Clayton: Siemian starts for Broncos ‘until Paxton beats him out’

Former NFL head coach and new ESPN analyst Rex Ryan told 104.3 The Fan at the end of April that it “makes no sense” for the Denver Broncos to not go with Paxton Lynch at quarterback.

Two weeks later, Ryan’s ESPN colleague John Clayton has taken the opposite argument, telling “Schlereth & Evans” on Thursday that the Broncos’ job is Trevor Siemian’s until Lynch can “beat him out.”

“I think it depends on how Paxton handles the OTAs and the minicamp and how they handle everything in the training camp,” Clayton said. “But I know at the end of last season, there was a giant gap.

“Siemian was established internally, both with his leadership and what he was able to do while Paxton was still learning. And so now, if Paxton can close that gap, then I think it’s a different conversation.”

Clayton said Lynch does have time to play catch up, especially with a new head coach in Vance Joseph making “new determinations” and giving each quarterback a 50-50 shot at the job, but that Siemian has a “big edge” as it stands right now.

“It’s not a matter of starting a young quarterback just because he’s got potential. I think there’s a certainty there that they believe in with Siemian,” Clayton said. “He starts until Paxton beats him out.”

As for the perceived pessimism about how Denver could fare next season, Clayton pointed to a possible lack of confidence among Broncos fans about Trevor Siemian compared to how the organization feels about the third-year quarterback.

“I know from John Elway and the people in the organization, they believe in Trevor Siemian,” Clayton said. “They also believe that they’re developing a good, young quarterback in Paxton Lynch.

“So I think that doubt probably goes to Trevor where there’s not as much doubt within the organization.”

Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @johnnyhart7.