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Broncos' QB Drew Lock Ranked Dead Last by PFF in Crucial Stat Category

There's one aspect of Drew Lock's game that he unquestionably has to improve.
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In his five-game audition to close out the 2019 season, Denver Broncos' QB Drew Lock achieved some remarkable feats. Lock passed for 1,020 yards with a completion percentage of 64.1 and a 7-to-3 TD-to-INT ratio. 

The rookie helped lead the Broncos to a 4-1 finish, giving the franchise a real shot in the arm and the feeling of upward mobility. 

Along the way, Lock set several league and team records. But the knock on Lock, which Broncos fans have now gotten used to hearing, is that the five-game sample size was too small to draw any meaningful conclusions. 

I would debate that premise overall because it's not as if we learned nothing about Lock over that five-week span. But there is some truth to the idea of needing a bigger sample size in order to project forward with a degree of accuracy. 

On statistic from Lock's rookie audition that is troubling, but also hard to get to caught up over because of the sample size, was his efficiency as a deep passer. Because he was a rookie, and because he only appeared in five games, he didn't receive a lot of opportunities to throw it deep. 

But as we learned this week from Pro Football Focus — the internet's leading advanced analytics outfit —it's an area of Lock's game that he'll have to emphasize improving, especially in the more vertically-oriented scheme of Broncos' new OC Pat Shurmur. 

PFF ranked the NFL's starting quarterbacks based on deep passing grades, and Lock checked in at No. 33. PFF qualified deep passing as any throw that traveled 20 yards or more. 

There are only 32 teams. Here's what PFF said

33. DREW LOCK, DENVER BRONCOS

27.3% completion percentage, 8.7 yards per attempt, 55.9 Passer Rating

Drew Lock took just 11 deep shots over the season, so this number comes with a significant sample size caveat, but it felt more worthwhile than analyzing Joe Flacco’s struggles. Lock completed only three of those 11 pass attempts for 96 yards and a score, but he also had one picked off. Obviously, he would need to improve from here if he is to succeed in Denver.

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The Takeaway

Again, as PFF points out, Lock only attempted 11 pass attempts of at least 20 yards, so much of this we have to take with a grain of salt. But as I said, we can't dismiss it entirely just based on the sample-size argument. 

Shurmur is a much more aggressive coach, as evidenced by New York Giants' QB Daniel Jones, who was also a rookie last year. Shurmur and current Broncos' QBs Coach Mike Shula (then-Giants' OC), coached Jones last year and while the QB started 12 games (compared to Lock's five), his completion percentage, yards per attempt and passer rating on shots downfield of 20-plus yards were all better than Lock's. 

Jones' longer audition ostensibly allowed him more of an opportunity to get into a rhythm and bond with his receivers, as well as getting into more of a groove with his coaches and what Shurmur and Shula were trying to achieve offensively. Jones finished his rookie year with 3,027 passing yards while completing 61.9% of his passes and posting a TD-to-INT ratio of 24-to-12. 

If that coaching duo could get that level of production out of Jones, a QB with inferior tools compared to Lock, I would expect the, to glean some impressive numbers from the Broncos' signal-caller. Heading into Year 2, Lock has been handed every tool to succeed. 

He could use some time to throw with his receivers and get on the same page so that his deep-ball efficiency can improve in 2020 but with players and coaches still being prohibited from using team facilities (for now), if Lock wants to get some reps in with his guys, he'll have to organize something privately, away from Dove Valley. Now that Lock is back in Denver, I would expect that to happen sooner rather than later. 

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.