Drew Lock entered the offseason with uncertainty as the Denver Broncos explore the trade market for an upgrade at quarterback. Now, after seeing his team pursue other quarterbacks mentioned in trade rumors, Lock finds himself attracting attention from other NFL teams.
Lock, the No. 42 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, hasn’t quite played up to expectations through two NFL seasons. With head coach Vic Fangio entering 2021 with his job on the line and a new general manager running the show, there is even more pressure for this team to have consistent quarterback play next season.
With Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson not available, the Broncos have turned their attention away from the market with plans to build around Lock this offseason. But, with options dwindling around the league, it seems a few NFL teams are trying to change Denver’s mind.
NFL rumors: Teams calling Broncos about Drew Lock
During an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that multiple teams have expressed interest in trading for Drew Lock. However, Denver is not engaging in discussions and they aren’t remotely close to trading him.
NFL general managers are looking everywhere for quarterbacks this offseason. The New York Jets have received tons of interest in Sam Darnold, Tua Tagovailoa has been mentioned in trade rumors and even Marcus Mariota generated a few inquiries from teams.
Column: Denver Broncos, John Elway shouldn’t bail on QB Drew Lock in 2021
The Broncos aren’t opposed to trading Lock if it helps them land a high-end starter at quarterback. However, the organization isn’t ready to give him away and the front office is selective about who it pursues. Denver looked into Matthew Stafford, but never had an interest in trading for Carson Wentz.
On the surface, the stats from Drew Lock in 2020 are awful. He tied Wentz with a league-high 15 interceptions, despite only playing in 13 games. Lock went 4-9 as a starter, completing just 57.% of his pass attempts and posting a 75.4 quarterback rating.
The Broncos are focused on his numbers at the end of the season. Lock posted a 7-2 TD-INT ratio in his final four games, throwing for 1,015 yards and completing 61.22% of his attempts. Denver seems confident that is closer to the player he is and a healthy receiving corps in 2021 will help turn things around.
Related: NFL mock draft 2023 – CJ Stroud, Bryce Young headline outstanding 2023 NFL Draft class
While there will be options at quarterback in the 2021 NFL Draft and free agency, the Broncos are poised to roll with Lock barring the Houston Texans caving to Deshaun Watson.