Broncos’ Dennison talks about Paxton Lynch's early progress

The Denver Broncos have practiced as a team for just two days now. The excitement is measured and the coaching staff certainly is not singing the praises of any one player just yet. However, their prized pick in the 2016 NFL draft has already begun to progress.

Offensive coordinator Rick Dennison spoke Wednesday, following the team’s second day of organized team activities and laid out what he looking for from quarterback Paxton Lynch and how he has already made small strides toward becoming a legitimate NFL player.

“Certainly handling the huddle and leading is the biggest part I think. Reading coverage for him is a little bit different,” Dennison said of Lynch. “We’re asking him to handle the huddle and handle the other ten guys and that’s the starting point. He’s done a good job progressing.”

Dennison mentioned how Lynch, during his time in college, worked in a spread offense that rarely huddled but now the adjustment to an offense that plans to huddle often, will take some time. Lynch is competing with veteran Mark Sanchez and second-year player Trevor Siemian for the quarterback job and, as a rookie, he certainly is behind but Dennison noted how he adjusts will be telling.

“For some [rookie quarterbacks] I imagine it is a big challenge [to handle the huddle] but that is part of it,” he said. “That’s a part of being a quarterback in the NFL. You have to shoulder that responsibility and guys that do, do very well.”

He has already seen some returns on Lynch’s short time with the team. On a daily basis, the young signal caller is constantly quizzed with questions and he has shown improvement in the mental side of the game.

“Each day when you ask him a question and it comes back with a sharp answer,” Dennison said with a grin. “It is getting closer, you know he doesn’t have to sit and think. You can tell when they ask the question over again that they are stalling for time. He’s just getting better and better.”

Dennison is not one for dramatics and certainly was not ready to praise the rookie after two days of practice but the encouraging news is, in less than a two months’ time, Lynch is meeting all the criteria for a rookie passer and pleasing his coaches and coordinator. In as an excited tone as Dennison general gets he believes Lynch is on the right path saying, “I think Paxton will get there.”

The entire Broncos organization certainly hopes so.