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- Mar 20, 2019
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Paxton Lynch lasted fewer than three seasons with the Denver Broncos despite the team using a first-round pick on him in the 2016 NFL Draft. Now in Seattle, Lynch is getting a chance to face his former team in his first preseason outing with the Seahawks.
In reflecting upon his time in Denver and what he feels is different with the Seahawks, Lynch said late last week he believes the atmosphere around the team is more welcoming.
“It feels closer, it feels like a family,” Lynch said. “I bring my fiancé out here, I bring my dad out here and they even say it too, they feel so much more welcome around everybody. They’re so good to them, they treat them so good, they treat the players good so, it feels good, it feels like you’re a part of the family. It feels like everybody’s close.”
The Broncos released Lynch at the end of training camp last season and he did not land with another team for the entirety of the 2018 campaign. Lynch said the Washington Redskins wanted to sign him late in the year but he decided to wait it out instead. Certainly having a first-round pick be jettisoned in less than three seasons was a disappointment for both the Broncos and Lynch.
However, Broncos G.M. John Elway doesn’t agree with Lynch’s assessment. When asked about Lynch’s comments by 9NEWS, Elway said he believes the Denver culture and atmosphere is just fine.
“I don’t know how Seattle runs things,” Elway said, via Nicki Jhabvala of TheAthletic.com. “I’ve never been in their camp, just played against them. But I feel comfortable with where we are as far as being friendly. I will say this: If you don’t have success, nothing is very friendly, and when he was in Denver he didn’t have a lot of success there. So therefore, I can understand in his mind why it was not a very pleasant stay in Denver. And it’s too bad it happened. I’m glad he’s getting another shot up here, and it’d be nice to see him have some success.”
Lynch appeared in just five games for Denver with four starts. He completed 61.7 percent of passes for 792 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions. Lynch remains grateful for the chance the Broncos gave him and knows both parties would have benefited from a different outcome.
“I was glad for the opportunity to get into the league, obviously,” Lynch said. “I was very thankful that they drafted me in the first round and gave me the opportunity to play there. Things didn’t work out how I wanted them to and I’m sure how they wanted to as well. I’m kind of glad that I got a fresh start and I know that they’re doing their thing too.”