Denver Broncos coach Vance Joseph said former first-round pick Paxton Lynch was "obviously motivated" by his demotion to third-string quarterback last week "and that's a good sign. He's upset and he should be upset."
Lynch might not have enough time to channel that frustration and salvage a roster spot.
Chad Kelly of Ole Miss
Bo Jackson Jersey , "Mr. Irrelevant" as the final pick of the 2017 draft, has outworked and outplayed Lynch all summer and in both of Denver's exhibition games.
He's expected to get a long look in relief of starter Case Keenum on Friday night in Washington as general manager John Elway decides whether to add a veteran backup instead.
That likely leaves Lynch with mop-up duty at best. He might even have to wait until Denver's exhibition finale at Arizona to persuade the Broncos brass to keep him around.
After leapfrogging Lynch, Kelly had another solid performance, throwing for 90 yards and a touchdown on 7-of-9 passing against Chicago before leaving a 23-10 lead to Lynch, who again faltered as the Bears came back to win 24-23 Saturday night.
Afterward, Lynch said he never wanted the No. 2 job he lost to Kelly .
"I want to be THE quarterback. I don't want to be a backup and I definitely don't want to be third-string quarterback," Lynch said. "The cards have been dealt to this point in time and I'm not quitting. I'll never quit. My mom never quit. My dad never quit. My brother never quit. I'm never going to quit and I'm working hard."
It's just not paying off for the former Memphis QB who hasn't shown the progress the Broncos expected entering his third season in the NFL even with Trevor Siemian, whom he couldn't beat out the past two summers, now playing in Minnesota.
By many measures, Lynch has actually regressed since Elway moved up to select Lynch.
He's won just one of his four NFL starts, and that was in his rookie year when he went 1-1 with two TDs and an interception. Last year, he was 0-2 with one TD and three interceptions.
In the preseason
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鈥?2016: 40 for 68 for 458 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions.
鈥?2017: 16 for 24 for 90 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.
鈥?2018: 11 for 22 for 63 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.
Lynch was booed when he entered the game against the Bears at Mile High. Denver's fan base has apparently had enough of the man Elway envisioned as his next franchise quarterback.
"I feel bad for Paxton, but our fans want to win," Joseph said, adding that Lynch "has to ignore it and go play. It's professional football. No one is going to hold your hand, so he has to go out there and perform."
That tough love approach is a departure from the kid-glove treatment Lynch enjoyed in the past .
Even when Lynch was having a tough time digesting the playbook and the speed of the game, unable to use proper footwork or decipher defenses to capitalize on his natural talents, the Broncos brass kept its faith in him.
With Lynch struggling this preseason, Kelly, who missed his entire rookie season last year while recovering from wrist and ankle injuries, has gone 21 of 30 for 267 yards, three TDs, an interception and two sacks.
Lynch's demotion puts him on notice with roster cuts looming.
"When I first got the news
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Lynch said he realizes poor quarterback play is especially untenable in Denver, where Elway and Peyton Manning won Super Bowls.
"I just haven't been playing well," he said. "That's not acceptable, especially playing quarterback here, you've got to play well and give your team an opportunity to win every week."
Lynch insists his confidence isn't shaken.
"Yeah, if you don't believe in yourself then no one else is going to believe in you," he said. "That's what I have to do. I have to hang on that, come to work every day and get better."
MILITARY SALUTE
Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas traded his autographed jersey to a U.S. Airman who participated in USAA's "Salute to Service NFL Boot Camp" at the team's training facilities Tuesday.
In return, Thomas received a pair of military challenge coins , one from the 1st Space Battalion and another from a Chief Master Sergeant.
"It's always good to see them come out and support us
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The ninth-year pro was the only player to receive military medallions in exchange for his jersey.
"I'm trying to decide if I they're going to travel with me for the season or they're going in the locker with me or I'm going to take them home," Thomas said. "I think I want to travel with them."
Notes: WR Carlos Henderson, who failed to report to training camp while dealing with family issues, visited general manager John Elway at team headquarters Tuesday morning.
No longer part of the Browns' plans, Cody Kessler got passed to a new team.
Cleveland traded its former starting quarterback to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday, the latest move for the Browns who have spent the offseason upgrading the team's most troublesome position following a 0-16 season.
In exchange for Kessler, the Browns will receive a conditional 2019 seventh-round draft pick from the Jaguars, who were in the market to find a backup for starter Blake Bortles.
The 24-year-old Kessler had been in a steady slide down Cleveland's depth chart after starting eight games as a rookie in 2016. But after the team acquired Tyrod Taylor from Buffalo, dealt DeShone Kizer to Green Bay and with the Browns expected to take a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft, there was no room for Kessler.
Last season, he entered training camp as the Browns' starter but soon fell behind Kizer and Brock Osweiler and wound up being inactive for 10 games. He appeared in three games
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Kessler's tenure with the Browns began in mild controversy.
After the team passed on taking several other quarterbacks in the 2016 draft, Cleveland's selection of Kessler in the third round drew criticism. Coach Hue Jackson tried to deflect the harsh assessments of Kessler by saying, "Trust me" about the former Southern Cal standout.
Kessler wasn't expected to get on the field as a rookie, but after injuries sidelined Robert Griffin III and Josh McCown, he was thrust into action long before he was probably ready.
Kessler showed toughness and some potential by passing for 1,380 yards and six TDs. But he was sacked 21 times and it didn't help that the Browns lacked playmakers to help him during a 1-15 season.
Jacksonville represents a fresh start for the likable Kessler.
"We are excited about the opportunity to add Cody as depth to our quarterback position," said Jaguars general manager Dave Caldwell. "Despite being just 24 years old, Cody has already seen NFL game action and was very effective as a rookie in 2016, showing accuracy and efficiency in posting a quarterback rating of 90-plus.
"From our research and through getting to know Cody during the draft process, we know he is a smart, tough and competitive young man and we expect him to be a great addition to our quarterback and offensive meeting rooms."
AP Sports Writer Mark Long in Jacksonville contributed to this report.
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