Denver Broncos brick, mortar, and scrap: Quarterbacks
By Aric Manthey
Brandon Allen
Speaking of good impressions, Allen had a memorable debut against the Cleveland Browns in week 9. The former Arkansas Razorback showed poise, confidence and good mobility in his first NFL start. He went on to complete 12/20 passes for 193 yards and 2 TDs. While I would never compare his body of work to Jake Plummer, his performance and skill set was definitely reminiscent of the former Bronco QB.
Allen continued his efficient play next week against the Vikings (well, until half-time). Unfortunately, the final six quarters of play was anything but spectacular for Allen. His lack of arm strength was apparent. When push came to shove, he was unable to deliver the necessary passes needed to extend drives.
Overall, Allen ended his three-game stint as the Broncos starter with 515 passing yards for 3 TD’s/2INT’s and a 1-2 record. That’s not bad, for a backup.
The question is, did he do enough to cement that job in 2020? The answer may be more convoluted than you think. On one hand, his confidence, football IQ, and underrated mobility showed that he’s a capable back up who can come in for a few games if needed.
On the other hand, his lack of arm strength and alarming completion percentage (46.4%) gives me pause as that plan B behind Lock.
It all comes down to what the Broncos want in their back up. Allen has clearly shown to be a backup with some decent traits and appears to have a good relationship with Lock. He’s also scheduled to be an RFA this off-season, so the Broncos could put a tender on him and bring him back for 2020 under a reasonable rate.
For the sake of this article, I’m putting Allen as a guy to come back and serve as Lock’s back up in 2020. Will I be surprised if the Broncos go elsewhere at the position? No.
As it stands right now, though, Allen just seems like the easiest choice to be the #2 QB in 2020.
2020 Status: Mortar