GLENDALE, Ariz. – They've gone this far with Paxton Lynch as a disappointing first-round draft pick. Is there any harm in keeping him for a third season as perhaps one of the league's better No. 3 quarterbacks?
Lynch came off the bench in the second half to lead the Broncos' third-string offense to two touchdowns, a field goal and two-point conversion. After trailing, 7-3 at halftime, the Broncos rallied behind Lynch for a 21-10 win here Thursday at University of Phoenix Stadium.
"It felt good to play good,'' Lynch said. "It was tough those first two weeks, things don’t go your way and, it’s just ... tough. It felt good bouncing back this week and just glad the guys around me played well.’’
The Broncos won their last two preseason games to finish 2-2.
If the Broncos don't keep Lynch as their No. 3 QB, at the very least he may have raised some trade interest after he threw touchdown passes of 16 yards to Jordan Leslie and 10 yards to tight end Matt LaCosse. Lynch also ran in the 2-point conversion.
Lynch started 9 of 9 in the second half and finished 14 of 15 for 128 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions for a whopping 141.8 passer rating.
“At the end of the day that’s up to them,'' Lynch said."They make the decisions on what goes on, and who goes where, and who plays and who doesn’t. My job is to come out here and play football. I came out here and did that and I’m glad I did.’’
Lynch was the Broncos' first-round draft pick in 2016 who has not met expectations. After failing to beat out seventh-round draft pick Trevor Siemian his first two seasons, Lynch was supplanted by former seventh-round draft pick Chad Kelly for the No. 2 job this summer.
As for Kelly, he began the preseason by letting it rip as he played as if he had nothing to lose.
To finish the preseason, Kelly seemingly was more cautious, knowing the No. 2 quarterback job was his to lose.
After leading his offensive units to 33 points in a little more than four combined quarters through his first three preseason games, Kelly and the Broncos’ No. 2 offense went into halftime trailing the Arizona Cardinals, 7-3.
“It went good. We got the win,'' Kelly said. "That’s the biggest thing. Looking back at it, I think we ran the ball really well, the line did a great job blocking, wide receivers made plays when we got the ball in their hands. Looking back at it, obviously a lot of things we wish we could have had back and there’s always room to improve, but for the most part I thought we did well. We won the game.’’
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The Broncos didn’t play at least 32 players in the preseason finale. Among the healthy scratches were running backs Devontae Booker, Royce Freeman and Phillip Lindsay. Freeman and Lindsay were joined by outside linebacker Bradley Chubb, and receivers Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton as rookies who didn’t play.
The Broncos will set their initial, season-opening, 53-man roster by making cuts between late Friday morning and 2 p.m. Saturday.
Before the game, Broncos general manager John Elway gave a fairly strong endorsement for Kelly as his No. 2 quarterback when the season opens September 9 against Seattle.
“Yep, I think so,’’ Elway told 9NEWS in the Broncos’ preseason pregame show. “We’ll see what happens tonight, but I think Chad has done enough to secure that second spot for now. He’s worked his tail off this offseason, really done a great job and plays with fire.
“I texted [Chad’s uncle] Jim Kelly the other night and said, 'He’s got that Kelly determination and competitiveness and you can see it when he’s playing.'’’
Broncos head coach Vance Joseph reiterated after the game Kelly was his No. 2 quarterback.
“I’m going to work and prepare whether I’m the starter or backup or whatever it is,'' Kelly said. "I’m going to work extremely hard – because that’s the only way you can get better. You’ve got to see these different looks and you’ve got to prepare for everything. The more film you watch, the more things you see, the more familiar you get with this offense.’’
Kelly’s first drive, impressive for nine plays and 48 yards, was blown up with a holding call off his scramble, then an interception when he didn’t spot defensive end Jacquies Smith dropping into shallow coverage.
“It’s a look I haven’t seen before,'' Kelly said. "You’ve got to be prepared for everything that the defense throws at you.’’
Kelly was more aggressive the rest of the half and he did lead the Broncos on an 11-play, 76-yard drive in the second quarter that resulted in a 27-yard field goal by Brandon McManus.
Kelly finished 12 of 19 for 126 yards.
