Denver Broncos QB Mark Sanchez pushing for rapid return

Likely starting quarterback Mark Sanchez is pushing to return from surgery on his left thumb for the start of organized team activities with the Denver Broncos next week.

Sanchez was projected to miss all of OTAs after a procedure May 14 to repair a ligament in his non-throwing thumb but said Wednesday he thinks he can be on the field with the team when sessions kick off Tuesday.

The Broncos are in transition at quarterback.

Peyton Manning retired three weeks after winning Super Bowl 50 and his backup, Brock Osweiler, packed up and left for Houston in free agency in March.

Sanchez was acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles, who re-signed Sam Bradford, gave backup Chase Daniel a three-year deal in free agency and dealt multiple draft picks - including a first-round pick next year - to acquire the No. 2 overall pick and select Carson Wentz from North Dakota State.

The Broncos have no such surplus, but drafted Paxton Lynch, a junior from Memphis, to compete with Sanchez after serious flirtations with the San Francisco 49ers about a trade for Colin Kaepernick. Second-year backup Trevor Siemian, a seventh-round pick in 2015 who had only 14 college starts at Northwestern, is still on the roster.