Denver Broncos vs Chicago Bears: Four big storylines
By Andrew Wade
Put up or shut up time for Lynch
This game may very well be Paxton Lynch’s last chance at showing the Denver Broncos any glimpse of hope. Broncos fans everywhere, expectedly, are already ready to write off the once-promising quarterback out of Memphis.
I don’t blame you. I am too.
The team, however, is still holding on, albeit very loosely.
After another disastrous performance by Lynch with the second team on Saturday, Vance Joseph made the decision to move forward with Chad Kelly as the primary backup. He did sound non-committal on Lynch, gushing about his potential but noting the need for improvement.
Heading into preseason game two against a considerably weaker Chicago Bears team, Lynch must play well otherwise he could be on his way out of Denver in the next few weeks. This is not to say a good performance will secure him a roster spot, but it may convince Elway to keep him around just a little longer.
If nothing else, a good game could improve Lynch’s potential trade value, which is seemingly non-existent at this point.
It’s honestly shocking to see the career arc of Lynch. As he moves from year to year, he continues to regress. On Saturday night he didn’t look comfortable in the pocket and continued to make inaccurate or erroneous throws including one that placed Austin Traylor in a dangerous situation leading to an injury. He finished the night 6-of-11 for a pathetic 22 yards and one interception.
How much time does Lynch get on Saturday and how does he perform when his Broncos career is on the line? My gut says we aren’t going to be impressed but we will see.