Stokley: ‘Slap in face’ to Sanchez if Broncos cut, re-sign QB

 

Denver Broncos quarterback Mark Sanchez could go from presumed starter heading into training camp to one month later on the streets.

As training camp unfolds, Sanchez has not seized the starting quarterback role for the Broncos and second-year pro Trevor Siemian will start Saturday against the Los Angeles Rams in the “dress rehearsal” game of the preseason.

Though head coach Gary Kubiak said the move doesn’t indicate Siemian will start Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers, general consensus is that Sanchez has lost his shot at the job.

“It’s his job. It is,” “C.J. and Stokley” co-host Brandon Stokley said Tuesday. “When you name him the starting quarterback for this game, unless he does something awful, I don’t see Mark Sanchez being able to win this job.”

And to add insult to injurie, it might make financial — not just football — sense for Denver to release the veteran Sanchez.

Entering his eighth year, Sanchez is set to earn $4.5 million in 2016 with $1 million guaranteed. However, should the Broncos cut the veteran before finalizing the 53-man roster, Denver would save $3.5 million, according to sportrac.com.

Doubling the incentive, ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter tweeted Tuesday morning that the draft pick Denver traded to Philadelphia to obtain Sanchez is conditional — meaning should Sanchez miss the cut the Broncos would not owe the Eagles a draft pick.

Pick Denver traded to Philly for Mark Sanchez was a conditional pick – meaning Sanchez must make Denver’s roster for Eagles to get pick.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 23, 2016

“There’s incentive to release him,” Stokley said. “You can release him before the opening day roster is due, and if you want to sign him back, and sign him back for cheaper the next week, now you have that roster flexibility where that money is not guaranteed for him.”

However, Stokley said making a veteran like Sanchez go through that sort of process would be an insult.

“The NFL’s a tough business, but that’s a slap in the face,” Stokley said. “It’s saying we don’t have that much confidence in you at all. We want this flexibility in case you keep screwing things up we can just be done with you.”

The move may be smart fiscally for the franchise, which is still looking to potentially wrap up wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders long term, but it could also be a risk on the field, Stokley said.

“Do you gamble with just two quarterbacks? Are they willing to gamble with Paxton Lynch and Trevor Siemian? That’s what it comes down to,” Stokley said. “And you have to look at the worst-case scenario that could happen. Are you willing to live with that, with only two quarterbacks? That’s the risk you take if you decided to go that route with Mark Sanchez.”

The team could also cut Sanchez and find another quarterback to fill his place, Stokley’s co-host Charles Johnson suggested Tuesday.

“You don’t have to relegate yourself to just two quarterbacks. You can still either pick one up or re-sign Mark Sanchez, assuming that once you waive him that he’s still available to come in at bottom-basement price,” Johnson said.

But the quarterback battle won’t be settled for at least another week, as Kubiak indicated Monday a decision on a regular season starter would come after the team’s tilt with the Rams on Saturday.

Follow 104.3 The Fan digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @johnnyhart7.