The Denver Broncos are gearing up to give Paxton Lynch one final look in the season finale.
Coach Vance Joseph said Tuesday the team plans to start the former first-round pick Sunday versus the Kansas City Chiefs. Lynch was unable to play in Week 16 while dealing with an ankle injury. Brock Osweiler got the start in the loss to the Washington Redskins.
Joseph noted the team needs to see Lynch to aid the offseason quarterback evaluation.
"With it being a QB issue going into the offseason, we want to see him play to see what this player is," the coach said, via Andrew Mason of the team's official website.
Lynch suffered the ankle injury in his only action of the season, a Week 12 loss to the Oakland Raiders. Before exiting the contest, Lynch continued to look lost as a pocket passer. The QB struggled to read the defense and was slow in his decision making. The 23-year-old completed nine of 14 passes for 41 yards -- 2.9 yards per attempt -- with a red-zone interception and took four sacks.
Sunday marks the last chance Joseph, John Elway, and the rest of the Broncos' brass have to evaluate Lynch in a live-game situation. Regardless of how Lynch plays in Week 17, we still expect Elway to try to upgrade the quarterback position, with a massive contract offer to potential free agent Kirk Cousins the splashiest possible option.
