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Newly acquired quarterback Mark Sanchez, formally introduced as the newest member of the Denver Broncos on Monday, said "you don't try and emulate" Peyton Manning. The Broncos, after Manning retired and heir-apparent starter Brock Osweiler bolted to the Houston Texans last week, acquired Sanchez from the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday.
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Sanchez, 29, made it clear he is not looking to compare himself to Manning.
"What is crazy, too -- I was talking about it with my brother -- (Hall of Fame quarterback Brett) Favre was there right before I got to New York," Sanchez said Monday. "It was another Hall of Famer -- first-ballot Hall of Famer. What a unique circumstance that was.
"To both of those players, and especially Peyton, nobody follows those guys. You don't try and emulate them. You see what they do on the field and you'd love to do some of those things, especially all of the successful things he has done.
"You don't try and be Peyton Manning. Obviously we'll let No. 18 sit on the shelf there for a while. I'm not going to take that number. That's just rarefied air. I'm just so impressed with what he's done and would love to learn as much as I can from him and the guys that have been with him. You've got to be yourself and work as hard as you can to be the best version of myself and give everything I've got to the team."
Trevor Siemian was the only quarterback on the Broncos' roster after Manning retired and Osweiler signed with Houston when free agency got underway. Osweiler's four-year deal with the Texans is worth $72 million, with $37 million guaranteed.
Sanchez is set to earn $4.5 million in base salary in 2016, with $1 million of that guaranteed.
Sanchez is an eighth-year player who spent his first seven seasons with the New York Jets (2009-13) and Philadelphia (2014-15). He was selected by the Jets with the fifth overall pick in the 2009 draft from USC.
Signed by the Eagles as a free agent in 2014, Sanchez started 10 of 13 games played in his two seasons with the team, passing for 3,034 yards with 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.
"Everything I have I am pouring into this thing. This is a great opportunity," Sanchez said Monday. "When I was told by (Eagles president of football operations) Howie Roseman I was going to Denver. I was like, 'Denver, Colorado?' I couldn't believe it. I was ecstatic."
After trading for Sanchez, the Broncos' executive vice president of football operations and general manager John Elway wrote on Twitter: "Acquired QB Mark Sanchez for a conditional '17 pick. He brings veteran leadership & will compete. This is the 1st step in our process."
The Broncos are considering other options at quarterback, including being interested in signing free agent Ryan Fitzpatrick but only if they can get him at the right price.
"Let's go. Let's compete," Sanchez said. "Taking a call from John Elway was pretty special. I had a picture of him in my room growing up. Once that wore off, I realized what an opportunity this is here. I am not married. I don't have kids. I want to play football and win.
"This isn't an opportunity that I'm going to squander. I've just been hungry the last couple of years to get in that established starting role. ... I'm, in a lot of ways, in control of my own destiny here."
