A season ago, the Broncos kept three quarterbacks – Peyton Manning, Brock Osweiler, and Siemian. With all the experience that he has possessed in the National Football League, he was expected to be the starter.
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Siemian had time for one more drive as the seconds ticked away in the first half, and tossed a 43-yard spiral that was caught by Thomas with one hand as he sprinted down the right sideline. Lynch could also steal some starts late in the season. These four linemen are very good at their positions and will give the Broncos the best chance with Trevor Siemian at quarterback, while Russell Okung and Matt Paradis being the best and most impressive of the bunch. Showing a good understanding of the offense and a willingness to push the ball downfield, it is not insane to think Siemian could perform as well as the diminished Peyton Manning and scattershot Brock Osweiler did last season.
Sanchez, meanwhile, has shown that he has virtually no upside.
But he stayed in the game and completed a pass on the next play, before the Broncos broke up a fourth-down pass and ended his night. Lynch needs more time to develop, and Sanchez did not inspire much confidence through preseason. What could the potential offense of the Broncos look like and what are some of the situations that could arise in a Trevor Siemian offense? Though he didn’t produce a breathtaking performance, Siemian was solid against a stout Rams defense.
Tight end Virgil Green caught a 1-yard scoring pass from Siemian and Brandon McManus kicked a 50-yard field goal just before halftime.
In what qualified as the final full dress rehearsal for the regular season, the Rams could not afford to lose Keenum. Then the regular season kicks off on September 8 against the Carolina Panthers. If so, Siemian seems to have passed.
Broncos coach Gary Kubiak named the 2015 seventh-round pick his starter for Week 1 on Monday, per DenverBroncos.com’s Andrew Mason, no surprise given the trajectory of the preseason.
It was somewhat of a tough night to evaluate Siemian early on, as the Broncos opted for six straight runs to open the game with no first downs. However, they probably also recognize that his floor is higher than Lynch’s right not and that his ceiling is higher than Sanchez’s.
There are a lot of options to be discovered for Sanchez’s fate, and if the Broncos could get some reps against the third string with him around, but it does not really do much for the team.
No matter what the Broncos do with Sanchez, his time in Denver will be considered a disappointment.
But Siemian crossed that bridge, too, in recent weeks, and Kubiak consistently praised how Siemian managed the team when he was on the field in practice and in games.
Asked, after the game, if he felt the need to make any changes to the quarterback depth chart, Coach Jeff Fisher said, “No”.
Now the question is what happens to Sanchez. If the team releases or trades him (to the Dallas Cowboys, perhaps?), it can save $3.5 million of his 2016 base salary.
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Without his taking-or even watching-a regular season snap, the Mark Sanchez era of Denver Broncos history is about to come to an end. While the young quarterback may not be as great as Tom Brady himself, it looks like the Denver Broncos find him more promising than the three stars they now have in their lineup.
