Eric Goodman and Les Shapiro wondered out loud whether or not it matters if Mark Sanchez’s teammates liked him. The question is interesting. Does the leash get longer if the player is likable? Is it harder to sit a guy down if the guys he lines up with are his buddies?
The easy answer here should be no. If you can play well, you deserve to be on the field. If you can’t, it is time to take a seat. Sanchez clearly wants to be the starter. He wants to be a Denver Bronco. Everything he has done since coming to Denver has been to ingratiate himself to his fans and his teammates.
That is exactly what he should have done. Any player who is coming into a team and looks to become a leader on that team will do the smart thing and take some time to make friends. It’s not a bad idea. Will it work for Sanchez? Will it give Gary Kubiak pause if it comes time to make a decision about his playing time?
It better not. The Denver Broncos have a chance at history in 2016. If Mark Sanchez can’t throw the ball to Demaryius Thomas it won’t count for a dime if he and Thomas are chums. Sanchez and Paxton Lynch are about to be locked in a battle for the starting job for the Super Bowl champions. It better not make any difference who spends off time together. It should only matter who can run the offense. Enough said.
Bonus Listen:
Goodman and Shapiro took some time to discuss how Cody Latimer can make an impact in 2016.