INDIANAPOLIS -- New Broncos coach Vance Joseph didn’t exactly give a ringing endorsement of second-year quarterback Paxton Lynch at the 2017 NFL combine.
Joseph was asked if Lynch was ready to play right now and said he’s “not sure” and confirmed it would be an “open competition” between Lynch and Trevor Siemian.
“Is he ready? I’m not sure,” Joseph said. “But he’s got great skills. He’s a tall man with a big arm. Is he ready? That’s a tough question. He had two starts last year. Trevor played also. It’s going to be an open competition.”
The competition thing isn’t concerning, because that’s a standard talking point at every NFL event when it comes to coaches and GMs offering information about future position battles. It would be stunning if the Broncos quarterback competition wasn’t open. But hearing Joseph basically say he has no clue whether his first-round pick from last year can actually play is concerning.
And he made it pretty clear that he needs to see Lynch be more consistent in his approach before he’s willing to give him the job.
“Well, consistency, you know. Playing quarterback in the NFL is about consistency, not turning the ball over, making good decisions, that’s important to playing quarterback in the NFL,” Joseph said when asked about what he wants to see from Lynch.
The Broncos’ offseason is going to hinge on a lot of different things. One of the biggest things will be the likely free agency of Tony Romo, who remains a very viable candidate for the Broncos’ quarterback position if he becomes available and is willing to take less money in free agency.
Maybe GM John Elway ultimately decides he wants to make a run at another Super Bowl with his youngster. But his new head coach didn’t sound like he was particularly enthralled with the idea.
