Drew Lock is a problem for the Broncos’ front office

The Broncos have surrounded Drew Lock with enough talent to succeed, but the young quarterback has failed to justify the team’s investment in him.

John Elway has made his share of missteps during his tenure as the Broncos’ General Manager, but he and his front office deserve credit for properly executing their offensive plan this offseason. The organization clearly went into last offseason with a directive to surround Drew Lock with the weapons required to help him be a successful NFL starter. Unfortunately, Lock has failed to justify the team’s faith in his abilities.

Lock’s struggles through six games should be sounding serious alarm bells for Broncos’ officials. He’s been a veritable mess at the quarterback position. He’s only completing 56.5% of his passes and he’s thrown just as many interceptions as touchdowns on the campaign (6). Arguably the biggest concern about Lock’s performance to date is his inability to effectively or efficiently push the ball downfield. Averaging 6.5 yards per attempt is not sufficient for a quarterback who is surrounded by the type of offensive weaponry that Denver has assembled.

It’s crucial to really look at how much support Lock is being given at the moment. His receiving corps may not be elite, but both Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler have shown flashes of brilliance during their rookie campaigns. Noah Fant may not be realizing his full potential as a tight end yet, but he’s an above-average receiver for the position. The Broncos hoped the group could grow alongside Lock into one of the NFL’s most dangerous passing attacks. To say that hasn’t happened yet would be a giant understatement.

Lock’s offensive line play has also been excellent on the season. Garrett Bolles is playing like an All-Pro at the left tackle position. Lloyd Cushenberry has enjoyed a productive rookie campaign at center. Again, this group may not be the finished article, but it’s a unit giving Lock sufficient support.

Should the Broncos give up on Lock?

The short answer to that query is “not yet.” This roster is still very young on the offensive side of the ball. Lock got an appreciable taste of NFL football last season, but this is still his first season as a full-time starter. There is still upside to his game.

It’s imperative that he show signs of real progression down the stretch. Lock needs to improve both his completion percentage and his ability to make big plays. He has the arm talent required to achieve both goals, but his technique must improve markedly over what he’s shown thus far in 2020. It’s too soon for the Broncos to banish Lock to the bench, but his leash is shortening by the week.

What happens if Lock doesn’t work out?

The good news for the Broncos organization is that surrounding Lock with high-quality offensive talent isn’t a sunk cost if they’re forced to make a change at quarterback. Being forced to pull the plug on Lock would be a blow to the franchise given the significant draft capital they used to acquire him, but missing on a second-round pick isn’t a fatal mistake for Denver.

The biggest question the Broncos must answer is how they might try to improve upon Lock before the start of the 2021 campaign. There might be a temptation for the team to look for a veteran capable of coming in and providing an immediate upgrade over Lock. The relative readiness of the roster to be a playoff contender will make that a tempting option for Elway and his staff.

The only way Denver should go in that direction is if they can trade for a relatively young, but established veteran. If the Panthers move on from Teddy Bridgewater he might be a terrific fit with the Broncos. The Broncos could even be a potential landing spot for a distressed asset like Sam Darnold or Jameis Winston. Threading the needle in this regard is an immense challenge, but it’s not impossible for Denver.

The real danger for the Broncos is signing an expensive veteran who doesn’t’ have the upside required to really move the needle. The team must understand that competing in the same division with Patrick Mahomes for the foreseeable future will require them to build an elite team. Simply constructing an above-average roster is a recipe for mediocrity in Denver.

So what should the Broncos actually do at quarterback?

In the short-term, Elway and company can cross their fingers and hope that Lock shows real progression in the coming weeks. That isn’t a likely outcome, but it does represent the best-case scenario for the Broncos.

The most likely path for Denver to take is to head into the 2021 NFL Draft with a clear goal of adding a potential franchise quarterback. The chances of them finishing with a record that would arm them with the ability to select someone like Trevor Lawrence or Justin Fields is relatively low.

Instead, Denver must set their sights on a slightly lesser prospect. In a perfect world, the Broncos would find a way to draft a quarterback that is capable of coming in and making an impact right away. A project like Trey Lance isn’t the best fit for Denver. A more polished prospect like Kyle Trask could be the perfect balance of potential and immediate production.

The bottom line here is that the Broncos can no longer afford to put all of their eggs in the Drew Lock basket. His struggles in 2020 are both real and troublesome. It’s time for Denver to start making contingency plans at quarterback.