Believe it or not, Drew Lock could be the Broncos starter in 2022
Dec 24, 2021, 12:02 PM | Updated: 12:03 pm
Hardly a day goes by when there isn’t conversation about who will be the Broncos starting quarterback next season. It’s the main topic in Denver on a daily basis.
Part of the reason is that the Broncos are in need of a solution at that position. Since Peyton Manning walked off into the sunset, the franchise has been searching for a competent QB.
There have been 10 different players who’ve tried to fill that role. All have failed.
The end result has been six straight seasons without a trip to the postseason. It’s the longest drought by any Super Bowl winning team after hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in NFL history.
It also comes up all of the time because there are a number of intriguing options. That’s what makes the conversation fun.
At the top of the wish list is someone who is already a franchise quarterback. A known commodity could come in and solve the problem in much the same way Manning did a decade ago.
Aaron Rodgers wanted out of Green Bay last offseason, with Denver leading the way as his most likely landing spot. He’s expected to have the same desire this year, too.
Russell Wilson is unhappy in Seattle. A year ago, his list of teams that would be acceptable as a destination didn’t include the Broncos. According to reports, however, it now does.
Either of those quarterbacks would be great. They’ve each won a Super Bowl and would both make the Broncos an instant contender.
As was demonstrated last offseason, however, getting them is easier said than done. Beyond the price tag for acquiring them in a trade, which will be hefty, their current team has to be willing to move them. The Packers weren’t a year ago. There’s no reason to believe they, or the Seahawks, will change their mind this time around.
Teams know how hard it is to find a franchise QB. If they have one, they aren’t going to willingly give them up and voluntarily put themselves in the purgatory where the Broncos currently reside. Seattle and Green Bay will move mountains to keep Wilson and Rodgers, respectively.
If George Paton isn’t able to pull off a trade, he could look to the draft for a solution. The Broncos have been scouting the best quarterbacks in college football, from Matt Corral to Kenny Pickett.
That said, there’s no guarantee that Denver will draft a QB. They didn’t last year, when Justin Fields and Mac Jones fell to them at the No. 9 overall spot. Both were more highly ranked than anyone in this year’s class. If Paton didn’t draft a quarterback last year, it seems unlikely that he will reach for one this time around.
That leaves just one other route. The Broncos could sign a veteran free agent.
One look at that list, however, makes that seem unlikely. It’s a who’s who of journeymen quarterbacks.
After selling the fan base on the likes of Case Keenum, Joe Flacco and Teddy Bridgewater in recent years, it’d be hard for the Broncos to make a case for Ryan Fitzpatrick, Andy Dalton or Nick Foles. The franchise has already been down that path. Too many times.
They could bring back Bridgewater, who is included on the list of free-agent QBs. But anyone who has watched him play this season knows that would be an uninspired move, unless it’s as a mentor for a quarterback taken in the draft. It’s been painfully evident that Bridgewater isn’t the answer.
Plus, the team made it perfectly clear that they aren’t giving him big money in the offseason. When a “report” leaked that Bridgewater was seeking $25 million per year in his next contract, that was clearly the Broncos letting everyone know why they didn’t retain the quarterback.
That leaves one viable option – Drew Lock. He’ll be entering the fourth and final year of his contract, so he’ll already be on the roster. By default, he could end up winning the job.
The thought probably causes many in Broncos Country to panic. That’s not without reason, as Lock has struggled mightily at times during his two-plus seasons in Denver.
But he does have talent. Perhaps he simply needs a different approach.
Clearly, Vic Fangio doesn’t trust him. He’d play Bridgewater in a body cast ahead of Lock if he could. And obviously, Pat Shurmur hasn’t been good for Lock’s development. The young QB has regressed under the veteran offensive coordinator.
But both will likely be gone next year. A new coaching staff might have a different thought of the talented, but mistake-prone, quarterback.
Maybe someone like Kellen Moore could get more out of Lock. Perhaps an offensive-minded coach could maximize the kid’s ability.
He’d have one year to make it work. If it happened, the Broncos would be set. If it didn’t, they could then move on and continue the search.
Trading for a franchise QB is a pipe dream. The free-agent class is filled with more journeymen. And the 2022 NFL Draft is full of reaches.
Drew Lock might just make the most sense in 2022 for the Broncos. If he plays well on Sunday, and down the stretch this season, that could very well be the answer next year.
