Stick a fork in Paxton Lynch.

The 2016 first-round pick might be only 24 years old, but he has become a bust.

The quarterback had a chance to gain some redemption by performing well under little pressure in a backup role this offseason, but Lynch—who lost starting competitions to a seventh-round pick in 2016 and 2017—was demoted Monday to the Denver Broncos' third-team offense.

Lynch was bumped behind 2017 seventh-round pick Chad Kelly two days after he completed just six of 11 passes for 24 yards with an interception against the Minnesota Vikings' second-team defense in the teams' preseason opener. Five months ago, the Broncos all but gave up on Lynch as a potential starter when they handed free-agent quarterback Case Keenum a two-year, $36 million contract.

Now the Memphis product is on track to lose a camp battle to an unproven seventh-round pick for the third consecutive offseason after 2015 seventh-rounder Trevor Siemian won the starting job in 2016 and 2017.

He is in jeopardy of being released, and precedents suggest the rest of the league should stay away.

By combing through a Pro Football Reference search of quarterbacks drafted in the first round since the 1970 merger, we identified 18 players who failed to become regular starters in their first three seasons. It looks as though Lynch will become the 19th member of that group.

Only two of those 17 quarterbacks became even remotely successful starters: Aaron Rodgers and Jim Harbaugh. Rodgers backed up Brett Favre during the first three seasons of his career, while Harbaugh was stuck behind established veterans Jim McMahon and Mike Tomczak. And while Harbaugh was a solid starter with the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts, he made just one Pro Bowl.

Marc Wilson, Mark Malone, Jack Thompson, Kelly Stouffer, Jim Druckenmiller and Steve Pisarkiewicz also had to wait for opportunities behind strong starters early in their careers. Rex Grossman (injuries), Todd Marinovich (substance abuse) and Art Schlichter (gambling) failed for various reasons.

That left seven other first-round quarterbacks similar to Lynch.
[Post edited by YBYSAIAHokie at 08/16/2018 10:24AM]