Fresh off another solid preseason performance, things are really breaking Kyle Sloter’s way.
News broke Monday that Broncos backup quarterback Paxton Lynch will miss Thursday’s preseason finale and ‘a few weeks’ to follow, opening up a couple doors for Sloter.
He’ll get the start on Thursday against the Arizona Cardinals, with the chance to play all four quarters barring injury.
More importantly, with Lynch’s recovery timeline stretching into the regular season, Sloter looks like a legitimate candidate to make the 53-man roster.
The undrafted rookie from Northern Colorado met with the Denver media on Monday ahead of his first NFL start. Here’s what he had to say, quotes courtesy of Broncos Media Relations.
On starting the fourth preseason game
“It’s a great opportunity to get out there, get reps, try to get more comfortable within the offense and try to see things more clearly from a full speed perspective. I’m just going to go out there and give my best and try to put my team in a position to win.”
On whether he thinks he can make the 53-man roster
“I think that’s a possibility, but that’s not within my control. That’s up to [the coaches] – my job is just to go out there and do the best that I can, and I’m really just playing, like they say, for a job”
On his motivational tweet about not giving up from Aug. 21
“That was just something that I wanted people to know – I’m not down about the decisions that are made. I’m out here to do my job, whatever it is that’s asked. Whether it’s to go in the game or hold a clipboard, I’m going to be the best at whatever they’re asking me to do.”
On whether he’s thinking beyond this upcoming game
“No, I mean I don’t really think – this is the place that I want to be. I’m not thinking about any other teams right now. I’m just coming out here trying to learn our system and trying to get better each and every day. Just trying to right now take advantage of the reps that I’m getting at practice and getting more comfortable within the system.”
On how he’s progressed in the preseason games
“I think I’m seeing everything a little bit more clearly. I think the game is slowing down a little bit for me. I made some mistakes in the last game and I wasn’t perfect by any means, but for the most part everything I was seeing was slower. That was important. I didn’t quite have the reps [in practice] to get on the same page probably with my teammates last week. It’s a good opportunity to go out there and continue to get better this next week.”
On starting on Thursday
“Like I said, it’s a great opportunity. I’m looking forward to it and I haven’t started a football game in a while so that’s going to be fun. My family’s going to be out here and they’re going to hopefully enjoy the game. So I’m just going to, like I said, do my best and hopefully put my team in a position to win.”
On when he realized he had a chance to make the team
“I’ve always believed in myself, I think it’s just a matter for any quarterback of getting comfortable. In OTAs, we’re rookies and we’re out here with third string guys. I mess up, some of the receivers will probably run some of the wrong routes sometimes. Whatever it is, we were all learning at that time. When we came into camp everybody had been at home for a little bit studying the playbook and we had everything on our mind a little bit. I’m just a lot more comfortable now then I was back then.”
On if he’s heard what people are saying about him
“No, I mean I haven’t really – I can’t really put it into perspective right now because I’m not really away from here too much so I’m not out and about. I’ve heard people talking and I’ve seen my name around a little bit more than it used to be. I try to stay level-headed and not really focus on that.”
On if people have reached out to him on social media
“Yes, they do. Just telling me to keep it up, good job and that kind of stuff. I respond when I can just because I think it means something to people. When I was a kid, it would have meant something to me for people to respond so I try to do that when I can when I can give a simple answer. It’s pretty cool to have people reach out to me and like I said, I’m just going to keep doing my best.”
On if he’s heard people say he should be the starter
“No I mean I don’t really look into it that much. You hear it but like I said, it’s not a decision that I make. There’s a lot for me to learn, I’m not by any means – [QB] Trevor [Siemian] and Paxton [Lynch] have been in the NFL and they know what they’re doing. I’m playing catch-up and I’m trying to learn just as much as they know now. I’m new and I’m just going to, like I said, continue to get better.”
On his advice to WR Jordan Taylor if has to enter the game on Thursday as QB
“Geeze, I don’t know. That’s going to be a tough situation if he has to get in there and throw it around. It’s tough for anybody to get out there and play. Quarterback is tough so coming from a receiver position to do that, hopefully we’ll take it easy on him and just put some handoffs in the playbook for him.”
