Vance Joseph to name Trevor Siemian as Broncos starting quarterback

The expected competition between Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch for the Denver Broncos‘ starting quarterback job never really materialized, as Lynch, a 2016 first-round pick, never made a strong move to unseat Siemian.

And it looks like Denver brass has decided to end the competition.

Via multiple reports, first-year Broncos coach Vance Joseph will name Siemian as the team’s starter during his Monday afternoon news conference, slated to start at 3:15 p.m. ET.

Former Broncos receiver Brandon Stokley, now a radio personality on 104.3 The Fan in Denver, was first with the news.

In Denver’s first two preseason games, Siemian was 14-of-18 for 144 yards, one touchdown and no picks. But it isn’t just that Siemian had better stats in the first two exhibitions; as noted by Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson two weeks ago, he’s been the better player in practices too.

“He is solid and brings a pro mentality every day,” Robinson wrote, adding that he’s not likely to blow anyone’s socks off either. “But he’s also more steady than spectacular – a reality that speaks to what Elway and the personnel staff believe about him in the longer term. And that longer view is that Siemian is an option whose greatest upside might be no better than a middle-of-league starter. Adequate NFL starting material, but not special. Perhaps he will be capable of winning games consistently, but his talent doesn’t appear to be that of a guy who can elevate the unit around him for the next decade.”

The Broncos should once again have a great defense, but they still need to put points on the board to win games. Right now, Siemian offers the better chance to do that.

So the unexpected rise of Siemian, a seventh-round draft pick out of Northwestern in 2015, continues. Last year, he beat Mark Sanchez for the starting job the first year post-Peyton Manning, and started 14 games.

But when Gary Kubiak stepped down earlier this year and Joseph was hired, the competition between Siemian and Lynch began anew.

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