USA Today lists Broncos former, current QBs low on starters list
Aug 24, 2016, 5:59 PM
The Denver Broncos quarterback situation looks pretty messy, if not certainly unprecedented, heading into the 2016 season, and it’s starting to show. Among a list of starting (or potentially starting) quarterbacks compiled and ranked by USA Today’s Steven Ruiz, one former Bronco, one Denver pursued in the offeseason, and two on its roster appear among the bottom 10 on the list.
Saturday’s starter, Trevor Siemian, and the veteran battling him for the Broncos starting role, Mark Sanchez, rank No. 32 and No. 33, respectively.
Departing Peyton Manning backup and once future of the franchise Brock Osweiler comes in at No. 27, while San Francisco 49ers gunslinger Colin Kaepernick slotted at No. 28. (For good measure, Ryan Fitzpatrick, the New York Jets quarterback rumored to Denver during the offseason, ranked No. 29).
“I looked at this list in USA Today, and I started laughing,” 104.3 The Fan’s Sandy Clough said Wednesday morning.
Certainly the current situation under center for the Broncos is a departure from four years of Peyton Manning calling plays. But perhaps more unusual is how the battle between the veteran Sanchez and the second-year pro Siemian, who’s only NFL regular season snap was a kneel down, has played out.
“This is an unusual predicament for a Super Bowl champion to be in,” Clough said. “… They’re going to be the first Super Bowl champion to open the season with a quarterback who’s never thrown an NFL regular season pass.”
Clough likened the circumstances to the 1999 Denver Broncos, who also turned to a second-year quarterback (Brian Griese) over a trusted veteran (Bubby Brister) coming off back-to-back championships.
But in the end, if it’s Siemian holding on to the starting role or Sanchez to start the season, it probably won’t matter much, Clough said.
“Which way do you go at quarterback? It probably doesn’t make a huge difference, but here’s something we should know and expect: At least three of the first four opponents on the schedule are above average to excellent if not great defensive teams,” Clough said.
Denver plays three defenses ranked in the top 11 in 2015 — Cincinnati, Carolina, and Tampa Bay — and Indianapolis, which has elite NFL quarterback Andrew Luck.
Clough said the separation point, in terms of how the quarterback situation, comes within those four games. If the team goes 2-2 or better, maybe whoever the starter is keeps the job going forward. If it’s 1-3 or 0-4, a change would likely come.
That is, if Sanchez remains on the roster should he not be named starter, which many have called for — many, but not ESPN NFL Insider and “Schlereth and Evans” co-host Mark Schlereth.
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