Training Camp 2021: Previewing the Broncos quarterbacks

The Denver Broncos are trying to get back to relevancy – and the postseason – in 2021. They turned in a down 2020 season, going 5-11 under Vic Fangio, but the staff returns intact to give it one more try. Fangio is entering his third year as the Broncos head coach, and it’s win (a lot of games) or go home. The Broncos changed things up in a big way this offseason by moving on from former general manager John Elway and hiring new GM George Paton.

This is the first year under the guidance of Paton, and the team has done a good job of adding quality players via free agency and the NFL Draft. However, there are questions that need answers before the start of the regular season. In this series at DenverFan.com, we will go through each position group searching for those answers.

This is the latest part in our Training Camp Preview. Today, we’ll take a deep dive into the quarterback position:

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Starter: Teddy Bridgewater or Drew Lock

I wish I could put one starter in this section. But according to the Broncos, they are having a 50-50 competition between Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock during training camp and the preseason.

The Pat Shurmur offense is something that seemed difficult for Lock to grasp last year. It’s a system that Bridgewater is familiar with from his days in Minnesota working under Shurmur. Now in year two of the system, Lock should be better. Bridgewater can pick up where he left off and understanding the nuances of the system is not a problem for him.

Lock was the starter last year, but he struggled to take care of the ball. His 15 interceptions tied for the league lead in 2020, and Lock generally looked uncomfortable when forced to go away from the read on the right side of the field.

Lock did flash again (like he did as a rookie in 2019) late in the 2020 season, mainly when the team was in desperation mode of against a banged-up defense (Panthers). However, Lock did not show improvement on what he did as a rookie and didn’t look like a fit for the Shurmur system.

I don’t think the Broncos have ever helped Lock in the right way. First, they should have kept the Shanahan offense that former offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello ran when Lock was a rookie. That system utilizes the best parts of Lock’s game and gives him easier reads on bootlegs and rollouts while also running the ball effectively. Second, they’ve never pushed him correctly. As a rookie in 2019, the team didn’t want him to start as the thought was Joe Flacco could be a good starter (it’s difficult to type that without laughing). Last year in his second season, Lock was given the keys to the offense and Jeff Driskel was brought in as a backup. He didn’t learn anything from Driskel and was not challenged for the top spot.

Oh yeah, Lock needs to stay healthy to improve, as well. Just like his first season, Lock struggled to stay healthy with shoulder, rib and a back injuries that plagued him as a second-year pro.

Now, it’s a make-or-break camp for Lock. He’s out of time to impress, and every pass in training camp and the preseason will be incredibly important for his future – not just with the Broncos but in the NFL. His biggest supporter in the building (former GM John Elway) has been replaced and George Paton has no ties with the former second-round pick. Simply put, it’s now or never for Lock and he could end up being a career backup who bounces around the league if he doesn’t win this job this year.

Bridgewater comes over via trade with the Carolina Panthers earlier this year. He’s not only familiar with Shurmur, but Bridgewater is familiar with Paton, as the Broncos general manager was an executive with the Vikings when the team made the quarterback a first-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Bridgewater just makes people believe in him. He’s a great leader who everyone seems to rally around. Already in just a few months, it seems like Bridgewater is a favorite of his receiving corps.

He’s not the gunslinger that Lock is, but Bridgewater doesn’t need to be. Unlike Lock, Bridgewater does a good job of leading his receivers correctly. Don’t just look at completion percentage when gauging a quarterback’s accuracy (59.1 percent career average for Lock, 66.5 percent career average for Bridgewater). That’s a nice number, but the true story is told by pass placement or catchable passes percentage. Bridgewater leads his receivers correctly because he’s smart, sees the field clearly, understands the defense and knows how to get the ball to his receivers on time.

Physically, Bridgewater isn’t going to blow you away with athleticism or arm strength. He doesn’t have a noodle arm, but his arm is not as strong as Lock’s arm. Bridgewater isn’t a scrambler, but he’s more athletic than some give him credit for. His five rushing touchdowns in 2020 was a career high, and he could post similar numbers on the ground as the starter for the Broncos this year.

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Reserves: Brett Rypien

Brett Rypien is everything you need in a third-string quarterback. Added as a priority free agent after the 2019 NFL Draft, Rypien is an important voice in the quarterback room. Think Kellen Moore (also from Boise State) when you think of Rypien. Like Moore, Rypien is likely to be a coach someday in the NFL.

Rypien does not have a strong arm. He’s got an adequate arm and can make passes with good accuracy and pass placement on short-to-intermediate routes. Rypien is not a scrambler, but he does a good job of sliding within the pocket to let routes develop down the field. He’s more like Bridgewater than Lock, but Rypien is close to Lock. In fact, last year it was revealed that Rypien did a lot of teaching with Lock when trying to digest the complicated Shurmur offense.

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Summary

We’ll be able to feel better – or worse – about this quarterback situation after a decision on the starter is made. Nobody should be expecting a decision on the starter until the final preseason game (only three games now). This battle truly begins in training camp, and the performances in games during August will determine who gets the starting nod.

Vic Fangio has said that during mandatory minicamp we only saw work that would count as 2-3 percent of their grade, and I agree with him. We’ve barely seen this competition begin.

If Bridgewater wins the job, the Broncos will run the ball early and often. Then, they’ll play great defense on the other side of the ball. Bridgewater is smart and accurate, and you can win a sizable number of games with a quarterback like that.

If Lock wins the job, the Broncos will run the ball early and often. Then, they’ll play great defense on the other side of the ball. Lock is still going to have gunslinger tendencies and that’s not a bad thing – provided he takes care of the football.

The safe choice is Bridgewater. If you want the player with the most upside, then Lock would be the choice. Let’s see if the Broncos make the right choice.

Follow @CecilLammey