Former first-round pick Paxton Lynch signs with CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders, signaling end of NFL career

Lynch was a first-round pick of the Broncos just five years ago

Just five years after being a first-round pick, Paxton Lynch is no longer seeking NFL work. Lynch reached a deal with the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders on Monday, ending his NFL career -- for now at least. 

A 2016 first-round pick of the Broncos, Lynch started four games in two seasons with the team. He completed just 61.7% of his passes for 792 yards and four touchdowns with four interceptions (76.7 rating) in five career games before the Broncos decided to cut their losses. Denver cut Lynch, once considered the heir apparent to Peyton Manning, prior to the start of the 2018 season. After sitting out the 2018 season, Lynch spent the 2019 offseason with the Seattle Seahawks before being released prior to final cuts. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed Lynch to the practice squad that September and he was later promoted to the active roster. Lynch was released by the Steelers in September 2020 and hasn't been in the league since. 

Lynch has been part of an ever-growing list of failed quarterbacks Elway has selected or signed as general manager -- that have started a game -- since Manning retired, joining Brock Osweiler, Case Keenum, Joe Flacco, Trevor Siemian, Brandon Allen, Drew Lock, Brett Rypien, and Jeff Driskel. Denver will have Lock and Teddy Bridgewater compete for the starting quarterback job in 2021, a spot the franchise once thought would be Lynch's for the next decade. 

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Lynch will look to revitalize his career in the Canadian Football League. The Roughriders have some notable quarterbacks on their roster, including 2018 sixth-round pick Luke Falk (who started two NFL games for the New York Jets) and Tom Flacco (brother of Joe Flacco). The CFL will play an abbreviated 15-game season starting the first weekend of August (the Roughriders first game is Aug. 6).