Like Carr with Raiders, can Siemian be the future for Broncos?

On Sunday the Denver Broncos will take on by many accounts one of the budding young star quarterbacks in the NFL in Derek Carr.

Through eight games this season, the Oakland Raiders quarterback ranks among the NFL’s best passers in most categories, landing his name among those being tossed around in the conversation for league MVP.

And in his third season in Oakland, Carr seems to have firmly cemented himself as the future of that franchise for years to come.

On the opposite side of the field, Broncos second-year quarterback Trevor Siemian’s seemingly captured the Broncos starting job for at least the rest of the 2016 season, as he was named a second-half team captain this week.

In his first season as starter, Siemian’s stats outpace Carr’s rookie season in several categories, including completion percentage (61.7 to Carr’s 58.1), yards per game (212.4 to 204.4), and QBR ( 55.2 to 38.16).

But with first-round draft pick Paxton Lynch waiting in the wings, whether Siemian remains on track to be the club’s future under center still remains a topic of debate.

Sports Radio 104.3 The Fan’s “C.J. and Stokley” tackled the subject Thursday, with both co-hosts Charles Johnson and Brandon Stokley agreeing in the short term Siemian’s the guy but disagreeing on the future.

“I like the kid. I like him. He doesn’t have, I don’t think, the upside to be an elite quarterback in this league,” Johnson said. “I don’t think the future of the Denver Broncos will ever be in No. 13’s hands. It’s either Paxton Lynch or someone who isn’t in a Denver Broncos uniform right now because Trevor is a stopgap guy.”

Stokley said that though his ceiling is likely not that of Carr’s, it’s unfair to write off Siemian just yet, that there may be a few more chapters left to add to his book.

“I think Derek Carr, and what he’s able to do on the football field, I don’t think Trevor’s going to be able to do that. But I think he could be a really good quarterback in this league if he continues to get better and better every week,” Stokley said.

“And he might be the future Broncos quarterback for the next five or 10 years. Who knows?”

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