Denver Broncos: Trevor Siemian getting a rare opportunity
The Denver Broncos are giving Trevor Siemian an opportunity that most young quarterbacks only dream of, and it’s virtually unprecedented…
Denver Broncos starting quarterback Trevor Siemian is in an incredibly rare position.
For one thing, the success rate for a 7th round pick even making an NFL roster in their rookie season is under 60 percent. For a 7th round pick to make an NFL roster in their second season is less than 50 percent.
If a 7th rounder makes it to the end of a rookie contract, it’s less than 20 percent likely for them to make it a fifth year. As I wrote over at our sister site NFLMocks.com, Siemian has truly defied the odds to get in the position he’s in right now as a starting NFL quarterback.
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But it goes beyond just being an unlikely story. Siemian is being afforded an incredibly rare opportunity that most quarterbacks would only dream of.
Making the roster as a 7th round pick? Check.
Backing up Peyton Manning in your rookie season? Check.
Winning a Championship? Check.
Following said victory by winning starting QB job? Check.
The opportunity for a young quarterback to take over a team as good as the Denver Broncos have is borderline unheard of in today’s NFL, unless a team sustains some type of wild injury like we’ve just seen out in Minnesota. Teams are definitely not averse to using young, inexperienced quarterbacks, but teams in a situation like John Elway and Gary Kubiak have really don’t take action like this.
The stars aligned for Siemian this offseason as the Broncos tried every avenue they could to bring in veteran guys. Colin Kaepernick and Ryan Fitzpatrick were too expensive. The distraction of Robert Griffin III was not really seriously considered. They traded for Mark Sanchez. Brian Hoyer visited.
Then they went out and picked the future, Paxton Lynch out of Memphis. Not only did they pick him, but they paid a pretty decent price to go up and get him.
And still, the last man standing is Siemian.
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Lynch isn’t quite developed to the point that the Broncos feel like he is ready to defend a Super Bowl title starting in week one. Perhaps quickly thereafter, but not week one. It’s Siemian’s job, one that he earned, but one that circumstantially is basically unheard of in the NFL.
Siemian isn’t the only seventh round pick starting on opening weekend for an NFL team — he’s joined by New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who is fresh off of signing a hefty one-year contract. In fact, both Siemian and Fitzpatrick were selected 250th overall in their respective drafts.
How’s that for a strange coincidence?
After an offseason full of speculation about Colin Kaepernick, Mike Glennon, and even A.J. McCarron, I’m glad the Broncos have ultimately settled on Siemian as the guy who will bridge the gap between now and whenever Paxton Lynch is ready to take over.
And who knows — maybe Siemian can be more than just a guy to bridge a gap. Maybe — just maybe — Siemian has more potential than a handful of career preseason appearances have led on.
I know many seem to think they know otherwise…
The Broncos have seen more of Siemian than any of us, and the coaching staff of the reigning World Champions has decided he’s worthy of an incredibly important position on a really good team.
Maybe we’ll see how he can do in a regular season game before passing any more judgment.