2018 Broncos Season, Quarterbacks Preview


We're just a few weeks from training camp, and about a month away from pre-season. so now is the time to start looking at this Broncos squad. In a series of pieces I'll be looking at each position group prior to the start of the pre-season. Today I'm looking at quarterbacks.

Players: Case Keenum, Paxton Lynch, Chad Kelly

2018 Outlook: In years past, this would have been a big area of question mark. In fact, heading into training camp the past two seasons we didn't really know who would be the lead dog in this group. Trevor Siemian won the job out of camp each year, and Paxton Lynch played in both seasons. Neither looked like a surefire franchise quarterback. And after watching middling play cost the Broncos a shot at the playoffs in 2016, and watching it crush the team at times in 2017, John Elway decided no more. So when Free Agency opened, he opened the Broncos' checkbook for Keenum, who led the Vikings to the NFC Championship Game in 2017. Keenum wasn't the biggest name on the board, but he feels like a choice that puts the Broncos in a better situation. The Broncos kept the quarterback makeover going by trading Siemian to the Vikings and letting Brock Osweiler go in free agency. Lynch is there, entering year three, but he's no better than No. 2 on the depth chart, which takes some pressure off. Then there's Kelly, who should finally see the field after being injured during his rookie year. And the Broncos have to hope Keenum looks like he did last year, when he finally got a chance to start. He started 14 games for the Vikings, going 11-3 and posting 3,547 yards, 22 TDs and only 7 INTs.

Key Question: As I said above, the Broncos head into the year set at starting quarterback. That helps all fans breathe a sigh of relief, but there still has to be a question of how this offense will work. Still, the biggest question in this group is who is the No. 2. It will be an open competition between Lynch, a first round pick in 2016, and Kelly, who was Mr. Irrelevant in 2017. And throughout the off-season there have been varying reports of who has the upper hand. This will be a competition to watch, and one that will likely inform a bit of the future trajectory for the Broncos. Some have labeled Lynch a bust, and I understand that leaning. Still, I'm not sure we've seen enough from a guy who was a three-to-four year project when he was taken two seasons ago.

Prediction: I think Keenum will be a little less awesome than in 2017, but will be a very solid starting option for the Broncos. And I think Lynch will show a little better and solidify the No. 2 spot. I still have hope for a guy who was a top talent in the draft just a couple seasons ago.

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