Broncos Preseason Game #1 Thoughts and Observations

The Broncos opened up their preseason with a 24-17 win over the Bears in Chicago on Thursday night. The game provided a clearer answer to the question of who will start at quarterback, and it gave a glimpse into some of emerging young players that could help this team this year. Here are my thoughts and observations.....

1) Trevor Siemain was okay and steady in the game but he was nothing spectacular as he got the start in the first preseason game. He finished 6-7 for 51 yards with 0 TD and 0 INT. He produced one scoring drive, a field goal, in a quarter in a half of work. I think Siemian might end up winning the job by default because........

2) Paxton Lynch did not do himself any favors in this game. He finished 6-9 for 42 yards and 0 TD and 0 INT. The biggest thing that I noticed is his inaccuracy. It was an issue in his two starts last year, and it was an issue again. He is very inaccurate, and that is what is holding him back from beating out Siemian this year. We'll see how he does with the starters in the second preseason game next week against the 49ers, but unless he blows up and goes crazy, I think he will start the season as the backup.

3) I loved the way two rookies played: S Jamal Carter, an undrafted free agent, and late-round pick, DeAngelo Henderson. Henderson scored the game-winner on a scamper late in the fourth quarter, and he reminds me of C.J. Anderson when he runs. Carter was a presence in the secondary, and he looks like a beast out there. He definitely has a shot to make the team based on what I saw in this preseason game.

4) The Kyle Sloter debut as third string QB was fun to watch as he hit Isaiah McKenzie on a bomb to tie the game at 17 and then he led the drive to win the game late. Sloter's story is really an interesting one, and he looked very smooth and polished in the pocket-more so than Lynch. Sloter should definitely be a candidate for the practice squad if the Broncos don't decide to keep three QBs on the roster.

5) The Broncos couldn't avoid the injury bug as NT Billy Winn went down with a torn ACL. That is a blow to our depth on the defensive line, and Winn was effective as a rotational player last year. The injury bug has really hit the Broncos this preseason. First, Devontae Booker and Shane Ray suffered hand and wrist injuries that will keep them out of the first few weeks of the regular season at least. Then, Winn goes down, and two days later, Derek Wolfe injured his ankle and his status is up in the air, and Carlos Henderson needs to have thumb surgery and he is out indefinitely. Injuries are apart of the game, but sometimes it seems that it is contagious on a team.