Denver Broncos coach Gary Kubiak continues to insist all three quarterback have a shot at the starting gig, but Mark Sanchez will get the first snaps.
Kubiak said Wednesday that Sanchez will start with the first-team unit when training camp opens on Thursday, but noted that the rotation isn't written in stone. Kubiak added that reps will remain equal between Sanchez, Trevor Siemian and rookie Paxton Lynch.
"The bottom line is we're gonna give them equal reps," he said. "It's an open competition. We've laid out our plan of how we're gonna rep them and those types of things, so that we're getting an equal look at all of them. Tomorrow we line up. Mark's gonna go first, Trevor is gonna go second, Paxton is gonna go third. That will change on a day-to-day basis and how we do things. We just want to give them all an equal opportunity.
The Denver coach noted that he had no timetable in selecting a starting quarterback.
"As far as making a decision, I don't have a timeline on it right now. I want to get to work," he said.
Kubiak said Sanchez and Siemian will likely split more first-team reps to start camp, but the Broncos want to ensure Lynch remains on a quick developmental path.
"I think Paxton's struggles in the offseason were verbiage huddle, all those types of things," Kubiak said. "And I've seen him improve already. His talent, exceptional. We all know that. I think he's more comfortable right now. Just watching him bounce around and call plays. I think it is getting to be second nature for him. I think he's made a lot of improvement. I don't think that's gonna be that big of a deal. It is something that we'll have to continue to grind though."
There is a definitive ceiling on Sanchez, based on his previous game film, but he remains the only quarterback on the roster with NFL experience. The team has insisted that Siemian, a seventh-round pick in 2015, will get a shot at the gig. Lynch brings the biggest upside and could play sooner rather than later if he grasps the offense quickly in training camp and preseason games.
There are huge question marks under center for the Broncos as training camp opens. Those questions are outsized enough that they could hurt the Super Bowl champ's chances at a repeat. As workouts begin, however, Kubiak is comfortable letting the quarterback battle run its course on the field.