The Denver Broncos have drafted Paxton Lynch in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft. With the Broncos recent history with quarterbacks, could he be the long term solution to the franchise?
Ever since John Elway retired from the NFL back in 1999, I feel as if the Denver Broncos quarterback situation has been unbalanced. The reason I saw this is that Elway was the main starter for the Broncos for the majority of the 16 years he was a Bronco. The only time he never started was if he was injured.
If you take injuries out of the equation during Elway’s time in Denver as a quarterback, he was pretty much the guy for the entire time he was there. Before then, the quarterback that was consistent in those regards was Craig Morton, and he was only a starter for the Broncos for five years and played in three games in his final year.
Taking John Elway out of the picture for the Broncos, the only quarterback’s to have stayed with the Broncos for at least four years and started the majority of the games? Morton, Jake Plummer, Brian Griese, and Peyton Manning.
What I am trying to say is that the quarterback position for the Denver Broncos has been done a lot of bouncing around. Elway has been the only long term consistent starter in terms of years.
Other than the four quarterbacks and Elway that I have mentioned, not a lot of quarterback’s tend to stick around in Denver for very long. Which is why I think the Broncos are looking for the long term solution at quarterback. Could Paxton Lynch be that guy?
In all honesty, I do not see Mark Sanchez as the long term answer. Then again, almost everyone in Broncos Country thinks the exact same thing. I could see Sanchez playing at the most one full year while the Broncos develop Lynch.
Most accurate FBS QB under pressure last season?#Broncos rookie @PaxtonLynch (70.3 accuracy percentage). pic.twitter.com/JaAx6lJ72K
— PFF (@PFF) May 27, 2016
While some wish Paxton Lynch could start right away, as did Elway back in the 1983 season, it would be advised that the Broncos try to not start Lynch right away. With how the defense did last year and the ability to be even better in 2016, having Lynch learn the system and be comfortable in it will be a key part into him ultimately becoming the franchise quarterback.
In between the Broncos Super Bowl wins in 33 and 50, the Broncos have had a total of 14 quarterback’s start at least one game. That stat alone is quite scary. And during that time, only Griese, Plummer, and Manning were at least consistent starters for four seasons.
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I honestly would enjoy going into my late-30’s and early 40’s having Paxton Lynch still as the Denver Broncos starting quarterback. I do have that feeling that he will be the starting quarterback for years. Once he gets used to the system, I think he will thrive.
I believe that Lynch has what it takes to be the starting quarterback of the future. To me, he appears to be a quarterback that can learn the system quickly.
Can Paxton Lynch become the next John Elway? That is too far ahead to consider. But from what I have seen on film, I am confident that he will be successful under Gary Kubiak. We will just have to wait and see. I’m excited to see when Paxton Lynch hits the field.