Drew Lock still is on injured reserve, but all signs are pointing toward the rookie starting real soon.
The Denver Broncos have a 3-8 record and are heading toward a top-10 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The Broncos have to see if they need a quarterback next year or if second-round pick Drew Lock is the future.
One of the best ways to find out is to see how the quarterback plays on Sundays. Heading forward, the 2019 Broncos appear to be Lock’s team.
The Broncos announced Lock and starting quarterback Brandon Allen are splitting reps this week at practice, and that means Lock could start Sunday. He reportedly got the first snap of practice Wednesday and is taking 75 percent of the snaps right now.
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The first step is to activate Lock on the 53-man roster, and the Broncos have less than one week to do that or else he will be sidelined for the rest of the season. Lock was injured in the preseason and was placed on IR with a designation to return. He began practicing earlier this month and appears to be close to 100 percent.
Broncos players are encouraging the team to play the rookie. He would join all of the first-round picks in the 2019 draft as starters for their respective teams. Lock, although not a first-round pick, was the fourth quarterback taken in the draft and one many thought could be a leader of one of the 32 NFL franchises.
Anticipation is growing as Lock nears the starting lineup. With other ball clubs not shying away from playing their rookies, the Broncos need to release Lock from a practice player and see what he can do. The Broncos aren’t going to the playoffs, and Lock probably is the best quarterback on the roster anyway. Right now, only Allen and Brett Rypien are on the Broncos’ roster.
John Elway, who drafted Lock this past April, said they are going to wait and see how practice goes before they make a decision.
Expect to see Lock this weekend, either taking over for Allen during the game or as the starter. If it doesn’t happen, it’s because Allen practiced better than Lock and is having a good game Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.
After Sunday’s game, the Broncos hit the road for two weeks against the Houston Texans and the Kansas City Chiefs. Then they return home to play their final two games of the year against the Detroit Lions and the Oakland Raiders.
Lock stands a good chance at impressing his teammates and coaches if he can get on the field. If the Broncos choose to wait, it could be their loss. They need to at least see what the former Mizzou football quarterback can do.
Maybe they’ll wait and let his NFL debut be in his hometown of Kansas City in Week 15. That’ll be something to see.