Trevor Siemian looks good to me. The biggest thing that stood out was his poise in his first preseason throw. There was press coverage and the ball was out of his hand before the receiver turned around. It was in the perfect place, and he continued to make some of those plays last week, as well. If he continues to play the way he has been, I don't see why he wouldn't be the Day 1 starter.
Mark Sanchez also has made some nice plays, but he has turned the ball over. You can tell he
<em>wants</em> to be the starter, but sometimes when you want something so bad, you start pressing and making mistakes. I want to see
Paxton Lynch play, but only when he's ready -- and that likely won't be for a while.
If I were head coach Gary Kubiak, I would start Paxton Lynch. The rookie will have major help from the Broncos' dominating defense and the running game (with C.J. Anderson, Ronnie Hillman and Devontae Booker). With this setup, Kubiak is going back to his days with Jake Plummer in the mid-2000s, setting up the play action with the run. That's a good recipe for a young quarterback. Plus, Lynch is very mobile and will become comfortable with more reps. Having watched Peyton Manning for a year, Trevor Siemian knows how to prepare and what it takes to be successful in this league -- but he needs more time on the field. This weekend's preseason game will tell us a lot. Denver knows what it's going to get with Mark Sanchez, so there is no harm in giving Siemian a chance. If Siemian is playing just as good or better than Sanchez, he should get the ball Week 1. With Trevor Siemian starting Saturday night vs. Los Angeles, there will be much speculation that he is going to be the starting quarterback in Week 1. But Mark Sanchez still has an opportunity to win this job, and frankly, he might be the best option early in the season. Sure, he turns the ball over. But that is something that can partially be affected by the play calling. As much as the Broncos will run the football this season, many of his opportunities should be coming off play action. Run-first and defense-oriented teams are always a better bet for QBs who turn it over a bit too much. Sanchez has won some big games -- playoff games -- in his career. His mobility is helpful, as well.
Paxton Lynch might have more talent than either quarterback. But there is no reason to throw him in, given the talent level of the overall team. Denver can stay afloat in the AFC West until Lynch is ready to provide the team a boost.
In my opinion, the Broncos have to start Trevor Siemian. He knows the system better because he has an extra year on the other two quarterbacks in this competition. Siemian has played well so far, and I think he has more upside than Mark Sanchez. Paxton Lynch will get his day in the sun, but it might be a little further down the road.