Have the Broncos Found Their QB of the Future?

Since their Super Bowl 50 victory back in 2016, the Denver Broncos have dearly missed having Peyton Manning under center.  With no playoff appearances since then, GM John Elway has been questioned in regard to his knowledge in scouting quarterback talent.  From Trevor Siemian to Paxton Lynch, the Hall-of-Fame quarterback has struggled to scout the position. But has Elway finally found his guy?  In just five starts, rookie Drew Lock has shown flashes of promise.

The Broncos selected the former Missouri quarterback with the 42nd overall pick in last year’s draft with hopes of being the answer.  Lock was a highly touted prospect throughout his college career with the potential of eventually becoming a franchise quarterback.  The Broncos hoped Lock would take over when Joe Flacco was unable to compete.  With Lock being on the IR the first eleven weeks, the Broncos were excited to see what the rookie could do in the home stretch of the season.

In the final five games of the season, Lock led the Broncos to a 4-1 record including an impressive 38-24 road win over the Houston Texans in which he recorded 309 yards and 3 touchdowns.  The rookie ended the season throwing for 1,020 yards and 7 touchdowns in just five games. It has been a couple of years since Denver has had a quarterback perform that well consistently.  

Elway recently stated that it is ‘unrealistic’ to say that Drew Lock would not be the guy going into the 2020 season.  This is the first time since the Manning era that the Broncos are certain about the quarterback situation heading into the next season.  Even though five games can be deceiving, it really feels like Elway has finally found his quarterback of the future. Along with the young offensive core of Courtland Sutton, Phillip Lindsay, and Noah Fant; Drew Lock might be the missing piece in what could be a very bright future in Denver.