Report: Broncos to Start QB Drew Lock vs. Chargers

Despite head coach Vic Fangio's caginess on the subject, we all knew the Denver Broncos were angling to start rookie quarterback Drew Lock on Sunday with the Los Angeles Chargers coming to town.

A report by ESPN insider Adam Schefter confirmed it late Saturday evening. Schefter provided more context on the situation.

Denver’s rookie second-round pick Drew Lock makes his first NFL start today for what is expected to be his job for the rest of this season....and the Broncos are hoping beyond.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 1, 2019

Lock will get the start. But we also learn via Schefter that Lock is expected to get the balance of the season — a five-game audition — to ply his wares. And lastly, we learned (duh) that the Broncos hope Lock is the QB "beyond" this season.

Joe Flacco, eat your heart out.

Although this represents the third starting QB of the season for the Broncos, it finally feels like the team is turning toward some sort of progress by getting Lock out there. The kid needs his Jared Goff 0-7 rookie experience, as it were.

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A five-game audition isn't enough of a sample size to deduce absolutely whether Lock has what it takes to be the future franchise QB in Denver but it's enough to form an evaluation by which the team can plan/build around for 2020 at least. Lock, barring injury, will get the remainder of 2019 and all of 2020 as the Broncos' starting QB.

If he can't prove himself within that window, the Broncos might take a look at drafting another QB in 2021. Our resident draftniks will surely dispute the notion but GM John Elway wants to build the nest around Lock, not take another QB in the premium rounds one year removed.

Only Lock can control how the next, say, two-year window unfolds for the Broncos at the QB position. The job is now his to lose.

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.