Denver Broncos training camp preview: Quarterbacks
Trevor Siemian
Age: 25 – Contract: 2 years remaining ($628,195 cap hit)
2016 key stats: 14 games, 289/486 passing (59.5 comp.%), 18 TDs, 10 INTs
We have talked at length this offseason about Trevor Siemian; what he’s capable of, what he’s incapable of, whether or not he’s good enough to start…
The fact of the matter is this: Siemian is the guy who started 14 of the Broncos’ 16 games last season. That matters to coaches, but does it matter enough?
Siemian showed an ability to bounce back from bad plays last year with his unflappable personality. That personality also drove me crazy at times because it seemed like there was a lack of urgency from the young quarterback.
Cool, calm, collected — those are all great qualities to have but sometimes we like to see the Tom Brady fist pump, or the Aaron Rodgers ‘discount double-check’. That’s not the type of personality Siemian is, but he is certainly well-liked by his teammates and respected by coaches for his hard work.
In the 2016 offseason, the big factor Siemian winning the starting job was his knowledge of the Gary Kubiak offense. Neither Mark Sanchez nor Paxton Lynch had any knowledge of the offense prior to their arrival in Denver, which is largely why Siemian won the job.
He was the only guy who had the playbook memorized.
That advantage is out the door in 2017, as the Broncos are installing a new offense. So far, Siemian has split first-team reps with Lynch, and the general belief is that if the competition is close, the deciding factor will be Lynch’s draft status as a former first round pick.
Siemian is going to have to separate himself on the field in the next couple of months if he is to open the season as the team’s starter.
He needs to show he can push the ball downfield with accuracy, and be more consistent on intermediate throws. The Broncos were one of the worst offensive groups in the NFL in 2016, and Siemian is not exempt from blame despite the poor offensive line play.
The switch to a more spread-style offense will help Siemian as well as Lynch, but will he take advantage on the field?