For the second straight season, Trevor Siemian has won the Broncos’ quarterback battle over Paxton Lynch. No offense to Touchdown Trevor, but that’s a huge disappointment for Lynch, Denver’s first round draft pick two years ago.
Siemian put up respectable numbers last season for a seventh-round pick. He completed 59.5 percent of his passes for 3,401 yards and 18 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. Siemian missed three games due to injury, and Lynch didn’t do anything eye-catching in those opportunities. And a second offseason of development hasn’t helped him enough.
Through two preseason games, Siemian had performed significantly better. He went 14-of-18 for 144 yards, one touchdown and a 118.5 passer rating. Lynch went 15-of-22 for 81 yards without a touchdown and a 74.2 passer rating.
Here’s coach Vance Joseph’s statement on choosing Siemian:
“We decided on making Trevor Siemian our quarterback,” Joseph said. “Both guys competed hard. Both guys wanted the job. We’re pleased with both guys, but overall the operation of the entire offense, decision-making, ball placement, was more consistent with Trevor. That’s why he won the job.”
Siemian isn’t the only winner in today’s news. Add in the Cowboys and owner Jerry Jones, who attempted to trade up and take Lynch as Tony Romo’s replacement. But the Broncos beat them to the punch. What appeared to be a missed opportunity stuck with Jones for a while.
But now Jones must be giddy. After missing out on Lynch, the Cowboys selected Dak Prescott in the fourth round, and he went on to win Offensive Rookie of the Year while leading Dallas to a 13-3 record. While the Broncos are stuck with a mediocre quarterback and an unfruitful first-round pick, the Cowboys are projected to win the NFL East for the second straight year.
[ESPN]
