Schlereth: Broncos Siemian a long way from being legit Pro Bowl QB
Jan 25, 2017, 12:00 AM | Updated: 8:25 am
If not for a postseason surgical procedure to repair his injured non-throwing shoulder, Denver Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian would have been among those participating in this weekend’s Pro Bowl in Orlando, Florida.
Siemian reportedly had to pass on being an alternate for the game, according to 9News Broncos Insider Mike Klis, while he rehabs from the surgery on the shoulder earlier this month.
However, “Schlereth and Evans” co-host Mark Schlereth said Tuesday, with all due respect, Siemian’s “a long ways” from being legitimately a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback.
“No disrespect for Trevor Siemian, but he’s a long ways away from becoming a legitimate Pro Bowl player,” Schlereth said. “What we saw in the playoffs just last weekend on Sunday, that’s what Pro Bowl quarterbacks look like. We don’t have that guy right now.”
Siemian earned the nod after the original three quarterbacks selected — the New England Patriots’ Tom Brady, Pittsburgh Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger, and Oakland Raiders’ Derek Carr — had to pull out due to injury or, in Brady’s case, the Super Bowl.
Several other players bowed out before reaching Siemian, and the AFC eventually settled on Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals quarterbacks Alex Smith and Andy Dalton.
“How deep in the pool are you actually fishing?” Schlereth asked.
Siemian earned the starting role during the preseason over veteran quarterback Mark Sanchez, whom many pegged as the starter over the offseason come opening day.
The second-year quarterback out of Northwestern, in his first NFL action of his career, threw for 3,401 yards with 18 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, averaging 242.9 yards per game, completing 59.5 percent of his passes, and earning an 84.6 quarterback rating in his 14 starts.
However, the young quarterback failed to crack the top 10 in most all the NFL’s passing categories, hovering around the No. 20 mark in most, and Pro Football Focus ranked him 30th in the league with “poor” rating of 44.4
“It is time to do away with the Pro Bowl if you’re going to allow 322 players to play. Listen, they’ve got to fix this thing, or they’ve got to do away with it. Make it a skills competition. I don’t care what you do.
Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.