In the 30 days leading up to the start of Denver Broncos Training Camp 2016, we’re examining 30 big questions for the season. We’ll make a case for each answer; you’ll vote and tell Broncos Country what’s going to happen this year.

According to his teammates, Mark Sanchez seems to have the starting quarterback position all but locked up.

While he hasn’t been formally introduced as the 2016 starter, it’s probably safe to say that Sanchez will begin the season under center. Sanchez is no stranger to success, winning three Rose Bowls at the University of Southern California and helping the New York Jets to back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances in his first two seasons in the National Football League.

Sanchez experienced the most success in New York on an offense mainly focused on the run game, a similar strategy to the one the Broncos will deploy in 2016. He’ll also have the best wide receiving tandem of his career, Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders.

Sanchez will join a Broncos team with the pieces in place to field a good offense. In a similar system to the one he experienced the most success in, how many yards will Mark Sanchez throw for in 2016?

Scenario 1: 3,000 or more

The 2016 offense explodes with Mark Sanchez at the helm. Sanchez proves to be the missing piece in Gary Kubiak run-heavy offense, and defenses end up paying the price through the air for the toll they take on the ground. The new offensive line gives Sanchez plenty of time to find Pro Bowl receivers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders and as a result, Sanchez throws for at least 3,000 yards, something he has only done twice in his career and hasn’t done since the 2011 season.

Scenario 2: 2,500 to 2,999

2016 will be an above-average season for Sanchez and the Broncos offense. The offense will experience some expected growing pains, but will figure it out early on in the year. The line gels and the run game will start to take shape. When opposing defenses begin to load the box, Sanchez, Sanders and Thomas will make them pay through the air. The run will cut into many of Sanchez’s passing attempts, resulting in a season in which he throws for anywhere in between 2,500 to 2,999 yards, similar to what he did with the Jets in 2012. These numbers are something that should be very realistic given the type of talent he has around him.

Scenario 3: 2,000 to 2,499

The Broncos dedication to the run in 2016 significantly cuts into Sanchez’s pass attempts resulting in a season similar to one in recent years for Sanchez in which he throws for anywhere in between 2,000 to 2,499 yards. The offense experiences more growing pains than expected and as a result winds up resembling the 2015 offense more than anyone would have hoped. If Sanchez does wind up only throwing for anywhere between these numbers, that doesn’t necessarily mean the Broncos are doomed. The only time Sanchez has ever thrown for less than 2,000 yards was just last season, when he only started in four games. Sanchez threw for 2,444 yards in his rookie season, leading the Jets to the AFC Championship Game. Just last season, Peyton Manning threw for 2,249 yards in 10 games and most everyone would say that season turned out okay.

Scenario 4: 1,999 or less

The 2016 season will be the one that puts the nail in the coffin for Sanchez. The offense just can’t seem to find a rythym through and Sanchez puts up the worst numbers of his career as a starting quarterback. In this scenario he is likely benched in favor of rookie Paxton Lynch. With quarterback play being worse than they experienced in 2015, the Broncos defense can only do so much. They struggle to find success and head into 2017 with more questions at quarterback than they started with.

What does Broncos Country think? How many passing yards will Mark Sanchez have in 2016?

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