Denver Broncos rumors: Drew Lock rising in draft room

The Denver Broncos have been assumed to be on the outside looking in at the quarterback crop in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, but not so fast.

The Denver Broncos have been assumed out of the quarterback race in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, but recent reports indicate we shouldn’t count that possibility out just yet.

According to Albert Breer, Missouri quarterback Drew Lock is not only still in the discussion for the Broncos, but he’s also rising in the draft room.

"“The connection between the Broncos and Drew Lock isn’t dying out. Word is that he’s rising continuously in draft meetings there. Maybe they’d take him at 10. Maybe they’d be looking more at going up to get him if slides to the bottom of the first round. Either way, that connections been made. The interesting thing on Lock is the two teams linked to him most—the Packers and Broncos—are picking in the top 12 but don’t have a pressing need at the position, making where he goes tough to peg.”Albert Breer"

This is an extremely interesting development.

The Broncos acquired Joe Flacco earlier this offseason for a fourth-round pick. They seem to be pitching him as a viable solution at least for this year, if not the next couple of years.

Not everyone in Broncos Country is on board for that. We’re going to need a proof of concept.

Flacco has not been great or even good for the past four seasons. The Broncos are banking on Flacco’s postseason experience helping them win games this year, which means they also are not planning on picking high in next year’s draft.

If that’s the case, they would have to trade up next year for a quarterback. I know we’re here in the moment in 2019, but the Broncos would be putting themselves in a situation where they would have to consider trading valuable 2021 NFL Draft capital in order to pick high enough for a QB of the future in 2020.

The 2021 NFL Draft is when Trevor Lawrence of Clemson is eligible. It will be a bloodbath trying to get him.

The Broncos’ best course of action — in my opinion — is to draft a quarterback high this year, replace Flacco near season’s end unless they are in the playoff mix, and start the kid in 2020.

Vic Fangio wasn’t hired for a long rebuilding process, but as I said, Flacco hasn’t really been good. Are the Broncos expecting to contend with him, or do they believe Drew Lock can help get them — and an elite defense — into contention in the next couple of years?

I hope they are still considering Lock, a four-year starter at Missouri with incredible leadership qualities and intangibles. Lock has the big arm and the athleticism Elway covets, but unlike other QBs that have rolled through Denver, he combines excellent physical abilities with intangibles and work ethic. This is the kind of kid the team should want in their building, and Elway has been smitten with him for some time.

Will he finally pull the trigger on a first-round QB again? We’ll find out soon enough.