Von Miller Shares Drew Lock Andecdote Revealing QB's Third-Year Maturation
When it comes to Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock, tropes and narratives within the fan base swing wildly. It's a pendulum that has become polarizing between fans who believe Lock can turn into a franchise quarterback and those who think he won't.
We've heard every argument from both sides this past offseason. One camp will argue that Lock's footwork is a mess and his decision-making causes more harm than good while the other side will assert that he still has room to grow and that his high-athletic upside shows potential to become the franchise QB this team has been lacking since Peyton Manning retired.
Something that is often cited in this debate is the fact that Lock is only going into the second year of Pat Shurmur's offensive system. With the lack of offseason training last year combined with learning a complex offensive nomenclature and play design, Lock struggled to adapt to and learn his fifth offensive system over the last seven years of his football career.
Unsurprisingly, the results were inconsistent. Butt in preseason Game 1 vs. the Minnesota Vikings, Lock flashed something in his explosive performance that was picked up on by a prolific teammate.
The one and only Von Miller.
Typically, Miller listens to the defensive play calls while sitting on the sidelines while wearing his headset. But last Saturday, the eight-time Pro Bowler had his headset tuned to the full team channel. He wanted to do it "a little bit different," listening to all the calls — offense, defense, and special teams.
Lock had just thrashed the Vikings to the tune of 151 yards and two touchdowns on just five completions, including an 80-yard touchdown strike to KJ Hamler. It was a nearly perfect audition in the Broncos' ongoing competition for the starting quarterback gig.
As the game wore on and after Lock exited the game, Miller and Lock were sitting next to each other on the sidelines, and the pass rusher's explanation of what happened next is incredibly eye-opening to the QB's development this season. With his focus on the offensive play calls, Miller was impressed with what he heard from Lock.
"I’m sitting there and I’m giving out the calls and I’m telling Drew the calls," Miller said. "We got down to the red zone and Drew said, ‘I bet you he’s going to call this call next.’ He called it out [perfectly] 20 seconds before the offensive coordinator could put it in through the mic. I was like, ‘This is impressive right here.’ He’s in the head of the offensive coordinator, and he knows what to expect."
Miller's sideline anecdote is a massive display of maturation by the embattled young signal-caller. With Lock's focus on the mental aspects of the game and his understanding of the system, he's showing growth in his understanding of the philosophical approach of the Shurmur offense.
Whether you call it an excuse or a reason for Lock's struggles last season, not having a full offseason's worth of reps definitely had an effect on his performance. Knowing what to expect from your offensive coordinator in certain situations can help focus a unit's identity and improve efficiency as a whole.
Lock is growing as a quarterback, and developments like what we saw on the field against the Vikings, and what we hear afterward from players like Miller, have to engender even more optimism that the Broncos could be on the brink of finally having an answer at quarterback.
We only have to see it consistently. Lock is purportedly ahead in this competition against Bridgewater. The third-year QB needs to continue his high level of play against Seattle on Saturday.
Follow Lance on Twitter @SandersonMHH.
Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.
Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!
