Jeff Legwold, ESPN Senior Writer 7y

Broncos QBs try to make the most of work against 49ers

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Every day, every practice, every throw is part of the Denver Broncos' competition at quarterback between Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch. Here's a closer look at their day:

Trevor Siemian

Since Lynch will get the start Saturday night against San Francisco, Siemian opened with the second-team offense in team drills in a joint practice with the 49ers. But before the day was out, the split for Siemian and Lynch against the 49ers' starting defense was fairly equal.

Wow moment: Siemian was sluggish to open the day -- he phrased it as "I wasn't as clean as I wanted to be" -- but closed out the practice with the kind of sequence the coaches want. He drove the Broncos' starting offense for what would have been a game-winning field goal attempt in an end-of-game situation against the 49ers' starting defense -- 1:20 left in game, down two points -- to close out practice.

Whoa moment: Siemian had a pass that was high and wide to wide receiver Bennie Fowler, who tipped it before it was intercepted by 49ers cornerback Rashard Robinson.

Paxton Lynch

Lynch opened with the starters and had his best moments early in the practice and in 7-on-7 drills. He took off several times from the pocket to run for a first down. Since quarterbacks cannot be hit in these practices, those plays will be graded on whether or not the coaches believe he would have made the marker.

Wow moment: Lynch had a high-quality throw to the wide side of the field to wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders in team drills that would have converted a third down. He showed patience later in the day to find Jordan Taylor coming across the middle for what would have been a big gain.

Whoa moment: Lynch was with the second-team offense against the 49ers' second-team defense in that end-of-game situation -- 1:20 to play and the Broncos trailing by two points. Lynch took what would have been a sack on the first play of the drive, then had two short completions. That was followed by a tipped pass that was almost intercepted before closing out the drill with an incompletion on what was a fourth-down play.

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