DENVER (KDVR) — Jake Plummer knows a thing or two about what it is like being in a quarterback competition. 

After leading the Denver Broncos to a 7-4 record in 2006, Plummer was benched by head coach Mike Shanahan in favor of then rookie quarterback Jay Cutler.  

Denver went on to finish the year with a 9-7 record and failed to make the playoffs. 

Fifteen seasons later, the Broncos find themselves with another quarterback battle. This time it’s Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock. 

“They have to realize the job is there,” said Plummer this weekend at the FanDuel Fan Fest at Empower Field at Mile High. “It’s great when you have competition like that. You work a little harder, prepare harder and go out there and hopefully this will go your way.”  

Both Bridgewater and Lock have looked good in the preseason. Head coach Vic Fangio has often said the battle is “even-Steven” between the two.  

“The determining factor for me would be how do the players respond to each quarterback. Who gets the response from the guys? Who is the leader here? Who gets these guys to believe?” said Plummer, when answering how he would decide between the two candidates for the position.

The controversial move back in 2006 left many players and fans picking sides between the veteran, Plummer, who was responsible for leading the Broncos to three straight playoffs appearances, and Cutler, whom the team traded up for in the 2006 NFL Draft. 

Plummer would retire from the NFL in March of 2007, just over a year later. 

“People thought I got a raw deal,” recalled the then ousted quarterback. “I think I got a pretty damn good deal here for four years.”

As for his relationship with coach Shanahan, Plummer says the two have “buried the hatchet and I have thanked him many times.”

Hopefully, Fangio will take heed of this lesson from the past and not jump to any rash and hasty decisions. 

The boys in orange and blue will suit up for their final preseason game at Empower Field at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams.