The Denver Broncos will have a new quarterback when they take on the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. According to James Palmer of NFL Network, the Broncos will start Paxton Lynch for the first time this season against the Raiders. Lynch was the Broncos’ first-round pick in 2016, but he was beaten by Trevor Siemian for the starting job twice. The Broncos will be making their second quarterback change this season after losing their sixth straight game. Last season, Lynch was beaten by Siemian for the starting job. However, he made two starts against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4 and against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 13 after Siemian was sidelined by shoulder and foot injuries.
Last season, he completed 49-of-83 passes for 497 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
Lynch will lead Broncos under new OC
This season, Lynch again lost to Siemian in the quarterback competition. He was in line to replace Siemian earlier in the season but a shoulder injury prevented him from doing so. The quarterback shift to Lynch was expected after Brock Osweiler struggled in his starts against the Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots, and Cincinnati Bengals. Siemian started the first seven games, carrying the Broncos to a 3-4 record before he was replaced by Osweiler. The change came one day after the Broncos fired offensive coordinator Mike McCoy and replaced him with quarterbacks coach Bill Musgrave.
The Broncos dismissed McCoy after the franchise suffered their longest losing streak since the 1993-1994 season. The Broncos lost to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, 20-17, dropping their record to 3-7.
As an experienced coordinator, Broncos head coach Vance Joseph said Musgrave will help the team’s offense get back on track.
Joseph said Musgrave will handle all play-calling duties while he focuses on coaching. Musgrave will be a welcome change for Broncos players, who were frustrated about McCoy’s awkward playbook that led to their losses, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network Insider.
Elway clarifies ‘soft’ comment
Meanwhile, Broncos general manager John Elway’s “soft” comment drew different reactions from his players.
Some players supported Elway’s claim, while others rebuffed the claim of the Hall of Fame quarterback. In an interview with Orange and Blue Radio, Elway clarified that he was talking about everybody in the organization when he called the team “soft” following their sixth straight loss.
