Here's Why Fans Shouldn't be Surprised to See Drew Lock & Broncos' Offense Start Slow in 2020
A pandemic can have far-reaching consequences. Though menial and downstream in the grand scheme of things, one impact of COVID-19 on the football landscape has been the inability for quarterbacks and receivers to get together, work on timing, and build chemistry.
Perhaps no team will feel the effect of this irregular offseason more than the Denver Broncos. Given that Denver has a young and relatively inexperienced quarterback in Drew Lock in his first offseason as the incumbent starter, another new offensive scheme and coordinator in Pat Shurmur, and a plethora of rookie weapons due to the team's offseason goal in becoming more explosive on offense, the Broncos would have had work to do even if everything was ‘normal’.
If Lock and the Broncos’ passing offense is currently a little behind the curve, the second-year quarterback and some of his weapons have started to get together and throw according to NFL Network's James Palmer.
“Drew Lock had a plan that was put together, with the help of Peyton Manning, about how he was going to go about his first offseason going into his first year as a starter. That obviously went out the window and he ended up training by himself in Missouri. Now though I am told he is back in Denver, he is throwing with some teammates. Now this isn’t, I am told, like how Tom Brady is doing things down in Florida, but he is throwing it around a little bit. He hasn’t been able to throw with his younger receivers in KJ Hamler and Jerry Jeudy because they are on the east coast.”
It's unfortunate that the 2020 NFL offseason and preparation for the regular season has been muted for Lock. Having the offseason training plan crafted in part by Peyton Manning is disappointing — arguably the greatest quarterback of all-time — no doubt.
However, the fact that Manning has taken a personal interest in the play and development of Lock is not insignificant. There may be no better person for a young quarterback to have in his corner.
Even if the training schedule that Lock and Manning built was altered, it appears more and more evident than Peyton will be someone Lock can turn to when seeking advice in the future.
It is good news that Lock and many of the Broncos' weapons have started to come together to train and build chemistry. Given how important timing and unspoken communication is in the passing offense, getting on the same page between quarterback and receiver (or tight end or running back) can be the difference-maker in a game.
It is unfortunate that the Broncos’ first and second-round picks in the 2020 draft in Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler are not yet in Denver working with Lock and the rest of the skill-position players. While the duo is still working on the East Coast in preparation for the 2020 season, the hope is that the dynamic rookie receiving duo can be in the Mile High City soon and working on chemistry, timing, and learning the offense.
Again, even if this was a ‘normal’ offseason, the Broncos’ offense as a whole was likely to be volatile in 2020. With Lock entering his first year as the unquestioned ‘guy’ at quarterback, a brand new offensive system, and so many young pass catchers, the offense was likely going to look brilliant one week — putting up over 35 points and showing its potential — only to regress another week and struggle to put up over 14 points. It's par for the course for a young offense with so many new pieces trying to find their own niche.
Broncos’ Country should not be alarmed if Lock and company appear to be not on the same page. It typically takes pass-catchers a season or two to really find their groove in the league and could be exacerbated by the fact that Jeudy and Hamler are still out east training while Lock and the Broncos’ other pass catchers are in Denver and beginning to train together. This could also have an impact on receivers who are in Denver training.
Maybe fans shouldn’t sleep on DaeSean Hamilton just yet and even though the Broncos used a first-round pick on Jeudy, Courtland Sutton very likely will still be the de facto WR1 in the offense. The ‘veterans’ (if one can call such inexperienced players vets given Denver is going to sport what will be likely the youngest offense in the NFL) will likely have more of a leg up than usual entering the 2020 season.
This is anything but a normal offseason for the NFL, a microcosm of the uncertain status of the world in general at this point in time. Given all these factors, a bit of perspective and patience should be utilized if the Broncos’ offense doesn’t instantly blow defenses away to start the 2020 season.
There would have been highs and lows either way, but the likelihood of those peaks and valleys are only amplified with such a wacky offseason. While it's unclear exactly when NFL players and coaches will be able to return to facilities across the country, the expectation is that a return will be rubberstamped some time in June.
In the meantime, Lock and company will strive to make as much hay as they can while the sun is shining.
Follow Nick on Twitter @NickKendellMHH and @MileHighHuddle.
