Schlereth: ‘Imperative now’ for Broncos to get veteran quarterback

With the timetable for Denver Broncos quarterback, Trevor Siemian’s return from offseason shoulder surgery is unclear at best.

After undergoing a procedure to correct a separated shoulder in the young starter’s non-throwing arm, the Broncos said Siemian should be ready to participate in OTAs when they roll around in April.

However, 104.3 The Fan’s Brandon Stokley reported last week that Siemian’s recovery time could be longer than expected — five to six months — and he could be sidelined until possibly training camp.

“Schlereth and Evans” co-host Mark Schlereth said Monday that he believes the odds Siemian will be fine for OTAs are not good and that the young quarterback could miss an offseason of reps under center, which means it’s vitally important for Denver to secure a veteran at the position.

“It is more imperative now than it has ever been, and I truly believe the Denver Broncos made a huge mistake in not having a veteran quarterback on their roster last year,” Schlereth said.

Last season, the Broncos did carry veteran Mark Sanchez into training camp but ended up cutting him in favor for a cheaper backup option in Austin Davis.

“You’re talking about a young quarterback in Trevor Siemian who is hurt, who’s probably, based on the injury and based on the history of this injury, not going to be able to be taking snaps in the OTAs,” Schlereth said. “And Paxton Lynch, who by all accounts, is not quite ready for prime time yet.

“If there’s ever been an opportunity for you to sign a veteran quarterback, now is the time.”

And with Tony Romo already linked to the Broncos, should he become a free agent, Schlereth said the more time Denver stays silent about the veteran quarterback the more likely he’ll land in Denver.

However, Schlereth said Romo, who could be designated a June 1 release if cut by Dallas, wouldn’t be able to join the club until after that date, though he could negotiate contracts with teams before then, therefore leaving much of the offseason reps to Lynch.

“If Trevor Siemian truly is a guy who can’t play through the OTAs, Paxton Lynch is going to get 100 percent of the reps, which might be the best thing to Paxton Lynch,” Schlereth said. “But, with that said, I truly believe that this team needs to put a veteran quarterback presence on their roster, and they need to get that done ASAP.”

Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.