ENGLEWOOD | The Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos have selected Peyton Manning’s presumed successor in Memphis quarterback Paxton Lynch with the 26th overall pick of the first round in the NFL draft.
Lynch, a shade under 6-7 and 244 pounds, is perfect for Gary Kubiak’s play action but the question is how soon will he develop into the starter.
Lynch joins a QB group that includes newcomer Mark Sanchez and 2015 seventh-rounder Trevor Siemian.
The Broncos found themselves searching for a quarterback after Brock Osweiler bolted to the Houston Texans in free agency 48 hours after Manning announced his retirement.
The Broncos swapped the final pick of the first round along with a third-rounder (94th overall) with the Seattle Seahawks to move up five spots.
PLAYER PROFILE: PAXTON LYNCH, QB, 6-7, 244, Memphis
Notable: Passed for 386 yards and three touchdowns, leading Memphis last season to a win over Mississippi — a team with several NFL players on its defense. Last three quarterbacks taken in the first round by Denver: Tim Tebow, Jay Cutler and Tommy Maddox.
Strengths: Can really move for his size. Good arm strength. Cut way down on his interceptions last year, from 19 his first two seasons as a starter to four.
Weaknesses: Needs to improve reading defenses and anticipating throws. Throws can get off-target, especially when on the move, which detracts from his excellent mobility.