Denver Broncos: The Curious Case of Mark Sanchez
In what has been an interesting career for new Denver Broncos quarterback Mark Sanchez, his fire to compete will result in wins and a return to the playoffs for the Denver Broncos.
The fresh start Mark Sanchez has been hoping for is finally here – and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The Denver Broncos last week traded for the two-time AFC Championship game participant who has spent the last two seasons as a backup in the Philadelphia Eagles organization – playing sparingly due to injuries to former starting quarterback, Nick Foles and current starter, Sam Bradford.
Sanchez got a raw deal in New York when the Jets traded for Tim Tebow in 2012. Sanchez will never admit it publicly, but having Tebow behind him and the circus that followed him that year was beyond repair and nothing could change the mental toll it took out of him each week.
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That year, Sanchez and the Jets finished 6-10 and third in the AFC East in what was at most a forgettable campaign.
The following off-season the Jets drafted rookie Geno Smith out of West Virginia in the second round (39th overall) and again, the pressure mounted on Sanchez. Smith was drafted to spark competition between him and Sanchez – and all throughout training camp in 2013 and the first three pre-season games, Sanchez looked good and was going to be the Jets starting quarterback.
Unfortunately for Sanchez, former head coach for the Jets, Rex Ryan, put Sanchez into the last pre-season game against the New York Giants – in the fourth quarter – of a pre-season game – and in those drop backs, those snaps taken from Sanchez, the biggest gamble of that season (which had not even begun yet) proved costly for both the Jets and Sanchez – as Giants defensive lineman Marvin Austin viciously hit Sanchez as he landed on his right (throwing) shoulder, separating it and his season was lost.
The devastating blow to Sanchez worked out quite well for Geno Smith and General Manager John Idzik, who drafted Smith and wanted to see him start immediately. The Jets handed the starting quarterback job to Geno Smith – which seemed to work out perfectly for a quarterback just drafted out of West Virginia and for the coaching staff having no controversy about him starting week 1.
Why was Sanchez, the starting quarterback of the New York Jets, in a pre-season game in the 4th quarter? When you have other quarterbacks such as Smith, David Garrard, and Matt Simms who should have been in the game. The controversy began after Sanchez separated his shoulder as plenty of personnel and media alike throughout the league called for Rex Ryan to be fired immediately.
The Jets finished the 2013 season 8-8 and second in the AFC, missing out on the playoffs for the third straight season.
Sanchez was released and picked up by the Philadelphia Eagles the following off-season where he had spent the last two seasons.
A fresh start for Sanchez.
The Denver Broncos are the best possible scenario for the former USC Trojan star entering his seventh year in the league. President John Elway has publicly said that he expects Mark to come out and compete for the starting job – which Sanchez intends to do stating in a press conference: “I’m battled tested; I’ve been through the fire.”
In what will appear to be a funny, eye popping statement, it’s the truth: Mark Sanchez is better for the Broncos than Peyton Manning (yes, Manning retired). Sanchez still has all of his physical ability and is hungrier than ever to win back a starting job in the NFL and show the league he’s a lot more than the disastrous “butt-fumble” which seems to haunt him. Manning won the super bowl with diminished physical skills mainly due to built up injuries, however his mentality will never be matched.
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The Broncos still have one of the better defenses in the league despite losing Malik Jackson to Jacksonville Jaguars and Danny Trevathan to the Chicago Bears. With Sanchez at the helm as right now, the starting quarterback, The Broncos may be able to pick up right where they ended off without skipping as beat.
Elway and the team matched The Miami Dolphins offer sheet to C.J. Anderson for four years $18 million which means they will indeed now keep their offense intact with Anderson retaining his role and leading the back field. The offense can be much better heading into 2016 with Sanchez at the helm.
The Broncos seem to have every intention to bring in another quarterback to compete with Sanchez but Elway has given his full support to Sanchez telling him to come in and compete, providing him with every chance to win the Super Bowl 50 champions starting quarterback job.