Denver’s newest sensation Paxton Lynch has not taken long to waltz into the spotlight. In the first day of OTAs, the rookie quarterback had a solid outing, showing off his improved footwork and rocket arm.

“It’s kind of my first time doing it, being under center, having routes and throwing on time,” Lynch said, according to a quote sheet released by the team. “But today I felt pretty good. I kind of circled back around and went over some stuff that we’ve already done. I felt pretty confident and had a pretty good day.”

Transitioning from the up-tempo spread offense Lynch ran at Memphis is going to take some time and both coaches and fans will have to be patient with the young quarterback. As impressive as the new kid in town was in his first day of OTAs, Lynch is coming into a situation where he will have to completely redefine his game.

I'm going to say for first day of OTAs, QB Paxton Lynch looked good. #9sports — Mike Klis (@MikeKlis) May 24, 2016

At the collegiate level, Lynch did not have to command an offense in the huddle and the versatile QB took all his snaps out of the shotgun formation, which is the exact opposite of what he will have to do in the NFL. Developing his five-step and seven-step drops will happen over time, but head coach Gary Kubiak likes what he sees early.

“Footwork, you want it to be where you don’t think about it,” Kubiak said, according to a quote sheet released by the team. “He’s having to think about it right now because he hasn’t done it. But boy, he’s made a lot of ground up since we got him.”

Kubiak continued on Lynch’s first day of OTA’s, “The thing I really like about Paxton is he loves football. He has fun playing. He did the same thing on the field today that John and I watched him do in college. He makes a play down the field, he took off chasing. We’ve got to make sure he stays out of harm’s way when he does that, but he likes to play.”

John Elway has already said on multiple occasions that he likes what he sees in the first-round pick and that Lynch will be ready to play sooner than most are assuming. Ultimately that will depend on the work Lynch puts in this summer, both physically and mentally. The young quarterback is doing the right things early on and needs to continue to do so.

“I’ve been staying after practice with [Quarterbacks/Passing Game Coordinator] Coach [Greg] Knapp and he just calls the play and he’ll snap it as fast as possible,” Lynch said. “ I’ll have to do the footwork for that play just so I can get it thinking about it quickly. In that huddle, you have the time from when you call the play until you walk into the huddle thinking about what you’re doing. We’ve been doing a lot of that.”

Lynch is as gifted athletically as any young quarterback in the NFL today. He has all the physical tools necessary to succeed at the highest level, but perhaps even more importantly, Lynch has the mindset of a winner and the desire to constantly improve.

There are plenty of examples of QB’s that had all the physical tools but not what it takes mentally. When Denver pulled Brock Osweiller and subbed in Peyton Manning in week 17 against San Diego, it was because Manning’s presence instantly commanded a focus around the team that Osweiller could not match. If Lynch is truly the quarterback of the future, he will have to earn the respect of the defending Super Bowl champs and he understands that.

“I have no rank around here,” lynch said. “I’m a first-round draft pick, but who cares? We’re all on the same team here… I just think if you come out here and work and show these guys you’re putting in the effort, they’ll see that you’re doing what you need to be doing. Then you have the opportunity to fulfill that leadership role.”

Obviously it is way too early to accurately predict what the future holds for the Broncos newest QB, but if the early stages are any indication of the future to-come, the future is bright for Lynch. The physical tools are there and he has the mindset to improve the aspects of his game that are lacking.

Photo Credit: John Leyba.