DENVER, CO – AUGUST 11, 2018: Denver Broncos quarterback Paxton Lynch (12) sits on the field after getting hit during the first quarter on Saturday August, 11 at Broncos Stadium at Mile High. The Denver Broncos hosted the Minnesota Vikings. (Photo by Eric Lutzens/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
Yesterday it appeared that Paxton Lynch still had a slight chance to save his Broncos career, but now the team has elected to cut him after all.
It took the Broncos front office a little bit of time to make the right call on Paxton Lynch, but at least they got there eventually. Lynch survived the first round of cuts in Denver, but now the team has informed the former first-round pick that his time with the franchise is over.
It’s the right decision for everyone involved. After the Broncos made the decision to elevate Chad Kelly to the backup role, it was crystal clear they’d lost hope in Lynch as a long-term solution at quarterback. Keeping him on the roster would have saved the franchise some dead money on their books, but he wasn’t going to help them win any games in 2018.
It’s actually a good thing for Lynch too. His career was going nowhere with the Broncos. The fans had clearly turned on him and he was never going to overcome the weighty expectations of being a first round pick. Moving to a new franchise at least gives him a slight chance to turn his career around.
Remember, as a first-round pick all of his contract with the Broncos is guaranteed. He doesn’t lose a penny by the team’s decision to cut him. The move might be a blow to Lynch’s ego, but it won’t impact his wallet in the slightest.
The more interesting question is where Lynch might end up. He still has the athletic ability to tempt other coaching staffs to take a chance on him. Ironically, being a former first round pick will make him more attractive to other teams. It wasn’t that long ago when multiple front offices had a first round grade on the former Memphis star.
It’s also fair to wonder what the Broncos might do with his roster spot in the end. Going into the season with just Case Keenum and Chad Kelly at quarterback isn’t ideal. Look for the team to kick the tires on several available quarterbacks between now and the start of the regular season.
The good news here is that Lynch’s time in Denver is mercifully over. Now, both he and the Broncos can move on.