Mark Sanchez Reportedly to Start over Broncos 1st-Round Draft Pick Paxton Lynch

The Denver Broncos selected Paxton Lynch in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft to be their quarterback of the future, but it appears Mark Sanchez might be their quarterback of the present. 

Mike Klis of 9News reported Friday that Denver will head in to training camp with Sanchez atop of the depth chart at QB, with Lynch and Trevor Siemian backing him up. Klis added, though, the possibility exists that Lynch could still win the starting job.

The MMQB's Peter King asked Broncos general manager John Elway on Thursday night whether he'd be receptive to the idea of starting Sanchez.

"Sure," Elway said. "Yeah. I would also say we never say never to anything."

If the Broncos ultimately do go into Week 1 with Sanchez under center, it wouldn't be a bad idea. Almost any incoming quarterback would benefit from spending a year on the sideline and becoming slowly acclimated to the NFL.

Both Bleacher Report's Matt Miller and Chris Simms believe Lynch could help Denver right away, though:

Elway obviously coveted Lynch. Denver moved up to the 26th overall pick in order to select the Memphis Tigers star, sending its 2016 first- and third-rounders to the Seattle Seahawks, per Patrick Smyth, the Broncos' vice president of public relations.

The Broncos are one of the few teams that could afford to sit a first-round draft pick for an entire season. Sanchez isn't an optimal starting QB, but neither Peyton Manning nor Brock Osweiler were otherworldly during the team's Super Bowl run last year.

The strength of the defense and the weapons at Sanchez's disposal will inevitably cover for his flaws, and the same could be said of Lynch should he outperform his veteran counterpart this offseason.