Typically, when a team selects a player in the first round of the draft, it spells bad news for the other players at that position currently on the roster. On Thursday night, not only did the Broncos select quarterback Paxton Lynch in the first round, they traded up to do it.
On Monday, the Broncos sent their other two quarterbacks on the roster up onto the podium to talk to the media — Mark Sanchez and Trevor Siemian. While Siemian seemed like he knew he had an uphill battle in front of him, Sanchez seemed as comfortable as ever.
When Sanchez was asked if bringing in a rookie instead of a veteran quarterback was a vote of confidence in him, he had no doubt in his mind.
“Absolutely,” said Sanchez. “That’s been the message that I have received. I’m thrilled about this opportunity.”
Even with the vote of confidence from the Broncos executives, Sanchez knows that his veteran presence is another reason he was brought in, and he fully embraces the role of helping the two younger quarterbacks.
“If you’re confident in your ability, you have no problem helping the guy … you just help him out as much as you can,” said Sanchez.
While Sanchez admitted that the jump from USC to New York was very difficult for him, he thinks Memphis to Denver will be much easier for Lynch.
“Coming here, it’ll be the perfect situation for [Lynch]. Meaning he’s going to a great team. He’ll have a veteran guy in the room. There are a lot of things that will help him along the way,” said Sanchez.
Last year, the Broncos had to deal with a difficult quarterback situation with Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler, but the veteran leadership helped the team not get caught up in the mess. Sanchez sees that veteran leadership still being very much intact this year.
“These guys are fun to be around and they love football, that’s for sure. It’s pretty impressive the way they just kind of police it on their own. It’s a good veteran team,” said Sanchez. “Everyone really knows what to do.”
And for Sanchez, specifically, he’s focused on the little things. If he can accomplish those, he’ll be set to succeed.
“Meet your teammates [and] develop relationships with them, learn the playbook and get involved in the community,” Sanchez said. “That’s it. Those three things. I’ve has a blast doing that the last couple of weeks.”
Even with the doubt that has surrounded him for years, he has the confidence, work ethic and attitude to be the guy for the Broncos this year, and he knows it too.
“That’s what I’m looking forward to doing, but that takes time,” said Sanchez. “If you’re a leader, that comes with your actions, the repetitions and guys seeing it happen … a lot of that has to come over time. That’s what we’re working towards, and that’s my goal.”
Although most of the talk was about Sanchez and Lynch, Sanchez had high remarks for Siemian as well.
“He was almost like a player-coach kind of thing in helping me out with reads and footwork and things like that,” said Sanchez. “He’s a great guy … He’s been just an impressive, young guy.”
After Sanchez left the stage, Siemian came on and said he “absolutely” feels like he has a chance to win the starting job.
“I think [If I] play my best football, I’ve got a chance. I’m going to take it one day at a time and go from there,” said Siemian.
Even though the Broncos just drafted their quarterback of the future, at least they hope, the competition truly is open to all three options on the roster. And they all know it too. Expect a long and interesting journey within the quarterback room, with many twists and turns, from now until September 8.
