Paxton Lynch is a wild card in terms of where he is projected to be drafted in a couple weeks. The Los Angeles Rams trade up to the first pick almost assures a quarterback pick, shaking up the order and urgency of quarterbacks being drafted in this class.
By: Derrik Klassen
Though, it appears Lynch has more of a chance to fall into the middle of the first round than Carson Wentz or Jared Goff. If that were the case, the Denver Broncos could make a move up to grab a quarterback. Between their need at the position and the luxury to exhaust value because of how good the team already is, it would make a lot of sense to see the Broncos trade up.
Aside from filling a major need, Lynch is a great fit in Denver because of how well he would function in Gary Kubiak’s offense. Kubiak’s offense was largely hidden last year because Peyton Manning no longer had the physical requirements to run that system. That does not mean Kubiak’s system is bad, though. In 2014, Joe Flacco had a career year under Kubiak and the Baltimore Ravens offense as a whole was better than it had been in some time. The year after, without Kubiak’s guidance, the Ravens offense crumbled.
Lynch has the arm, mobility and ability to throw on the run that helps maximize Kubiak’s concepts. Kubiak runs a lot of out-breaking intermediate routes, crossers and verticals. He also likes to get his quarterback on the move, incorporating a fair amount of boot-action into his offense. With as well as Lynch can move and adjust his body to throw on the move, the amount of boot-action in Kubiak’s offense should be more of an aid to Lynch than a detriment.
Lynch isn’t one to make brutal mistakes, either. Kubiak’s offenses tend to be more run-oriented than most, making the offense feel a bit more like a gradual grind to the end zone than an aerial attack. With that being the case, mistakes from the quarterback can have great consequences. Lynch improved on his interception total every year at Memphis, throwing 10 as a freshman, 9 as a sophomore and a measly 4 his junior year. He grew more and more aware of what he was and was not capable of, as well as showing more of a mental edge that cued him on what the defense was up to on a given play. Bottom line, Lynch will avoid mistakes while also being able to make downfield throws with accuracy. He can maximize aggressive play calls.
Kubiak is going to be asking Lynch to rollout often. Lynch was asked to do so a fair amount at Memphis and has shown it is a task he can handle without struggle. He is aware of the field as he rolls deep and works his way back to the line of scrimmage. More importantly, he is a comfortable passer on the move and can still generate plenty of velocity without penalizing his ball placement. Executing these plays well is not only an immediate success for a given play, but it helps keep defenders honest and coaxes them to be more passive against the run.
Here, Lynch knocks out two birds with one stone. Not only is this a reiteration of Paxton’s ability on the move, but it highlights his ability down the field.
Throws like these, though, are truly where Lynch can shine. He has an absolute cannon of an arm, but knows how to control it. He marries velocity with touch so well. Many will claim deep passing is too emphasized, but the reality is that so few passers can consistently win down the field that when there is one who can, he should be embraced. With as much success as Kubiak got out of Flacco, it’s tough to imagine he would be anything other than ecstatic to land a deep thrower like Lynch.
Lynch can execute the simpler, more routine plays just as well, too. He throws all areas of the field with great placement and velocity, not to mention his knack for avoiding mental mistakes. With as well as he executes the routine throws on top of his ability to make wild plays outside of the pocket and down the field, Paxton Lynch is set to be a good NFL quarterback and would be a perfect fit for the Denver Broncos.
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