Drew Lock Eager to Compete, Write Own Story With Seahawks
RENTON, WA - Starring as an All-American at Lee's Summit High School in Missouri, Drew Lock donned the No. 3. When he took his talents to Columbia to join the University of Missouri and shattered school record books, he once again donned the No. 3. Even as he jumped to the NFL with the Broncos, the number on the uniform stayed the same.
But as Lock transitions into the next stanza of his football career after being acquired via trade by the Seahawks earlier this month, the 25-year old quarterback will be wearing a different number for the first time. Choosing to wear No. 2 out of tribute for departing legend Russell Wilson, it's just one of many changes he will have to get used to as he embarks on a fresh start in the Pacific Northwest.
"It's a sign of respect for him from me," Lock told reporters on Monday, "But also at the same time, I want to write my own story here. I want to see what No. 2 does for us. I want to make that me... I want 2 to be remembered as Drew Lock, not 3 was Russell [Wilson] and Drew. That's just kind of been my mindset on it."
During his first three seasons, Lock's first crack at penning his own NFL story didn't unfold how he or the Broncos envisioned it would. Drafted in the second round with the 42nd overall pick in 2019, things got off to a rocky start in the opening prologue when he suffered a thumb injury during the preseason, landing him on injured reserve.
Once he returned to action in November, the first chapter offered intrigue as he stepped into the lineup and led Denver to four victories in five games. He threw seven touchdowns in those contests, posting a decent 89.7 passer rating while completing 64 percent of his passes and moving the chains on 44 percent of his third down pass attempts. Excitement grew about his potential to develop into the franchise quarterback the organization had been seeking since Peyton Manning retired.
"I played efficient football, took care of the ball, scored in the red zone, hit the deep shots when they were there," Lock said of his rookie season.
But after an encouraging launch to his career, several unexpected plot twists threw the hype train off the rails. First, the Broncos fired offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello, leaving Lock with a second offensive scheme to learn in as many years. Complicating matters for the young quarterback, due to the COVID-19 pandemic forcing players to stay home, NFL teams weren't able OTA or minicamp practices during the offseason and were forced to do virtual meetings instead.
With several incoming rookies, including receiver Jerry Jeudy, trying to learn new coordinator Pat Shurmur's offense without on-field work up until training camp, Lock and his counterparts were behind the eight ball when the regular season began. He wound up regressing his first full year under center, seeing his completion rate nosedive seven percent while throwing a league-high 15 interceptions as the Broncos went 4-9 in the 13 games he started.
"When you end up drafting two rookie guys, we need to be on the field," Lock explained. "It's a new system for me as a second-year guy, but I'd only played five games the year before. We got two of the big components of our offense coming in that had never practiced in an NFL setting until a couple weeks before our first preseason game. There was just a lot that went into that year."
After failing to take a step forward in 2020, Denver brought in veteran Teddy Bridgewater to compete against him in training camp last August. Though Lock played well in the preseason, the team named Bridgewater as the starter, leaving him on the sidelines until the final three games of the season when he took over as an injury replacement.
Looking back on his time with the Broncos and why things didn't work out as planned, Lock told reporters he will "never make excuses for his play." He knows he could have performed much better than he did with his opportunities while also acknowledging difficult circumstances likely played a part in some of his struggles.
Excited to turn the page and start anew with the Seahawks, Lock isn't joining his new team with the expectation he will be given a starting job. He indicated the team hasn't promised anything as they enter the post-Wilson era, and after not getting the job done with his previous team, that's exactly how he wants it.
"There's a lot of things I need to do to show this organization that I should be the one taking those snaps," Lock stated. "But right now, nothing is promised, it's just my job to come in and work extremely hard and compete for that starting job."
While Lock will certainly have to earn the chance to start for Seattle when September rolls around and the team will add competition in coming weeks in some way, shape, or form, he outlined several reasons why a change of scenery could help him rebound and play to his potential.
First, Lock's success in his rookie season came in a west coast style scheme similar to the one coordinated by current Seahawks play caller Shane Waldron. Though he has yet to dig too deep into the new playbook, from footwork to route concepts to a high under center usage, he sees a lot of similarities to the system Scangarello ran with the Broncos.
"There's a lot that goes into that, but it was a lot of the similar stuff that I ran my first year, even some of the verbiage that you hear, which is exciting because that system holds a dear place in my heart," Lock commented. "Because I was playing really good football in that time and it's exciting to be able to to get back to a system that's like that."
Second, while the Broncos have talented players at the receiver position, an argument can be made Lock will receive an upgrade throwing to DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. The supporting cast around him will also be bolstered by the arrival of "explosive" tight end Noah Fant, who also came to the Seahawks as part of the blockbuster Wilson trade and already has a rapport with the young quarterback.
Last but not least, having reflected on the past couple of years, Lock feels he has learned invaluable lessons that will enhance his play moving forward. He preached patience, avoid turnovers, dialing up deep balls when they present themselves, and avoiding negative plays, which should all sound like music to coach Pete Carroll's ears.
"The other side of the ball gets paid a lot of money to stop you as well. So let's not make their job easier, by putting the ball into not advantageous situations," Lock remarked. "Let's be smart with the football, let's take the shots when they're there and let's just continuously move the ball. Positive chunks, positive yardage every single play... It's a lot about taking the risks at a calculated level, so to say."
Dating back to his time at Missouri, the Seahawks have followed Lock closely. General manager John Schneider watched him attentively at the Senior Bowl, while Lock said that both Schneider and Carroll met with him at the NFL Scouting Combine. Last Wednesday, Carroll insinuated to reporters that they even considered trading up for him in 2019 and have kept tabs on him since he came into the league.
For those subscribing to the notion that the positive comments on Lock coming from the mouths of Carroll and Schneider last week were just lip service, their history scouting the quarterback suggests otherwise. From a physical tools standpoint, he checks off many of the boxes Seattle has looked for at the position, including possessing what Schneider called a "hose" for a throwing arm and underrated pocket maneuverability.
Clearly coveted by the organization, Lock should enter his new surroundings with renewed confidence. Despite a rough start to his career, the Seahawks' brain trust still thinks highly of his upside, Waldron's system should play best to his strengths, and he will be equipped with a stellar supporting cast that gives him a great opportunity to excel.
In the end, Lock understands the difference between success and failure with his new team will boil down to the work he does between now and training camp. As evidenced by his number change, he's in Seattle to make a name for himself and not fall victim to comparing himself to his predecessor. Eager to earn the respect of his coaches and teammates, he vows to put in the time and effort behind the scenes necessary to capitalize fully on his second lease on NFL life.
"I'm gonna come in, I'm gonna work hard. I'm gonna work harder than anybody else in this building. I'm gonna show it to these guys to try to gain their trust, show them that I'm here to work and you know, if you put a little faith in me, I have a very talented skillset that will help us win football games."
