ENGLEWOOD, Colo. --Head Coach Vance Joseph has been consistent about not putting a timetable on the quarterback competition beyond having a starter set in time for the regular season. He remained that way when the notion of having a starter named by next Monday arose after Tuesday's practice.
"Monday? I don't know," Joseph said. "I'm not sure and I'm not there yet. Paxton [Lynch] is starting Saturday, and after the game, we'll sit down and figure out our plans from there. But I'm not sure. I'm not stressed about that -- about it being Monday."
But whether the position is quarterback or any other, when Joseph names a starter, he expects it to be more than a temporary designation.
"If you name a starter, he's the guy going forward," Joseph said. "Now, injury can kind of play into that, but once a guy is named the starter, that's a huge decision. That's over time. So once that's made, that's pretty permanent."
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KERR, GOTSIS NEED TO "STEP UP"**
With defensive ends Jared Crick and Derek Wolfe out because of injuries, Zach Kerr and Adam Gotsis worked as the first-team defensive ends Tuesday.
"They were a big part of our plan coming into the season, so they have to step up and play well," Joseph said. "That's part of football. That's part of training camp. Injuries happen.
"So the guys behind those guys, they shouldn't smile about it, but they should be excited -- they have an opportunity to be a starter on this defense. That's why Kerr was signed, and obviously, Gotsis being a second-round pick, he's a major part of our defense, so he should be ready to go this week."
DESPITE INJURIES, BRONCOS STICKING WITH "WHO WE'VE GOT" ON D-LINE
The Broncos are thin on the defensive line, and at the moment, reinforcements are not imminent given that the team would have to make cuts at other positions to make room for new defensive linemen.
"We've got about seven guys working those three spots, and that's a concern," Joseph said. "But with the number restrictions, you can't just bring in a guy; you end up losing someone.
"So right now we're going to go as we go and hope we can make it through the next couple of weeks with seven guys. As we go along, if we need one, we'll add one. But right now, we're going to San Fran with who we've got."
CRICK, WOLFE AIM FOR WEEK 1 RETURN
Joseph added that Crick and Wolfe "should be" ready for the regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers.
"That's why we're going so slow with these guys," Joseph said. "I can push Wolfie back out there next week and push Crick out, probably by Friday. It makes no sense. Our goal for those guys is to rehab, get them as healthy as possible and Week 1, be at full strength."
