Broncos Not Sure About This Week’s Starting Quarterback

The long drawn out competition at quarterback last summer cost the Denver Broncos as their starter Trevor Siemian did not find good rhythm with the team’s receivers during the first half of the season.

Now Denver is not even going to name its starting quarterback until late this week. This is just one more oddity in what has become a very strange season for the Broncos, a team still affected by the retirement of Peyton Manning nearly two years ago after the fact.

When asked Wednesday who the starting quarterback was for this week, coach Vance Joseph answered that the coaches were not there yet.

He said the snaps were split in practice on Wednesday half and half. Brock Osweiler enjoyed his best game in the NFL last week, while Paxton Lynch has recovered from a sprained ankle.

Lynch looked fine said Joseph, but has not practiced for three weeks. The ankle is good, not perfect added Joseph, but Lynch was able to finish practice.

The Denver head coach said the quarterback decision was complicated with several different factors weighing in, but he said he would not share the majority of them.

Denver, which is 5-9 on the season, faces the Washington Redskins on Sunday. Many Denver fans would like the team to sign Redskins’ quarterback Kirk Cousins during the offseason.

The team has juggled its quarterback the entire season. Siemian was the starter for the first seven games prior to being benched for Osweiler, who then started three games prior to being benched last month in favor of Lynch.

However, Lynch suffered a sprained ankle against the Raiders and Siemian almost rallied the Broncos back from a 21-point deficit.

Lynch after spraining his ankle could be seen on the sideline sobbing and said afterward that he loves playing and when that is taken away it hurts.

The season was decided for Siemian this week as he was put on IR following an injury to his shoulder last week against Indianapolis. Osweiler stepped in after Siemian’s injury and rallied the Broncos to a 25-13 win.

Osweiler says he is not concerned with the situation. Regardless of what happens he will practice hard each day and if his number is called he will be ready to play, but the decision is not his to make.

Joseph praised Osweiler’s performance last week against the Colts, but did acknowledge earlier this week that the competition at quarterback is more about where Lynch is with his ankle.