Drew Lock

Stats: 100-of-156 passing (64.1 percent), 1,020 yards, 7 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, 89.7 QB rating

By far the most positive aspect of the entire 2019 season was the play of the rookie Lock, who started the team’s final five games and won four of them. It’s hard not to wonder what the team could have done this season if it turned to him sooner.

Lock was fantastic when he played, showing many positive signs from a player so young and with so little playing time. He showed off his arm strength and showed he can throw the ball inside the pocket, outside the pocket, on the run and from more than one angle.

That is what the game as it is played today calls for from its best quarterbacks.

That’s not to say that Lock is the next Patrick Mahomes, as he had his growing pains and fair share of bad throws. But the team just played so much better with Lock on the field and the way he moved the offense compared to Flacco and Allen was undeniable.

For only playing in five games, he played quite well.

Grade: A-

Overall grade

It’s unfortunate that the Broncos stuck with the combination of Flacco and Allen for three-fourths of the season. Granted, Lock did start the season on injured reserve but he could have played sooner than he did.

When Lock made his first start against the Oakland Raiders, Vic Fangio waited until basically the day of the game to announce that. When asked about the decision to wait so long, Fangio described it as “silly games.”

Whatever.

What was clear was that Lock was the best quarterback for the offense in Denver and sure, putting him in sooner he may have taken some more licks and went through some more hardships, but the best players turn that on-field experience into a positive.

It’s easily arguable that the Broncos would have won more games with Lock playing sooner, even two weeks sooner than he did.

Lock was fantastic. Flacco and Allen were basically duds.

Grade: C+

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