Broncos mulling a quarterback change
ENGLEWOOD, COLO. » Vance Joseph is either going to simplify his offense for Trevor Siemian or send him to the bench in favor of Brock Osweiler.
Joseph complained that Siemian made “three horrific decisions” on “three horrible interceptions” in the Broncos’ 29-19 loss at Kansas City on Monday night, wasting another dominant defensive effort and negating any gains made by the offense.
So, Joseph huddled Tuesday with general manager John Elway, offensive coordinator Mike McCoy and QB coach Bill Musgrave to decide who will be under center when the Broncos (3-4) visit the Eagles (7-1) this weekend.
“When your football team is putting in max effort and your defense is playing good football, it’s unfair to your team if you’re not discussing that position,” Joseph said.
Former first-round pick Paxton Lynch isn’t in the mix, Joseph said, because he’s only practiced a handful of times in the two months since he sprained his throwing shoulder in the preseason shortly Siemian beat him out for the second straight summer.
“That wouldn’t be fair to our football team or Paxton,” Joseph said.
The Broncos re-signed Osweiler after Lynch got hurt. Peyton Manning’s former longtime backup flopped last year in Houston and was released this summer by the Browns, who are still paying 95 percent of his $16 million salary.
Joseph is trying to salvage a season that’s slipping away. For all their troubles, the Broncos are only one game back in the AFC wild-card race and their schedule gets much easier after facing the Eagles and Patriots (6-2) the next two weeks.
Joseph insisted last summer that injury was the only way Siemian could lose his starting job, but circumstances have changed.
Siemian has thrown just two TDs and eight interceptions during a 1-4 slide in which Denver is averaging just 12 points a game and was shut out for the first time since 1992.
“No one goes into the season thinking your starter’s not going to be your starter. So, in my mind that was appropriate at the time,” Joseph said. “But again, when you lose three in a row and how we lost ... I think everything’s up for discussion.”
Joseph said he’s evaluating “all positions.”
The offensive ineptitude is starting to lead to grumbling among defensive players just as it did last season when a late slide ended Denver’s five-year playoff run.