With Joe Flacco out, Broncos fans hope Drew Lock will get his shot
During the Broncos’ 15-13 loss to the Colts on Sunday, Denver trainers could be seen working on the neck of quarterback Joe Flacco.
Nevertheless, some Broncos fans found it suspicious that 24 hours after Flacco torched the coaching staff for its timidity, he was declared out because of a neck injury.
Brandon Allen will get the start in Denver’s game Sunday against the Browns, and the Broncos website noted that either Brett Rypien or former Lee’s Summit High School/Mizzou star Drew Lock will be the backup. Rypien is on the team’s practice squad.
Lock, who was drafted in the second round of this year’s draft, hasn’t played since injuring his thumb in a preseason game. He has been on injured reserve, but is eligible to return now.
According to the Broncos’ website, Denver coach Vic Fangio will decide if Lock can be the backup if he’s ready.
“He hasn’t done anything in a huddle or a practice since, what was it?” Fangio said on the website. “The second or third preseason game (when) he got hurt? That’s a long time ago. We want to make sure he’s ready before we put him out there.”
Earlier this month, Lock told 9News.com that his thumb “feels great.”
When asked if there was pain, Lock said: “No, not when I’m throwing or grabbing things. Now, if you were to smack it, yeah, it’d probably still hurt.”
The Broncos have four players on injured reserve and only two can be activated and play this season. Denver fans hope Lock will be activated as soon as possible so at the very least he can start practicing with the team.
On USA Today’s Broncos Wire, Travis Wakeman wrote Tuesday: “If Drew Lock can play this season, it’s time to put him in. The Broncos are not going to the playoffs. That ship has sailed. Lock was drafted in the second round and there’s no need to have him sit behind a mediocre Flacco any longer than he needs to.
“When Lock is healthy, put him in.
“If Lock isn’t going to be ‘the guy,’ and it’s entirely possible that he’s not, then the team needs to step up to the plate and swing for another quarterback in the first round of next year’s draft.”
Shawn Drotar of 104.3 The Fan in Denver made the case for Lock:
The DNVR Broncos podcast talked about Lock and how the team should not only play him, but cater the offense to his strengths.
“Don’t tell me that you can’t remake this scheme for the skill-set of Drew Lock to get a fair look at him, because if you don’t let him do what he does best, it’s not a fair look at Drew Lock, it’s a sham,” Andrew Mason said on the podcast.
Some Broncos fans took to Twitter to express their support for Lock:
This story was originally published October 29, 2019 at 9:06 AM.
