Lynch’s workload on rise for Broncos

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Unless the Denver Broncos can regain control of a season skidding out of control, Paxton Lynch could get the starting quarterback job he’s never been able to earn outright.

Ideally, the Broncos (3-6) would like to head into their offseason knowing if Lynch is a bust or a late-bloomer, although it’s unlikely they’d put the former first-round draft pick out of Memphis into the lineup unless they’re erased from the playoff picture.

Lynch lost out to former seventh-rounder Trevor Siemian for the second consecutive summer, then bruised his throwing shoulder in the third preseason game. That necessitated the return of Peyton Manning’s longtime backup, Brock Osweiler, who supplanted the turnover-prone Siemian two weeks ago.

Osweiler will get his third consecutive start when the Broncos try to snap a fivegame skid Sunday against the Bengals (3-6), who are seeking their first victory in Denver since 1975, when franchise founder Paul Brown was their head coach.

Lynch has seen his workload gradually increase over the last month as he made his way back onto the field and on Wednesday he even took first-team snaps on passing plays while Osweiler was limited to hand-offs with a sore throwing shoulder himself.

Osweiler resumed taking all of the snaps with the starters Thursday.

“He went full today and he had zip on the football, so no issues there,” Coach Vance Joseph said.