Last year I wrote on article firmly defending Drew Lock as the next franchise quarterback of the Denver Broncos. Entering the season, many people had questions, mainly if Lock could actually be the future for the Broncos. After a pretty subpar season from both parties, even more questions have been raised about him. With the offseason quickly approaching, one of the biggest questions the Broncos face is what they’ll do with Drew Lock.
The Deshaun Watson situation in Houston has easily been the biggest story of the offseason so far. Denver has been mocked as a top landing spot for Watson, but many other teams such as the Jets, Dolphins and Panthers are also interested and for good reason. New York is in similar situation as Denver, as they have a questionable young quarterback and could be looking for an upgrade. The Jets have the shiny second overall pick as well, another asset to trade for Watson. If Denver seriously pursues a trade for Watson, they’ll likely get outbid by New York, Miami or Carolina. The same would happen if they went after Russell Wilson too.
So, if the Broncos don’t trade for Watson or Wilson, what should they do? The best move is to bring in competition for Lock. Throughout his career, Lock has never faced true competition for the starting job, so brining in a starting caliber QB would push Lock to play his best football.
I think the best option for the Broncos is signing a veteran such as Ryan Fitzpatrick, Andy Dalton or Alex Smith. Smith has already been released by the Washington Football Team, and both Fitzpatrick and Dalton are likely to leave their current teams. Fitzpatrick has 16 seasons of NFL experience, Smith has 14, and Dalton has 10. By signing any of these veterans, the Broncos would be giving Drew Lock an experienced quarterback that he can learn from. If Lock doesn’t play well, Denver could also choose to bench him and still win games with any of those three at the helm.
I believe the Broncos should give Drew Lock one more chance. He’s dealt with injuries and had to learn a new playbook without a full offseason. If Lock has another underwhelming season in 2021, then Denver should look for another quarterback next offseason but they shouldn’t give up on him just yet. With some talented pass catchers and another year of experience under his belt, there isn’t a reason why Drew Lock shouldn’t improve in 2021.
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