Denver Broncos

Joe Namath believes Broncos QB Mark Sanchez can play another 15 years

Published May. 11, 2016 7:25 p.m. ET

Nunzio Ingrassia

The Denver Broncos have spent a majority of the offseason trying to shore up their quarterback situation after Brock Osweiler bolted for the Texans.

But if you listen to Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath, the Broncos are set at quarterback. He believes former Jets QB Mark Sanchez is the answer for the defending champs.

"I'll tell you what, Denver has at least one quarterback that can still play, contrary to what people around here think, and that's Mark Sanchez," Namath told New York Newsday on Tuesday at the GTIF Charity Day event in Manhattan.

Namath also thinks that the Broncos shouldn't pursue free-agent quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who had a career year with the Jets in 2015. In Namath's opinion, Fitzpatrick, 33, wouldn't come out on top in a quarterback competition with Sanchez.

"I don't think he can beat Sanchez out," Namath said. "He's got a younger body, a stronger arm, and he's a guy that has some experience."

Sanchez, 29, hasn't been a full-time starter since 2012, when he threw for 2,883 yards with 13 touchdowns and 18 interceptions in 15 games. He played the past two years with the Eagles, starting 10 games during that period.

But despite Sanchez's lack of action recently, Namath believes he has a lot of football left in him.

"My mind, my experience, sees a quality person and a quality player," Namath said. "I still believe he's going to be around 12 to 15 years, whether he's the starter or not. He's good for any team he's on."

The defending Super Bowl champs would probably take Sanchez returning to his form in 2011, when he threw for a career-high 3,474 yards with 26 touchdowns.