Five Questions with Mile High Report

One of the best features of SB Nation is the network of sites around the league. The Bears kick off the preseason against the defending Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos. Tim Lynch of the Mile High Report took time away from polishing the Lombardi Trophy to answer a few questions. If you'd like to read the companion article on MHR, click here.

WCG: 1. Who will be under center week 1 - Mark Sanchez or Trevor Siemian? Will rookie Paxton Lynch have a chance to see the field by the end of the year?

MHR: Mark Sanchez will start, with Trevor Siemian with the second team. However, both quarterbacks will only get a quarter to play. Paxton Lynch will get the entire second half. If there was truly a quarterback battle for the top spot, you'd think the two guys battling would get far more playing time. Instead, it is the rookie who is getting the most playing time. In camp, Lynch has shown superior talent and I believe he is on a fast track to take the starting job at some point. Whether its by Week 1 or Week 8, you are going to see Lynch on the field in 2016.

WCG: 2. Who is the real CJ Anderson -  the guy who was benched for Ronnie Hillman or the more dominant version that closed the year? What do you expect this season?

MHR: CJ Anderson came to camp this year at his late season playing weight, which is not how he started last season. He won't be benched. He has clearly been better than any of the other running backs on the roster, but rookie Devontae Booker has emerged as a clear third down back. He has been lightning in a bottle on the practice field, so we're excited to see how he does in live game action.

WCG:  3. What does Von Miller need to do to justify the monster contact signed this summer (6 year, $114.5M, $70M guaranteed)?

MHR: He kind of already did it. Winning Super Bowls is hard and the Broncos would not be reigning champions without Von Miller's historic playoff run. That said, he came into camp this year in what he called 'the best shape since college'. He is destroying the Broncos right tackles. Hopefully that is because he is Von Miller and not because the Broncos tackle position is in worse shape than it was last season, because last season they were pretty bad.

WCG: 4. With the Hall of Fame class of 2016 enshrined over the weekend, focus turns to 2017 - make your case for Terrell Davis to the committee.

MHR: The Hall of Fame committee is dead to me.

WCG: Of the guys you've lost from last year's squad to FA and retirement, who will be missed the most?

MHR: Malik Jackson. I loved that guy. Vance Walker will replace him, which means the Broncos will have a much better interior run defense. What will be lacking is that interior pass rush. Walker can do that, but not as consistently or as often as Jackson did. Still, this defense returned almost all of its starters. It's going to be so good. Pro Football Focus named the Broncos as having the leagues best front seven and also the leagues best secondary. I'm not even sure that's ever happened in PFF's history. I'm sure those '85-86 Bears would have achieved that mark though.

Thanks to Tim and the Mile High Report!