What does a new Broncos GM mean for Drew Lock?

The Denver Broncos will have a new general manager, and quarterback Drew Lock has officially been put on notice.

The Denver Broncos completed a fourth straight losing season last Sunday, and now their making some changes to their operation. On Monday, John Elway announced he will relinquish general manager duties to a new hire but remain in his role as President of Football Operations.

Elway came back to work in the Broncos organization in 2011, eventually taking the dual role as EVP and general manager. The team won five straight division titles to start his tenure as an executive, with two Super Bowl appearances, but the post-Peyton Manning era has been rough amid a consistent struggle to find a quarterback.

So what does a new Broncos GM mean for Drew Lock?

Elway took another shot a finding a quarterback in the second round of the 2019 draft, taking Drew Lock at 42nd-overall. Lock didn’t play until late in his rookie season because of a thumb injury, but he showed promise during a 4-1 run as the starter.

This year, Lock regressed. In 13 games, he completed just 57.3 percent of his passes with 16 touchdowns and a tied for league-high 15 interceptions. For every good game he had, he basically had two that were bad. He is now 8-10 as an NFL starter.

Elway has been a defender of Lock, while also acknowledging his inconsistency. Elway said the new general manager will not have any roster decisions dictated to them, so Lock’s fate will be decided by whoever comes in.

Lock probably isn’t going anywhere next season, or the year after as he plays out his rookie contract. But with Brett Rypien and Jeff Driskel backing him up this year, it’s safe to say he’s ripe to face some legit competition for the starting job entering his third season.

Some options that may be out there (Cam Newton, Andy Dalton, Matthew Stafford, Carson Wentz) would qualify as no less than stern competition, if not an outright replacement if we’re talking someone like Stafford or Wentz.

With a new general manager comes a level of new accountability and evaluation for the players who are in place. If we’re making a list of Broncos who have been put on notice now, Lock is No.1 in bold lettering.