Denver Broncos QB competition: Paxton Lynch vs. Trevor Siemian

Jun 5, 2017; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Paxton Lynch (12) during organized training activities at the UCHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 5, 2017; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Paxton Lynch (12) during organized training activities at the UCHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jun 13, 2017; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterbacks Kyle Sloter (1) and quarterback Paxton Lynch (12) and Chad Kelly (6) and Trevor Siemian (13) with quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave and tight end Jake Butt (80) during minicamp at UCHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 13, 2017; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterbacks Kyle Sloter (1) and quarterback Paxton Lynch (12) and Chad Kelly (6) and Trevor Siemian (13) with quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave and tight end Jake Butt (80) during minicamp at UCHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /

I don’t know if it’s as black and white as this, but I don’t see there being any scenario at the start of the 2017 season where Paxton Lynch isn’t the guy the Broncos choose as their starting quarterback.

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That’s not to say Trevor Siemian can’t win the job, but the Broncos need to see what they have in Lynch over a larger sample size, and there’s a big difference between a quarterback competition and a quarterback controversy. Keeping Lynch on the bench for any period of time would cause the latter, like it or not. You drafted a guy in the first round and traded up to get him.

He has to play.

If it were any other position, fans would be expecting the first round pick to play and play at a high level. The quarterback position, though errors are more visible and perhaps more costly, is no exception. It’s not as though Lynch is sitting behind a legend like Peyton Manning, where time spent on the sideline is justifiable based on his elder’s merit.

I was impressed by Siemian’s ability to win the job last year, even though the circumstances lined up perfectly for him. I don’t think he played well enough in 2016 that he should be handed this year’s job, and I don’t think that’s his expectation either.

Paxton Lynch still has plenty of work to do, but I think ultimately, he is going to come into training camp with an extra chip on his shoulder and win that starting quarterback job for the Denver Broncos.