ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) - Paxton Lynch has resumed throwing after almost seven weeks and said that he aims to return to action this season.
“Yeah, yeah, for sure,” Lynch said, dismissing any notion of this being a “redshirt” year for him.
The former first-round draft pick sprained his right shoulder Aug. 26 in an exhibition game against the Green Bay Packers shortly after he was officially beaten out by Trevor Siemian for the starting job.
That injury led the Broncos to re-sign Peyton Manning’s former backup, Brock Osweiler, and for just $750,000 because the Cleveland Browns are on the hook for the remaining $15.25 million on Osweiler’s contract.
Coach Vance Joseph said Thursday that Lynch began throwing short passes this week but the Broncos will remain patient and there’s still no timeline for his return.
As he has numerous times over the last few weeks, Joseph pointed out that the injury was to Lynch’s throwing shoulder, “so we want to be careful with that and make sure he’s right before he comes back to play.”
Last year Siemian sprained his left (non-throwing) shoulder and only missed one start, although he was hampered by the injury for several weeks and needed surgery once the season was over.
Siemian has led the Broncos to a 3-1 record heading into Sunday night’s game against the winless New York Giants (0-5).
Although this is the most serious injury he’s experienced in his career, Lynch said he’s never considered it a potential season-ender and doesn’t believe he’ll need surgery although “that’s up to the doctors.”
The Broncos could find themselves needing to make a couple of roster moves soon as linebacker Shane Ray (wrist) and rookie tight end Jake Butt (knee) resume practicing next week in hopes of returning to the active roster later this month.
Lynch said he hasn’t experienced any soreness or pain for several weeks while rehabbing and doing his physical therapy, and he said that didn’t change this week.
Lynch said he threw several short passes of 10 to 15 yards on Wednesday and pushed that distance to 25 yards on Thursday without any pain or soreness.
He said he has no idea when he’ll be able to play again “especially because I just started throwing this week. That’s really the only time I’ve been able to feel how it feels.”
Lynch said the last seven weeks haven’t been a waste, though.
“You get a chance to kind of get into it more mentally because you can’t do anything physically,” he said. “You’re sitting around a lot in the training room … and looking at the playbook and all that.”
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