Polumbus: Lynch will play for Broncos sooner than you think

Trevor Siemian has day by day continued to put himself in a position to start at quarterback on opening day for the Denver Broncos. He has strung together four to five impressive practices and continues to improve.

Mark Sanchez has had his moments of moxie, leadership, and beautiful play. He has also followed those up with some fainthearted moments, leaving fans scratching their heads at a couple lazy pick sixes.

Meanwhile, Paxton Lynch continues to find his own training camp schedule on another field with head coach Gary Kubiak while the No. 1 offense is working on the other side. If Trevor or Mark struggles come opening day, I will not be surprised to see them skip straight over the “No. 2 QB” and go right to Paxton.

But never in my eight-year career have I seen a head coach working with a quarterback on another field while his No. 1 unit is practicing somewhere else. Also of note is that nearly every day Lynch has finished the practice with a “move the ball” period, which is unscripted and the most realistic scrimmage moment of practice, while the other QBs watch from the sideline.

Most reporters and fans alike have long assumed Sanchez was the guy since we traded for him in March. Siemian seems to have not received that message though, and Kubiak seems to be awfully invested in the first round draft pick.

Kubiak said going into the break in July that the QB battle was just beginning. However, it was assumed that was just coach talk for, “Don’t get comfortable, Mark.”

Kubiak echoed that statement again just a few days ago when he said, “I don’t think anybody has taken off and done anything. I think they’ve all done what they did in the offseason. They all continue to do it. We’ll start playing some people and playing some games. We’re going to find out.”

Ironically, he said this before Siemian began his run of great play, and this time the statement seems to be more believable as the second-year quarterback begins to look like the current leader of the club.

I also read Kubiak’s remarks as: “I will pick a guy to start a game, and if it doesn’t work out we will find out who is next.” You never want to see a short leash on your QB, but we just might.

Kubiak is finding ways to give Lynch meaningful reps every day without taking away reps from one of his assumed starters in Siemian and Sanchez. The longer we go without either taking the reins (and I still stand by the fact that this team will win a lot of games with either one of them) the closer we get to seeing the future of the franchise –– Lynch –– actually taking over.

I don’t expect this to happen in Week 1. Matter of fact, if Siemian continues to play the way he has, it just might take an injury. However, I do know that when you draft a QB in the first round you will see him sooner than later.

John Elway said it himself: “We think he is going to be ready quicker than a lot of people think.”