Denver Broncos: 3 reasons Drew Lock must play in 2019

The Denver Broncos are in a huge funk. Unless they get out of it soon, Drew Lock needs to play, and it has nothing to do with Joe Flacco’s performance.

Unless the Denver Broncos go on a huge winning streak pretty soon, Drew Lock needs to play in 2019 and it has nothing to do with Joe Flacco and his performance thus far.

Through four games, Flacco has been decent for the Broncos. Certainly better than anything they’ve had since Peyton Manning retired after the 2015-16 season.

But there are questions that need to be answered about this team beyond 2019. In particular:

1. Is Joe Flacco the quarterback of the future for the Broncos?

Not likely.

If the answer to that question is anything but yes, then the Broncos need to make sure they are getting a sample on Drew Lock, who is currently working his way back from a thumb injury he suffered late in the preseason.

Although John Elway said Flacco is going into his prime at the age of 34, he’s not the kind of playmaker this team needs at the QB position. He’s a solid pocket passer when given time to throw, and he has proven on a couple of occasions now he can come through in the clutch.

But for the next two years? Three? Four?

I always love the interaction we have with fellow fans on Twitter throughout the course of the year, and one of the primary topics of discussion lately has, of course, revolved around the quarterback position.

Every time I bring up anything on Twitter about the need to play Drew Lock at some point, someone comes to Joe Flacco’s defense. I’m trying to figure out why.

Nobody is under any illusion that Flacco is the primary reason the Broncos are 0-4 at this point.

Nobody should be under any illusion that Flacco is immune from any blame for the 0-4 start, either.

Flacco has been pretty much what everyone expected he would be. An upgrade over Case Keenum, in a number of ways, but not a viable long-term solution. Flacco’s duty was to help the Broncos win games while they found a young player to develop under him.

That player, by a variety of different circumstances, is Drew Lock.

Lock had won the Broncos top backup job out of camp and preseason play before his thumb injury. Had he not been injured, he’d be suiting up as the number two for the team right now.

As it currently stands, Lock can’t practice until after week six and he can play until after week eight.