Are the Denver Broncos wasting a week in San Francisco?

Observations as we kick off the Denver Broncos week of practice in San Francisco:

1. This is shaping up as a wasted week for the Broncos.

Why?

Because of the dumb decision to announce Paxton Lynch as the starting quarterback for this week/game before the preseason even started.

The 50-50 competition is over. Trevor Siemian will be the starting quarterback Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Lynch still isn’t ready to take over. By the way, I don’t destroy him for that, as others are.

He was supposed to be a two- to three-year project. He remains on course right now.

But, this is an offense that needs to learn a new playbook, settle on their personnel, and get about building some continuity and momentum for the regular season.

This would be a valuable week to get Siemian that work with the first unit. Instead, it will be given to Lynch in a last ditch, fruitless effort to somehow elevate him to the starting job.

This can’t be what head coach Vance Joseph wants, which leads me to the clear assumption that this is coming from general manager John Elway.

This isn’t Elway ordering VJ to play Lynch in the regular season, but it is about giving the second-year pro every last chance to win the job, even if that is looking more and more far-fetched.

2. Put it this way:

If the script was flipped, if it had been Lynch clearly winning the practices leading up to the preseason games, if he had been picked to start the Chicago Bears game, does anyone realistically think Joseph would’ve announced that Siemian would be starting against San Francisco?

No way.

3. I’m an unapologetic believer in curses and jinxes.

With that said, I’m nervous about the injury bug that is coursing through the Broncos defense right now: Shaq Barrett, Shane Ray, Billy Winn, T.J. Ward, Derek Wolfe, and Jared Crick.

Even with the news about Wolfe and Crick being better than expected, these are still injuries.

I have concerns about the Broncos front seven. Then again, I have such a strong confidence in the “No Fly Zone” and Von Miller that part of me feels they’ll be OK no matter what.

Is such a sense of invulnerability wrong? Probably, but I darn well will give them the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.

4. I get Stevan Ridley is having a really good camp …

… and Jamaal Charles has been virtually invisible. I still want to give Charles every opportunity to show he can get back to even 85 percent of what he was with the Kansas City Chiefs.

There is too much upside. More than a Ridley can provide.

If that means keeping Charles in glass until it’s time to break it, then so be it.

5. I’m disappointed that another year …

… is shaping up with the Broncos not having a difference-maker at tight end.

Man, those types of guys are such a boost to an offense. The league still hasn’t figured out how to stop them.

The Broncos just have guys. Nothing unique. Jake Butt is intriguing, but realistically, how much can we expect from someone who’s coming back from a serious knee injury?

Can you honestly think he can come back mid-season, jump in as a rookie, and be electric? More likely his time is next year, which leaves the Broncos with another big hole at one of the most important positions in football.

6. I had an interesting conversation with Mike Prichard on air regarding T.J. Ward …

… who will miss the San Francisco week with a hamstring injury and is heading into the final year of his contract.

Prich said he would’ve loved to be running around in a secondary that had Ward at safety because he’s such a liability in the passing game.

I get the feeling this is Ward’s last season in Denver as the Broncos make the transition to Justin Simmons.