As the Broncos pursue a quarterback who currently plays in California, a quarterback from California is gathering the team’s receivers there.
Mike Klis of 9News.com reports that Mark Sanchez will hold a passing camp on Tuesday and Wednesday in Orange County. Attending will be receivers, tight ends, running backs, and quarterback Trever Siemian.
“It shows he wants to come in and get to know us before OTAs start,” Broncos receiver Bennie Fowler told Klis. “I think it’s really good. It’s going to help us get off to a good start. . . .
“He’s taken the Jets to two AFC Championship Games, he’s been in the league for a long time. He’s a good player. This will be a good situation.”
Siemian, who could end up competing with Sanchez for the starting job if the Kaepernick deal doesn’t happen, praised the guy who wants to keep the former seventh-round pick from Northwestern on the bench.
“It’ll be nice to get some work in,” Siemian told Klis. “Mark set this whole thing up. He’s a good dude from everything I’ve been hearing.”
Siemian knows that, when it’s time to go to training camp, he’ll be competing with more than Sanchez.
“From a distance I figured we’ll probably add somebody,” Siemian said. “And we’ll probably draft somebody. I’ll be ready to have four guys when we go to training camp.’’
The Broncos may be digging in on their position as to Colin Kaepernick because they believe in Sanchez. He has started six career playoff games, and he’s never had a collection of weapons or an overall defense as good as the one he’ll have in Denver.
Consider this: When Sanchez started eight games in 2014 for the Eagles, he completed 64.1 percent of his passes, averaged 7.8 yards per throw, threw 14 touchdown passes against 11 interceptions, and generated a passer rating of 88.4. In seven starts last season with the Broncos, Brock Osweiler completed 61.8 percent of his throws, averaged 7.2 yards per attempt, had 10 touchdown passes and six interceptions, and racked up a passer rating of 86.4.
And in eight starts last season, Kaepernick completed 59.0 percent of his passes, with an average of 6.6 per attempt, six touchdown passes, five interceptions, and a 78.5 rating.
So maybe Sanchez is the answer. Maybe Sanchez will win the job even if Kaepernick joins the team. Maybe, with Sanchez having the best offensive coaching staff and best team around him that he’s ever had, the Broncos can reset the top two spots on the depth chart at quarterback and contend again in 2016.