following Super Bowl 50, the Broncos let Colquitt walk. But he averaged 45.1 yards per punt (gross) as a Bronco, and led the NFL in punting yardage in 2011 due to the three-and-out Tim Tebow offense that inexplicably still somehow managed to lead the NFL in rushing.
Colquitt would spend three years with the Cleveland Browns, followed by a two-year stint with the Minnesota Vikings. 2020 was his last NFL season.
Believe it or not, Colquitt has the highest Approximate Value metric of any Bronco to wear the No. 4.
Case Keenum | QB | 2018
In the wake of Paxton Lynch's failure to launch, the Broncos signed Keenum to a two-year deal in 2018. Keenum was coming off his most productive season as a pro, leading the Minnesota Vikings to the NFC Championship Game and being a key player in the 'Minneapolis Miracle,' which saw him vanquish Sean Payton's New Orleans Saints in the playoffs.
Introduced by then-GM John Elway as 'Case Keesum,' an ominous harbinger, Keenum was in over his head in Denver. Garnering a low-level franchise quarterback contract, albeit on the short term, he failed to duplicate the efficiency he showed in Minnesota the year prior.
Vance Joseph was desperate as head coach, really needing Keenum to work out after Elway finally lost patience with Lynch, cutting him before the 2018 season started. Chad Kelly was tapped to be the backup and would have gotten a chance to start for the Broncos when Keenum began to falter, had he not gotten himself arrested following a botched Halloween party in Denver.
Keenum would go on to start all 16 games in 2018, passing for a career-high 3,890 yards (which still stands) and 18 touchdowns, with 15 interceptions. The Broncos went 6-10 that year, and Joseph was fired.
The Broncos would hire Vic Fangio to succeed Joseph, and Keenum was promptly traded to Washington. The Broncos would start over at quarterback by acquiring Joe Flacco via trade from Baltimore and drafting Drew Lock in the second round in 2019. Neither quarterback would pan out for Elway, who consistently struck out on every under-center decision he made post-Peyton Manning.
Keenum would get the last laugh, though, returning as a Cleveland Brown to defeat the Broncos in Week 7 of the 2021 season. Keenum out-dueled Fangio's defense and his pet, Teddy Bridgewater, in a 17-14 win. Lock probably got a real kick out of that one.
Micah Knorr | P | 2002-04
Knorr went undrafted in 2000 out of Utah State, joining the Broncos in his third NFL season. Punting in the thin air of Mile High, he was frankly a middling player. It's a surprise he lasted as long as he did.
Knorr's best gross punting average as a Bronco came in 2003, averaging 43.2 yards per punt. But he was a specialist on Mike Shanahan's last really good Broncos teams, featuring Jake Plummer as the quarterback, and the last few seasons of the Rod Smith era.
This was back when Shanahan could trot out any running back, and he'd rush for 1,000 yards, but that doesn't take away from what Clinton Portis achieved. Knorr was around for Portis' iconic first two years as a pro, where he rushed for 1,500 yards in '02 and '03, totaling 29 rushing touchdowns as a Bronco before being traded to Washington in exchange for Champ Bailey.
After ranking dead last in the NFL in net punting average in '04 (34.2 yards), the Broncos waived Knorr in December before the season was over. He would spend time on the Carolina Panthers and Detroit Lions practice squads (with a very brief return to Denver sandwiched between) before washing out of the NFL. His last season was 2007, spent on Detroit's practice squad.
For those expecting to see former Broncos quarterback Brett Rypien on this list, alas, his AV metric placed him tied for the fourth-best player to rock No. 4 in the Orange and Blue. An honorable mention, nonetheless.
