To the Denver Broncos’ front office, coaching staff and anyone else who wants to listen: we have seen quite enough.
We have seen enough of these veteran retreads at the quarterback position and we have seen enough of Brandon Allen, though he gave quite an effort in the games he has started.
However, against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, as Allen was completing just 10 of 25 passes for 82 yards during another rough loss, fans had to be watching the game and asking themselves, “how much longer is the team going to try and win games this way?”
Aside from a great four years from Peyton Manning, the Broncos haven’t had good quarterback play for what seems like forever. The team has been trying to win with Trevor Siemian, Paxton Lynch, Brock Osweiler, Case Keenum. Flacco and Allen.
None of it has even come close to working and now unless the Broncos win each of their final five games they will have a losing season for the third year in a row.
How did this happen?
This happened because the team has failed to develop a quarterback and has hoped that another team’s castoff will pan out in Denver.
The team did draft Drew Lock in the second round back in April but has decided not to activate him off of injured reserve, going with Allen instead.
As soon as possible, Lock needs to come off injured reserve. It will serve him and the team in no way to keep him off the field this season. The Broncos need to know what they have in Lock, his strengths and weaknesses and whether or not he is worth pursuing even past this year.
Why rush? Many people may be asking themselves that. The simple answer is because unless a team finds competent quarterback play, it is not going to win. And until the Broncos get a player they can grow from the ground up in their system, these losing ways are likely to continue.
“This team is close” and “this team is much better than its record.” These are things that fans and even the analysts on TV have said all season. But even if those things are true, it is in spite of the play at quarterback, just as it was with all of those names mentioned above.
Here’s what head coach Vic Fangio had to say about the idea of Lock playing:
#Broncos Fangio said hasn’t thought of Drew Lock playing question yet. It will remain top topic this week #Denver7 pic.twitter.com/TJOzuMX0x5
— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) November 24, 2019
It seems like Fangio hasn’t thought of a lot of things. But here’s what I have thought of.
A quarterback who only throws for 82 yards and completes about 40 percent of his throws while making costly turnovers is one that is going to cost you basically every single game. Is Lock not at least that good? There is absolutely no excuse not to have him on the field against the Los Angeles Chargers next week. None.
This is not to say that Lock is the answer. But it is to say that Flacco and Allen definitely are not. In other words, the “quarterback of the future” may not be on the roster.
Unless he is.
The only guy the Broncos currently have who could possibly be that future guy is Lock. So there should be no more waiting. This season, in terms of being a playoff team, is over. It is time to look toward the future and make some real, tough assessments to see where change is needed.
Because change is needed, in multiple areas. But just as it starts at starting pitcher in the major leagues or point guard on a basketball team, it starts at quarterback in the NFL.
That is not likely to ever change.
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