Broncos have no answer at QB
The Denver Broncos have started three quarterbacks this season, and none of them appear to be the right guy moving forward. Heck, none have earned a 2018 roster spot.
On Sunday, it was the turn of Paxton Lynch, the 2016 first-round pick out of the University fo Memphis. Lynch was brutal to be kind, competing 9-of-14 passes for 41 yards and an interception in the end zone before being forced out in the third quarter with a high ankle sprain.
Lynch has only started four games in his two years with the Broncos. It has become painfully obvious that he doesn’t belong in the league. While that might seem a harsh overreaction to such a small sample size, the film doesn’t lie. Lynch can’t process what he sees fast enough, the cardinal sin of any quarterback in the best league on earth.
With Lynch now battling back from injury, the Broncos will once again turn to Trevor Siemian. Siemian, in his third year as a seventh-round pick out of Northwestern, started the first seven games for the Broncos. He was then benched. On the year, Siemian has thrown for 1,818 yards with 11 touchdowns against 10 interceptions.
Siemian might be the best quarterback on the roster and the correct pick to regain the starting role. However, that says more about his competition than his skills. The only other option is Brock Osweiler, who lost all  three of his starts while hitting on three touchdowns and tossing four picks.
Problems
All of this speaks to a looming problem for general manager John Elway. Denver is 3-8 and well on its way to getting a top pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Broncos have a ton of holes across the offense including right tackle, left guard, running back and tight end. The defense also has issues along the defensive line and at linebacker.
Is Elway going to go with another quarterback, making that two first-round picks invested at the position in three years, or does he fill another spot? Perhaps the free agency route is how Elway will play it, with potential options including Alex Smith, Kirk Cousins, A.J. McCarron and others. Regardless, the Broncos aren’t going anywhere until that problem is solved, and it’s hard to see the answer currently suiting up for Denver on Sunday.
The Broncos are not used to losing, and certainly aren’t used to consecutive seasons without a playoff berth. Their fortunes could turn with a brilliant move by Elway, fixing the sport’s most important position. Without that, though, Denver is doomed for a while, because the defense is aging and the offense is stuck in the mud without a quality arm.
