The 2017 NFL season has not started yet. However, we already know who will be the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos.
There was an open competition for the role between Paxton Lynch and Trevor Siemian. Apparently, both players started the training camp with the same possibilities, but as soon as the ball started rolling Siemian emerged as the favorite. Lynch couldn’t get it going, and that notion was rectified during the preseason.
While Siemian looked poised and accurate, Lynch was the complete opposite and often looked lost trying to lead the offense. And if we consider Denver has a championship-caliber defense, they need a signal-caller capable of leading the offense on a weekly basis.
All things considered, it’s not a secret to see Siemian emerge as the winner of this competition. This is the second year in a row Siemian gets the official announcement as the starting QB. And once again left the former 2015 first-round pick on the sidelines. Considering what we’ve seen over the past two years, Denver should cut the ties with Lynch as soon as possible.
The former first-round pick does not look like a starting-caliber quarterback in the NFL. And quite honestly, he has not progressed as expected, either. Though Lynch has only one full NFL season under his belt, his value and his chance of supplanting Siemian are quickly deteriorating. For his sake and the Broncos’, the faster he can move on to his next team the better.
Not everything is lost for Lynch, though. He still has a strong arm. He’s still 6-foot-7. And He still has above average athleticism. However, he still hasn’t put everything together as he should be. And as we mentioned above, the Broncos don’t really have time to continue developing Lynch. Not with a Super Bowl-ready defense and a very good set of receivers. Their window of contention is quickly closing, and Denver needs to field the best product possible.
But Lynch should attract plenty of interest from other clubs. Maybe a rebuilding team with enough time to develop Lynch can give him the chance to start. Or at the very least, to compete for the role with another struggling passer. A player of his characteristics will always generate interest. A number of teams could use him, that’s for sure.
It remains to be seen what Denver will do with the former first-round pick. But if the Broncos want to do the right thing, then they should try to trade him as soon as possible. A few teams could use him, and Denver could get a useful piece in return. After all, Denver should do everything they can to win another Super Bowl before their window closes.
And Lynch is not going to help them in that regard.