In Denver, the race for the starting job is between two young quarterbacks hungry for a chance to prove they have what it takes to succeed in the NFL. So far, though, neither really has shown it, and that will be the key to the Broncos’ season.
Trevor Siemian, 25, and Paxton Lynch, 23, are engaged in a tight race this offseason for the chance to command an offense that has to do better this year for the Broncos to make it back to the playoffs. Denver has a great defense and a solid running game, and that formula helped it win the Super Bowl in 2015. However, the team failed to make it back to the playoffs a season ago and needs steady quarterback play to become a contender.
Each signal-caller has his strengths and weaknesses and there is a new coach in the fold in Vance Joseph who will make his decision at the position. Here is how Lynch and Siemian stack up.
Denver Broncos Quarterback Battle Odds at BookMaker.eu
Trevor Siemian -360
Paxton Lynch +270
Trevor Siemian – Siemian technically made his NFL debut in the Broncos’ Super Bowl-winning 2015 season, but he didn’t throw a single pass that season. His one and only appearance came against Pittsburgh on December 20th where the third-string absorbed a hit for a loss of a yard and, most notably, took a knee as the Broncos fell 34-27 to the Steelers.
The following season, with Peyton Manning’s retirement and Brock Osweiler leaving for a big deal with Houston, he was thrown to the wolves. Despite the fact that the Broncos failed to defend their Super Bowl title, the 26-year-old actually had a better quarterback showing than Manning and Osweiler had the year before, sharing the starting job.
He finished with an 84.6 passer rating, despite battling injuries all year, and threw for 3,401 yards and 18 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. Siemian is a former seventh-round and doesn’t have the type of eye-popping physical skills that get fans and scouts excited. However, he seems like a steady player who had his fair share of success last year and should continue to improve. It certainly would not be a surprise if the Broncos decided to go with Siemian as their quarterback once again in 2017.
Paxton Lynch – The Broncos moved up in 2016 draft to land Lynch, taking the former Memphis Tiger at No. 26 overall, but it’s unclear whether he is NFL-ready just yet. He saw limited playing time last season, appearing in three games for the injured Semian.
In that time, he completed 49-of-83 passes with two touchdowns and one interception. The decision-maker who drafted Lynch was John Elway, the former Broncos quarterback who won a pair of Super Bowls. While Lynch has a long way to go to live up to that resume, he has similar athletic gifts.
Lynch has a strong arm and some mobility, which makes it tough for NFL defenses to keep him in check when things are going well. However, he still has holes in his game and is developing. Denver is in win-now mode and can’t have a signal-caller who is turnover-prone or makes bad decisions.
Siemian is certainly the safer pick, and the Broncos would definitely have a shot at making the playoffs if he is in the saddle. However, Lynch has more upside, and riding with him from the outset might be more turbulent but could pay off better in the end.
It is a fascinating call for the Broncos. This is a team vying for its second Super Bowl title in three years and has a ton of pieces around the quarterback. Siemian should be improved from last year, but Lynch seems like the nice value pick at these odds because a few good weeks of play could give him the edge as the starter going into the season.
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