ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Already, there have many stages in the young career of Drew Lock.
He began as a quarterback in waiting, observing veteran Joe Flacco while Lock healed a thumb injury incurred during a preseason game. Lock’s redshirt rookie season was burned with five games remaining and he performed so well he was given the franchise quarterback mantle without serious competition for his second season of 2020.
It didn’t go as hoped. The Broncos’ brass lost enough confidence in Lock to first bring in veteran Teddy Bridgewater for competition and then gave Bridgewater the starting job after an offseason competition.
Bridgewater lasted 14 games until he suffered a head injury that knocked him out of this past Sunday’s game against the Raiders, and will do so again this Sunday against the Chargers in Los Angeles. Bridgewater hasn’t been ruled out from playing in the season finale Jan. 9 against the Kansas City Chiefs but at this point it would take a dramatic change of circumstances for him to play again this season.
Which brings Lock to his next stage, that as the Broncos’ starting quarterback again. Lock played well last week in a 17-13 defeat to the Raiders, completing 15 of 22 for 158 yards with no turnovers and three drops – including a huge muff by his college buddy Albert Okwuegbunam in the fourth quarter that very well could have changed the outcome.
“Obviously, I saw his arm talent,'' said head coach Vic Fangio. "He can make throws all over the field from sideline to sideline or vertically down the field. He did a good job with our play-action game and made some big plays off of that. I think those were some of the best things he did in the game and what he showed in the game. We just need to see more of it from the entire offense.”
Now, as Lock prepares for his second start of the season, 20th of his third-year career, does he feel like he’s auditioning all over again? To show the Broncos’ brass he is not a No. 2 quarterback but again a starting-caliber NFL quarterback?
“I think the most important thing is to show the guys around me,’’ Lock said Wednesday via Zoom press conference. “As far as players, as far as offensive line, the tight ends, wide receivers, the defense and to show myself. Whether or not the Broncos look at it in whatever light they may that’s up to them. That’s talk for after the season. It’s really on my mind to go out and play this game well. Get a win for this team, for this state, this organization and then whatever it may be as far as analyzing my play we’ll let that ride until the end of this year.”
The expectation is Broncos’ general manager George Paton will continue to search for a franchise-type quarterback this offseason. It could be a veteran via trade with possibilities ranging from Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson to Kirk Cousins, Derek Carr and Jimmy Garoppolo and maybe even Deshaun Watson if his disturbing off-field issues get resolved.
The top quarterbacks for the 2022 NFL Draft are generally considered to be Matt Coral of Ole Miss, Pitt’s Kenny Pickett, Liberty’s Malik Willis and North Carolina’s Sam Howell.
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