BRONCOS
Siemian to start
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Vance Joseph was admittedly enamored of the idea of a towering, chuck-it-or-tuck-it quarterback with first-round pedigree and a lightning bolt for a right arm leading the Denver Broncos in 2017.
Even more captivating for the rookie head coach was the notion of his egghead seventh-rounder with the sneaky fastball and penchant for making the right decisions calling the signals.
So, it's Trevor Siemian and not Paxton Lynch who will start for the Broncos.
Joseph made the announcement Monday following a five-month audition that represented the biggest position battle in the NFL this offseason.
Joseph suggested Lynch may still represent the future in Denver, but with a team that's just 18 months removed from a championship parade and so good on defense, he had to think about today, not tomorrow.
So, Siemian is his guy. Just as he was Gary Kubiak's choice a year ago.
"It's all about performance, not potential," Joseph said. "And Trevor is ready to lead our football team. We've got two receivers that are All-Pro caliber, we've got a great backfield, we've fixed the offensive line. So, we need a guy who can operate at a high level all the time."
JAGUARS
3 starters injured
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars will be without running back Leonard Fournette, receiver Marqise Lee and cornerback A.J. Bouye for their preseason game against Carolina on Thursday night.
Coach Doug Marrone ruled out all three projected starters Monday, adding that running back T.J. Yeldon (hamstring) and tight end Michael Rivera (hand) also won't play against the Panthers.
Fournette has a left foot injury. Lee has a badly sprained right ankle. Bouye's injury has not been disclosed. Fournette and Lee played in the preseason opener, but sat out last week against Tampa Bay. Bouye did not dress for either exhibition game. The three seem unlikely to play in the preseason finale at Atlanta.
Two others also missed practice Monday: Receiver Rashad Greene (back) and defensive end Dante Fowler (lower body).
JETS
QB decision soon
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- New York Jets Coach Todd Bowles said he will announce the team's starting quarterback next Monday.
Veteran Josh McCown is widely expected to be under center when the Jets open their season on Sept. 10 at Buffalo. Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty are also in the mix. But McCown has been the front-runner for the job since signing a one-year, $6 million deal with New York in March.
Hackenberg, a second-round draft pick, never played in a regular-season game as a rookie. He been given an opportunity this summer to seize the job. But he took a step back with a rocky performance while making his first start at Detroit on Saturday night.
McCown didn't play against the Lions and has taken only nine preseason snaps. He led the Jets to a touchdown during his only possession in the opener against Tennessee.
Lee, Williams cleared
Jets players Darron Lee and Leonard Williams have been cleared by the NFL of any violations of the league's personal conduct policy following a review of an incident at a music festival in New York in June.
In a moment caught on video and splashed across social media, Williams stepped in front of Lee, who had an argument with a girlfriend, according to Coach Todd Bowles. Williams then briefly lifted and forcibly removed his teammate from a potential altercation.
Lee was not arrested or charged with anything resulting from the situation, and he wasn't disciplined by the Jets.
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a statement Monday that the league "concluded there was insufficient evidence to support a finding that there was a violation of the personal conduct policy."
ESPN first reported the NFL's decision.
NFL
Goodell extension
Commissioner Roger Goodell is on track to maintain his prominent place at the table for the next round of collective bargaining between NFL owners and players, a process that's sure to be contentious.
The league is working on a five-year contract extension for Goodell, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Monday because the deal is not complete. Sports Business Journal first reported the contract negotiations.
Goodell's contract is up after the 2019 season. The new deal would cover the 2024 season. That's a clear signal of the trust the owners have in Goodell to help steer the league through another labor agreement, since the current collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2020 season.
Goodell became commissioner in 2006. He earned just over $31 million for the 2015 season, down from about $34 million in 2014. Because the league office is no longer classified as a tax-exempt organization, the commissioner's salary is no longer required to be made public through tax filings.
Sports on 08/22/2017