Broncos head coach Vance Joseph said he expects Lynch (ankle) to receive full clearance to play in advance of the team's next game Dec. 24 against the Redskins, Troy Renck of Denver 7 News reports.
If Joseph's prediction holds true, Lynch could warrant immediate consideration for the starting quarterback role, which opened up again after Trevor Siemian partially dislocated his left shoulder in Thursday's win over the Colts. That injury will sideline Siemian for the Broncos' final two games of the season, leaving Brock Osweiler, who relieved Siemian on Thursday, and Lynch as the team's only quarterbacks. Per Zac Stevens of BSNDenver.com, Joseph wasn't willing to commit to Osweiler as the team's starter in Week 16, so it appears the performance of both of the Broncos' quarterbacks in practice during the upcoming week will ultimately dictate who receives the nod against the Redskins. Given Lynch's standing as a recent first-round pick, he could have an edge over Osweiler for the starting role if his health checks out fine by the end of next week.