Not a single person in Broncos Country is pleased with the results of 2020. Denver is probably going to end up with their 4th straight losing season. Not good.
More than likely, the 2021 iteration of the Broncos will look a lot like the 2020 version. Ian St. Clair and I tried to figure out what to make of Denver on the MHR Radio Podcast.
First, the defense is really good. That’s not exactly news. While they could not beat Kansas City, the defense held Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs to just 22 points. They were 0-4 in the red zone, and were just 3 for 10 on 3rd down.
Has it been a struggle? Yes, but even with injuries to key players, and now the suspension of AJ Bouye, the Broncos defense can be counted upon to show up.
As far as the offense... there isn’t enough sugar in the world to coat this. All the lipstick in the world can’t cover up this pig. The elephant in the room wears number 3 and is the main topic of conversation for all of us. Drew Lock.
As Joe Mahoney wrote about, Lock is statistically the worst QB in the NFL. Peruse the site. Listen to the podcasts. We are all Lock, all the time. It’s the biggest story in Broncos Country, and the most important.
I’m not going to get into a QBWinz conversation, but it’s fairly obvious that it’s the most important position on the field, and has a the most significant impact on wins and losses. Why bring this up? Because, while some are pining for a switch under center in 2021, I don’t see it happening.
John Elway isn’t going to give up on Lock. Not after this season. Not to make excuses, but if ever there was a season filled with them, this is it.
A pandemic eliminated almost all of the offseason workouts. No preseason games. No OTAs or training camp. Throw in a new offensive scheme, and you can start to see the challenges Lock and the offense have faced.
Don’t forget that Lock lost his number one receiver, Courtland Sutton, early in the season. Albert Okwuegbunam, his college security blanket, was lost to an ACL tear.
I get it. This season has been hard to watch. Drew Lock has been hard to watch. Some people might be hoping for one of the coveted college prospects. Maybe the Broncos will sign a veteran like Matthew Stafford, or go after Sam Darnold.
There are several options, but Elway is probably just going to ride out one more season with Lock as the starter. If Pat Shurmur is back as the offensive coordinator it would be the first time in several seasons that Lock wouldn’t have to learn a new offense.
Maybe 2020 is the preparation needed to lead to success in 2021. Maybe not. But after all the obstacles thrown Denver’s way this season, don’t be surprised if the Broncos make limited changes in the offseason.
Drew Lock is going to get one more chance, whether you like it or not.