Broncos’ quarterback Drew Lock is at home in Kansas City, and although he’s having to adapt his workouts and training plan due to stay-at-home measures for Coronavirus, the soon-to-be second-year starter is making good use of his time.
Speaking to Broncos TV’s Phil Milani by video call, the young quarterback told Milani he’s working out with his personal coach, running around the block with his elevation mask and spending a couple hours a night with his Broncos iPad looking at the playbook.
“It’s definitely different, but you’ve got to find ways to adapt your lifestyle,” Lock said, adding that his dad’s restaurants are dealing with the new world order too. “It’s not the easiest thing, but you’ve just got to adapt. ...Right now it’s weird but it’s going to end so the better you can get prepared now for normal life later the better.”
"I can go in and just be ready for a full season, be fully dedicated to winning as [many] games as possible and being the best quarterback of this team."
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) April 2, 2020
1-on-1 with QB @DrewLock23: pic.twitter.com/y5cqshuBvY
In addition to working with Justin Hoover, a KC high school football coach that has been working with Lock since he was 15, the Missouri native has been getting some advice from a pretty good source - Peyton Manning.
“He’s just telling me to stay on a routine,” Lock said. “You have to get back into the building and be in top shape and know the offense, have to be able to spin it right... so this is the time to be prepared so you can get back and be the guy, be the leader and show the team you’ve been working through this.”
And Lock sounds absolutely ready for that role - something he really started doing the moment he took the field as starting quarterback in Week 13 last season.
The young quarterback acknowledged that going into this season already having gotten some firsts out of the way is helping him go in with even more confidence.
“I crossed out some of the early check marks - make your first start, get your first win, win first road game - to where I can just go in and just be ready for a full season, be fully dedicated to just winning as [many] games as possible, being the best quarterback for this team and helping us win games and hopefully winning a championship,” he said, adding that he definitely feels better about his “weekly routine and what I need to do to be the best QB on Sunday.”
Part of that will come from executing a new offense under new coordinator Pat Shurmur and quarterbacks coach Mike Shula, which Lock is very excited about.
“Just watching the Giants stuff, it’s going to be an exciting offense to play in,” Lock said. “We’re going to attack people deep, but we’re going to be smart with how we attack them.”
Lock noted that he doesn’t see this new coaching staff and offense as adding more pressure but definitely one where the QB and his offense are going to need to be sharp every day in practice.
“There are a lot of expectations to be a leader of this team, perform well, take care of the ball,” he said. “I saw a lot of good things on film, and I’m just excited to be able to go out on the field and start repping those plays.”
“That’s going to be a nasty one-two punch with him and Phil." - @DrewLock23 on @Melvingordon25 & @I_CU_boy
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) April 3, 2020
» https://t.co/NQUHXR7bdY pic.twitter.com/Xxw5dCQ9Te
At whatever point the players do get back together, Lock will have a few more weapons around him, including running back Melvin Gordon and offensive guard Graham Glasgow.
Lock believes Gordon will be a great addition with Phillip Lindsay.
“That’s going to be a nasty 1-2 punch with him and Phil,” Lock said. “Michael needed Scotty Pippen. We all need a little help every now and then.”
The quarterback initially highlighted Gordon’s “good hands out of the backfield” before correcting himself with a laugh and saying, “good hands...his great hands out of the backfield” as well as Gordon’s ability “to pound it on third-and-short, fourth-and-short.”
But it’s the addition of Graham Glasgow that probably has Lock the most excited right now.
“Without a doubt ... with Dalton [Risner] and Graham up the middle, I’m going to feel pretty safe,” he said, noting Glasgow’s stats for high number of snaps versus low QB pressures allowed. “I’m pretty excited to see that.”
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