Broncos QB Drew Lock Projected to Lose Starting Job in 2021
Some sports media outlets are bullish on Drew Lock's prospects. Others, like Bleacher Report, are not.
Days after his coworker predicted that Lock enters the upcoming campaign on a "short leash," BR columnist Maurice Moton called for a cloudier forecast: the incumbent Denver Broncos quarterback will lose his starting gig to veteran counterpart Teddy Bridgewater ahead of a foray into 2022 free agency — and a probable exit from the Mile High City. (Lock is under contract until 2023.)
"Lock doesn't have top-notch physical attributes, which lowers his ceiling. On top of that, he's a turnover-prone passer, a fault that may lead him to the bench and open the door for Bridgewater at some point in the upcoming season," Moton wrote in part.
"If Lock struggles, new general manager George Paton will likely look for a new answer at quarterback next offseason."
Moton did allow that Lock could benefit with continuity — offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur returning for a second season — and cited Josh Allen's meteoric ascension from written-off to MVP contender as reason to maintain hope in the streaky third-year pro.
He also stated the obvious to bolster his doomsday projection: Lock's job is safe so long as the football is. Take care of it, and keep Bridgewater at bay. Don't, and ... well, experiment over.
However, Moton's prognostications amount to little more than conjecture, and they fly in the face of ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler's recent report that Denver "like[s] their current setup" at QB, particularly encouraged by Lock's apparent growth.
"They like Drew Lock and believe he’s a different guy this year with his work ethic. And they like Teddy Bridgewater. They believe he can win games too," Fowler said Saturday, reporting on Aaron Rodgers, via 247Sports. "They’ll look into Rodgers if he’s available, he’s not, so they’re certainly not going to overreact right now.”
Onward, they march.
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