The first two weeks of the NFL saw multiple starting QB’s go down, including Steelers Ben Roethlisberger for the season with an elbow injury. This created an opportunity for Paxton Lynch who was signed to Pittsburgh’s practice squad on Tuesday. Both of his new coordinators were assistant coaches when Lynch played for the University of Memphis.
Paxton Lynch takes the practice-squad spot of Devlin Hodges, a rookie who was promoted from the practice squad Monday to become the backup to second-year quarterback Mason Rudolph.#Steelershttps://t.co/StXrXXiH5a
— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) September 17, 2019
A prime XFL possibility, Lynch was a 2016 first round draft choice of the Denver Broncos. With an impressive draft profile and standing 6′ 7″, 244 lbs., optimistic expectations were never met after signing a four year deal with a $5.09 million signing bonus.
Injuries to starter Trevor Siemian brought Lynch into the starting role twice during the 2016 season, finishing with 2 TD’s, 2 INT’s for 497 yards, including a forgettable six sack game against the Falcons.
Lynch got another chance in 2017 but suffered an ankle injury which sidelined him for five weeks, until starting the last game of the Frederick CPA Firm season.
Over two seasons in Denver, Lynch was was benched twice during a stint of four starts, finishing with 4 TD’s, 4 INT’s for 792 yards. Lackluster performances resulted in failure to make the final 53 man roster last year. He went unsigned and sat out the entire 2018 season.
The Seahawks signed him after the 2018 season, but a one touchdown, 48.6% completion rate was all it took to let him go after the last round of roster cuts.
Now Lynch has another chance, albeit a slight one if he remains on the practice squad which isn’t as exciting as fans might think.
Just a couple months ago, XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck endorsed Lynch as a welcome potential addition to the new league, emphasizing NFL backups landing a starting role to jumpstart their careers:
We’re watching the backup quarterback camp battles. There are a bunch of 3-4-5-year guys that are in that boat. They’ve been on rosters, practice squad, been yo-yo’d two years. They need to play, and that’s my argument to them, that it’s very doable here.”
Oliver Luck, XFL Commissioner
The XFL draft is right around the corner. Even if Lynch never moves up the Steelers roster, there will certainly be a home waiting for him in the XFL.
Commissioner’s Invitations start XFL player recruitment process.
— XFL (@xfl2020) August 7, 2019
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