The starting quarterback job in Denver appears to be Trevor Siemian’s to lose after Saturday night. It was as much about what Paxton Lynch didn’t do as it was about what Siemian did in the Broncos’ 33-14 victory over the 49ers.
Lynch, a first-round pick in 2016, started and led the Broncos on three scoring drives, but they covered only 11, 26 and 12 yards. Lynch was underwhelming in going 9-for-13 for 39 yards and a 72.3 passer rating.
Lynch played five series in the first half before giving way to Siemian with 3:23 remaining until halftime. Siemian played three series, exiting with 46 seconds left in the third quarter, after producing 10 points.
Siemian finished 8-of-9 for 93 yards and a touchdown for a 128.2 passer rating.
In two games, Lynch has completed 15 of 22 passes for 81 yards, adding another 38 yards rushing, and Siemian has completed 14 of 18 passes for 144 yards and a touchdown.
Siemian was asked after the game whether he felt he had done enough to win the starting job: “I think so,” he said, via Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post. “I’m not the coach, but I think so.”
The Broncos have given Lynch every opportunity to win the job, and he hasn’t done it, which should make Vance Joesph’s decision an easy one.
The announcement likely comes this week, as Joseph said after the game he’d prefer to have his starter in place before the third preseason game.
“That would be ideal,” Joseph said. “Absolutely because our starters should play a half of football against Green Bay, and that’s going to be our first official game-planned game of the season. So that would be ideal, yes.”