Did the Broncos do enough to help Drew Lock become a star?

The Broncos must continue to focus on improving around Drew Lock on offense.

The Denver Broncos organization is fully behind Drew Lock as the franchise quarterback. He played in a total of five games as a rookie and that was enough for the team to move on from Joe Flacco and hand the job to Lock without any competition.

This is an exciting change for Broncos fans after several supposed “quarterbacks of the future” have failed in Denver. But just getting the quarterback is not enough. The Broncos also have to build around Lock if he is going to have a legitimate chance to succeed.

Have the Broncos done enough?

One skill position that is not at all an issue is running back. The Broncos signed Melvin Gordon this offseason and still have both Royce Freeman and Phillip Lindsay. This is one position where John Elway has not struggled in identifying talent the past few years.

Wide receiver was one area of concern at the conclusion of the season. Courtland Sutton was the clear No. 1, but then came the questions. After Emmanuel Sanders (who has since departed) and tight end Noah Fant, DaeSean Hamilton was the next leading receiver with 297 yards.

So what did the team do? The Broncos ended up taking Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy and Penn State’s KJ Hamler with their top two picks to instantly add two elite wide receiver talents. Both are unproven, but the need was addressed and Lock can hopefully grow alongside the duo for years to come.

The tight end position is not a major concern either with Fant leading the way. The Broncos also signed Nick Vannett this offseason and veteran Jeff Heuerman provides solid depth as well.

Offensive line is the main concern, and the one that affects Lock the most.

The Broncos already declined the fifth-year option of left tackle Garett Bolles, putting his future with Lock in doubt. That could also affect how he plays in 2020.

Rookie Lloyd Cushenberry could open up as the starting center and new arrival Graham Glasgow will start at one of the guard spots. That leaves Dalton Risner and Ja’Waun James at the other two spots along the line.

Risner, James, and Glasgow are all suitable options. Bolles and Cushenberry could be the ones who struggle based on factors such as motivation for the former and lack of experience for the latter.

All this discussion has to do with how the team looks on paper. Perhaps the biggest question mark with the offense is Lock himself. He has only made five career starts and is also still 23 years old. Seven touchdowns and a 4-1 record last season won him the job in 2020.

He now has legitimate playmakers at the skill positions to work with. The offensive line is not an elite group, but the young quarterback did only take five sacks in his five games last season. His ability to avoid the hits will make his line look that much better.

The Broncos did not go out and make any blockbuster additions this offseason, but enough was done to help Lock’s chances of success. It is now up to him to prove he deserves the job and to show the front office they should invest heavily in the offense around him.