When a football team at the next level likes you, it deals. And you get paid. That’s usually the way it works.
Quarterback Paxton Lynch is figuring such things out as the Denver Broncos came to terms with the regarded AAC standout, reportedly signing the former Memphis star and No. 26 overall selection in the 2016 NFL draft to a smiling four-year contract on Thursday.
Thank you to the champs for drafting me, @TideNFL. Let's do this, Orange & Blue #OurColors #ad pic.twitter.com/pTQB017l1w
— Paxton Lynch (@PaxtonLynch) May 3, 2016
Mike Klis of 9News was the first to report the deal, noting that Lynch would have a fifth-year option in the contract, and James Palmer of NFL Network said Lynch would sign the deal on Thursday.
Lynch’s agent, Leigh Steinberg, went ahead and took to twitter to confirm as much.
#LYNCH CONTRACT–Agreed with @Broncos on contract,signing this aft,Donations to church,HS,@MemphisFB,charitable foundation in Denver
— Leigh Steinberg (@leighsteinberg) June 9, 2016
NFL Trade Rumors noted that Lynch’ deal is worth $9,476,306 and includes a signing bonus of $5,091,860.
Naturally, Lynch’s social media support cast had a thing or two to say about this.
Congrats @BMarshh54 well deserved!
— Paxton Lynch (@PaxtonLynch) June 14, 2016
My son with @PaxtonLynch this morning. #Broncos pic.twitter.com/7gVUlzGSkx
— EverybodyAin'tAble (@SavageGrind77) June 12, 2016
https://twitter.com/Purelykayla/status/729524120610820096
I would kind of expect as much. It’s not like Lynch doesn’t have all the particulars. That should be fairly obvious.
The Broncos only traded up five places on draft night to acquire him. Apart from being a really tall person – he is listed at 6-foot-7, 244l bs – this young man is a story waiting to happen.
He got lost in the college recruiting process after sitting out for half of his senior season nursing a knee injury. This allowed coach Justin Fuente to nail the Florida athlete from right under the noses of in-state schools.
He redshirted his first year on campus. And then stepped under center for the ensuing three seasons as Fuente’s starter.
As a sophomore, Lynch commanded Memphis to a 10-win season and the AAC championship. He received second team All-AAC honors, completing 63 percent of his passes for 3,031 yards and 22 scores.
Then something happened. Lynch hit the national spotlight with a category bang during his junior year and about blew the conference right off its hinges. That’s hard to do. For his efforts he received a Manning award finalist nod, first team All-AAC honors and team MVP after he directed the Tigers to an 8-0 start. That was before the team struggled down the stretch losing to Navy, Memphis and Temple.
The Pax is a hybrid between Ben Roethlisberger (when he was good) and Cam Newton (when he doesn’t get his behind handed to him with the stakes raised, sulking like a baby when he can’t get it done) waiting to happen.
He has an athletic body with the ability to scan over the top and extend plays. He can maneuver quickly out of a busy pocket and away from trouble. He sets up in the pocket quickly and has the arm to drive the football into restricted windows, attacking down the field while on the move.
He makes good decisions and rarely gets taken when cornerbacks try to bait him. He is a true field leader and it isn’t that easy to rattle him.
This boy will be challenging to defend in the red area. He took better care of the football last season, shaving the turnovers down from 16 to four. He completed 54.6 percent on intermediate throws, (1120 and 44.9 percent) on deep balls, with 19 touchdowns to just two interceptions.
There are some who are going to question just how ready he is to start. His below average performance (16-of-37 with no touchdown to speak of and one interception) against a fast, athletic Auburn defense in the Birmingham Bowl left a few in the shadow of a doubt.
One college football game. Are you serious? Is that the best you can come up with to discredit this guy’s future in the NFL before he even gets started? It was an off day for Lynch. They happen. Peyton Manning had them. Brett Favre had a few. Even I’ve had one or two. One off game is by no means enough to make reasonable judgments about his 2016 outlook. I could laugh at that, but I won’t.
Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak told Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com the team was greatly intrigued by all of the possibilities Lynch brings to the table.
“The thing that really excites me is this guy extends plays,” Kubiak said, via Bleacher Report. “He can make people miss, extend plays, and its really hard in this business to coach guys to keep their eyes down the field when they’re moving, and this guy does a great job of that. He’s a big, strong kid, makes all the throws, moves around well, like I said.”
What coach said.
Lynch might need some work. No joke. I don’t remember telling you he won’t. Does he have mechanical flaws that need to be cleaned up? Probably so. They will be addressed. Don’t worry about that.
This bad boy is happening whether next level defenses are ready for him to or not. Doesn’t mean they have to like it. You should start to worry about that.
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