As the Denver Broncos head west for a round of joint practices and a Preseason Week 2 game with the San Francisco 49ers, they have yet to name a starting quarterback for the 2017 season.
This week’s starter is set, though, and will have been for nearly two weeks when the Broncos take the field at Levi’s Stadium on Saturday. Head coach Vance Joseph made the announcement last Monday that Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch would alternate starts in the team’s first two preseason games.
Just because Lynch will start on Saturday doesn’t mean Joseph will stray too far away from the rotations that he’s incorporated into training camp sessions thus far when the Broncos take part in their joint practices with the 49ers.
“We will still rotate those guys back and forth during practice,” Joseph said Tuesday about the plan for the practices with San Francisco. “Paxton will start the game on Saturday for a quarter and a half and then Trevor will play the next quarter and half.”
While fans and media alike may have their minds made up when it comes to who they believe should be the starter, Joseph hasn’t yet made up his. He’s giving both Siemian and Lynch every opportunity to win the starting job. He made that clear after Saturday’s practice.
“I respect you guys, but your opinion kind of matters not very much when it comes to the quarterback position,” Joseph laughed. “I respect that, but again it’s a competition. It’s fair to allow each guy to have a chance to play with the ones in the actual game. This week it’s Paxton’s turn and we’ll figure it out from there. Right now it’s an open competition.”
Joseph explained what he wants to see from the second-year quarterback against San Francisco.
“I want to see consistency,” Joseph said. “Decision making is always an important part for me from that position, ball placement. Just to go play well and have success. Relax, go play, throw it around, have success and move the ball and score points for us.”
The head coach may want to see consistency, but wide receiver Demaryius Thomas wants to see his quarterback live in the moment instead of getting hung up on bad plays.
“Don’t go out there and overthink,” Thomas offered up as advice to Lynch. “If you do bad one play, go on to the next. It’s all about what you can do that play, not before, can’t live in the past. Just be passionate and go out and play well. He has the tools, he has everything he needs to do. He just has to go out and be passionate. Don’t think about the bad plays and go on to the next.”
As the halfway point of the preseason approaches, there’s no doubt that Joseph and his staff will have to decide on a starter soon. But how soon? Joseph isn’t sure. It could be Monday or it could be deeper into the preseason.
“Monday? I don’t know,” Joseph said. “I’m not sure and I’m not there yet. Paxton is starting Saturday and after the game we’ll sit down and watch and figure out our plans from there but I’m not sure. I’m not stressed about that – about it being Monday.”