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          Trevor Siemian's shoulder is sore, but sitting out would hurt more

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          Consistency earns Trevor Siemian starting nod (0:48)

          ESPN Broncos reporter Jeff Legwold details QB Trevor Siemian's impressive body of work and consistency, which convinced coach Gary Kubiak to give Siemian the starting nod on Saturday. (0:48)

          • Jeff Legwold, ESPN Senior WriterAug 24, 2016, 06:59 PM ET
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              Jeff Legwold is a senior writer who covers the Denver Broncos and the NFL at ESPN. Jeff has covered the Broncos for more than 20 years, joining ESPN in 2013. He also assists with NFL draft coverage, including his annual top 100 prospects. Jeff has been a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors since 1999. He has attended every scouting combine since 1987.
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          ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Denver Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian has a sore right (throwing) shoulder, but it will take more than that to keep him out of Saturday’s preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams as he tries to win the starting job.

          Siemian, who did not throw in Tuesday’s practice, was back with the starters Wednesday and took what Broncos coach Gary Kubiak estimated at “80 percent" of his usual workload. Siemian is scheduled to start against the Rams and Kubiak said most of the starters would play into the third quarter of the game.

          “Felt good," Siemian said following Wednesday’s practice. “(Head trainer Steve Antonopulos) had the governor on me a little bit, but I felt better. ... You never want to deal with a bum shoulder, but it’s not too bad."

          Siemian was injured in the second quarter of Saturday’s 31-24 preseason loss to the San Francisco 49ers when he attempted a diving tackle on 49ers safety Eric Reid during Reid’s 44-yard interception return for a touchdown. Siemian received treatment on the shoulder after the game and Monday and Tuesday. He spent most of Tuesday’s practice standing with the other quarterbacks, helmet on, to hear the play calls.

          Wednesday, however, Siemian was back working with the starters much of the time. But since he was not full speed, Mark Sanchez and Paxton Lynch also got a smattering of snaps with the starters.

          “(Siemian) looked good, (I) think he was a little sore coming out, but he worked through it," Kubiak said. “Looks like we’re headed toward him being ready to go."

          Reid’s interception was Siemian’s only major mistake in this past Saturday’s game as he finished 10-of-14 for 75 yards and was 10-of-11 passing at one point. Siemian also led the offense on a 10-play, 86-yard touchdown drive to open the game.

          Asked if the coaches had any advice for a quarterback trying to dive at a ball carrier in a preseason game, Siemian said: “If you’re going to do it, make the tackle."

          Overall, Kubiak said this week, Siemian’s outing against the 49ers, before the interception, was about “as good as it could be" and a big reason Siemian will start against the Rams. But Siemian said he’s tried to simply keep the same approach he’s had throughout the offseason and training camp.

          “Same as what I’ve been doing, just taking the reps I get and making the most of them," Siemian said. “I think it’s nice to get in a little routine, so to speak, but think we’re doing a good job as a team just getting better ... getting kind of in that game-planning mode."