Von Miller Explains What's got the Broncos so 'Excited' About Drew Lock
Von Miller is coming off the eighth Pro Bowl selection of his nine-year career. The Denver Broncos' all-time leader in sacks spent the week in Orlando, soaking in the NFL all-star experience alongside teammate Courtland Sutton and former teammate Shaquil Barrett, among others. Miller came up with a sack in the Pro Bowl, while Sutton hauled in four catches for 37 yards.
When any Broncos player is in front of the media, it doesn't take long before the obligatory Drew Lock question gets asked. When asked about Lock, Miller revealed how excited he is about what the near future holds in the wake of the Broncos hiring a new offensive coordinator to coach the young quarterback.
“I thought he was going to be good without a new offensive coordinator. And now they’re bringing in all these guys to help him be successful?” Miller said via the Associated Press. “The sky’s the limit for him.”
Out is Rich Scangarello and in is Pat Shurmur. Shurmur's resume is replete with quarterback successes at every NFL stop he's had, which bodes well for Lock, a young signal-caller who happens to be a very quick study.
Any Bronco who gets asked about Lock lights up with excitement. Miller put his finger on why that is.
“Whenever you have a confident quarterback out there balling and doing all the great stuff he does, everybody feeds off that,” said Miller. “It gets everyone excited.”
Lock debuted as a starter in Week 13, leading the Broncos to a tight 23-20 win over the L.A. Chargers in Denver. The next week, Lock blew the doors down, breaking NFL rookie records in his first career road start on the way to a 38-24 shellacking victory over the Houston Texans.
In Week 15, Lock crashed back to Earth after the Broncos were drubbed in the wet, cold snow at Arrowhead Stadium, falling to the Kansas City Chiefs 23-3. The next week, Lock and the Broncos got behind by 10 points early but the kid bounced back and ended up cruising to victory over the Detroit Lions 27-17.
In the season finale, Lock had to fight and claw to beat the Oakland Raiders 16-15. The rookie proved that he could win in a variety of ways, including winning ugly.
All told, Lock went 4-1 as a starter and in the process, the entire demeanor and energy of the Broncos flipped. The team took on his image, if you will, absorbing his swagger, confidence and enthusiasm for the game.
That, as Miller said, is why the Broncos players are so excited about Lock and the team brass have already anointed him the starter for 2020. The next step will be finding a resolution with veteran QB Joe Flacco, whether that be by trading him away or outright releasing him.
The future is bright for Miller, Lock and the Broncos. It's going to be fun to see how it all unfolds. One thing is sure. The coordinator and coaching maneuverings the Broncos made early this offseason were all about maximizing Lock's potential, and the remainder of it will be building nest offensively so that this team can compete with the Patrick Mahomes-led powerhouse in Kansas City.
“Probably the best quarterback in the league right now,” Miller said of Mahomes. “They’re going to score points. They’re going to score points and get into the end zone. That’s a fact. You have to score points.”
Hopefully, by virtue of Shurmur's arrival, Lock's development in year two and the personnel additions the Broncos are sure to make via free agency and the draft, this team will be able to do just that; score points.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.
