According to newly hired Head Coach Vance Joseph, the Broncos plan on having an open competition at the quarterback position this offseason.

Vance Joseph confirms the starting quarterback job will be an open competition this offseason. #Broncos — MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) January 12, 2017

This is somewhat surprising considering Trevor Siemian seemed to have the starting job locked down heading into the offseason after being the starter throughout the 2016 season. However, Joseph states that they will have an open competition this offseason.

With Trevor Siemian's mentor Gary Kubiak, now retired it seems like the Broncos will give 2016 first-round pick Paxton Lynch every chance to win the job this offseason. If he doesn't, they can go with Siemian until Lynch appears to be ready.

Siemian finished the 2016 season with 3,401 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. It was an inconsistent year for the first-year starter who flashed some potential while also struggling as well. Overall Siemian played better than most thought(myself included) but didn't do enough to cement himself as the starter heading into the 2017 offseason.

The Broncos spent a first-round pick on rookie Paxton Lynch and it appeared that they wanted to have a red-shirt type season for Lynch, but he ended up starting two games and playing in half of another in place of an injured Trevor Siemian. Lynch looked rather raw when he played but finished with 497 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception in 8.5 quarters of play.

Whoever wins the job this offseason will need to quarterback an offense that's "up tempo" and have a swagger to themselves as well. So they will need to show they can do this if they want to win the Broncos starting quarterback job.

Vance Joseph's vision for #Broncos offensive identity - "attacking, up-tempo" and with "swagger." He's got work to do. — L.Lattimore-Volkmann (@docllv) January 12, 2017

With former San Diego Chargers Head Coach Mike McCoy appearing to be the Broncos Offensive Coordinator, he will likely build a capable offense around whoever wins this starting job, so hopefully we see a better offensive unit in 2017.

This quarterback competition is only beginning. Both players need to grow, develop, learn the new playbook, and just get better as players this offseason. Whoever does that will likely end up being the guy, but we will not have those answers until August it seems.

It should be an exciting battle to watch between two young and talented quarterbacks. Hopefully one of them step up.