Drew Lock has to be considered the early frontrunner to be the Denver Broncos' starting quarterback in Week 1 of next season, but that doesn't mean they won't make him earn it.
The Broncos will bring in competition at the QB position ahead of next season for Lock to beat out in order to earn the starting nod, general manager George Paton told the media during his Zoom press conference on Thursday.
“Very talented, was inconsistent at times, has a lot to work on,” Paton said about Lock. “But I’ve spoken with Drew, I see him every day. He’s here early. He’s working. He really wants to be great. And we’re always going to try to bring in competition at every position, and quarterback as well. But I like the track that Drew’s on.”
That's far from a commitment from Paton, who was hired in January following Denver's 5-11 campaign.
The Broncos drafted Lock out of Missouri in the second round (no. 42 overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft. Lock won four of his five starts as a rookie, throwing for seven touchdowns and three picks with a passer rating of 89.7.
He didn't quite live up to expectations in 2020. The 24-year old won just 4 of his 13 starts under center, and threw 15 interceptions (tied for the league-lead) against 16 TDs while completing only 57.3 percent of his passes.
Paton hedged his remarks by noting that he hasn't had enough time to properly evaluate the young QB.
“You like to see them in critical situations. You like to see the accuracy. How is he with his teammates? What’s the leadership like?” the GM said. “There’s so much involved when evaluating the quarterback. So I look forward to evaluating Drew further in person. But he does have all the traits you look for in a quarterback.”
The Broncos are also expected to be one of the teams in pursuit of Deshaun Watson, who is currently seeking a trade from the Houston Texans. The Texans are yet to entertain offers from other teams.
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