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Scangarello's Take on Drew Lock's Mental Progress Contradicts Elway
The plot continues to thicken around Drew Lock watch in the Mile High City. On Wednesday, Denver Broncos' GM John Elway told KOA radio that based on what he's hearing from the coaches, the team's rookie quarterback is not only unready physically but also mentally.
"I think the key thing is, it’s the conversation with the coaches," Elway said. "But most of my information comes from where the coaches think he is. And that’s what I’ll rely on. We can watch him at practice and see how he does. But it all comes down to how he’s mentally adapting to what we’re doing on the offensive side.”
So, it all comes down to what the coaches say, huh? Interesting.
Thursday provided us the opportunity to hear it from the horse's mouth, as it were, when offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello took to the podium for his weekly presser. When asked directly where he thinks Lock's progress is on the mental side of things, Scangarello — perhaps unwittingly — contradicted his front-office boss.
“He’s done a great job," Scangarello said. "He’s grown and I think his confidence has grown in a sense just being around pros and in that room with some guys who are really sharp, they’re really detailed, they each approach it differently, how they prepare. He’s taking it in his own way and he’s making it into his craft, and I think he’s done a great job preparing and I like where he’s headed.”
Mixed signals.
On Wednesday, Lock himself revealed that his formerly-sprained thumb is all healed up and that he was cleared by the team doctors physically "about two weeks" ago. So, when Elway says that the team wants to get Lock "ready physically", at least from a health standpoint, that's a non-issue.
What Lock needs is practice. If he's going to unify the physical aspect of playing quarterback with all the mental reps and learning he's done by studying the playbook, sitting in on all the team and position meetings and going through each day's practice twice with the Broncos' virtual reality training program, he needs to actually participate in practice.
There should be no deadline or timetable for a rookie second-round pick to practice, especially when he's been dubbed possibly as the team's future at the quarterback position. Especially when he's completely, absolutely, 100% healthy.
“The mental stuff, he’s been doing that with us and all that," Scangarello said. "Again, every guy is a little different. We’ll see where he’s at, but I just think he just wants to go out here and take snaps, cadence, break the huddle, visualize and have the guys and all that stuff. Scout team reps and all that stuff, that’s just really honing your craft and that’s an opportunity for him to get better, get him along and see where we can take him.”
I couldn't have built a better case myself for why the Broncos need to get Lock out onto the practice field as soon as possible. And yet, according to Elway, the Broncos are "thinking about looking" at Week 11 as the start date for the rookie to even begin practicing.
Why? Because...Elway.
As you've no doubt figured out by now, whatever the 'why' is to Denver's dragging of the feet on Lock, it escapes simple and obvious explanation. It doesn't make football sense. Even the team itself can't cogently explain it, between the trifecta of GMs, coaches and players contracting each other publicly.
Meanwhile, the Broncos are going to trot out a starter on Sunday vs. Cleveland who's never taken an NFL snap, backed up by a different (undrafted) rookie who's never taken an NFL snap. That's the world we're living in.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.
