Denver Broncos: Moving forward logically is crucial
Moving forward logically is crucial for the Denver Broncos.
The Broncos’ hopes for playoff contention have moved to 2021 and everybody has an opinion on the best course for that. Fans and media alike (on Twitter) have screamed for the heads of John Elway, Vic Fangio, Pat Shurmur, and finally Drew Lock.
They’ve clamored for Matthew Stafford, Carson Wentz, and Sam Darnold while also calling for blockbuster trades to draft one of the top quarterbacks in the 2021 NFL Draft.
As a lifelong Broncos fan, I’ll ask you to pump the breaks…Changes in the front office and/or coaching staff leave Denver with yet another new scheme and in the case of Lock at quarterback? It is not as simple as fantasy football. You can’t just plug the next guy in the lineup.
Stafford would tie up a huge chunk of cap space and require draft capital in a trade. Wentz is struggling, must reboot next year just like Lock, and comes at a high price tag. The Jets likely wouldn’t give Darnold away for nothing despite the fact they may have doubts about him themselves.
With all that said and emotion aside, is it not the logical solution to run it back with Lock and the current regime? The team was without top players from the beginning and continued to rack up the injuries along with the COVID-19 pandemic as the season went along. Lock has arguably the same upside as the other youngsters I mentioned with a low price tag and experience with both his current teammates and the system.
There is something to be said for continuity which is what brings me to my next point.
I was among the first to “critique” (to be kind) Pat Shurmur’s offense this year and call into question its fit with Drew Lock and the weapons the Broncos have added, but as the season progressed, so did the offense.
I won’t scream from the rooftops that Pat Shurmur is the next Andy Reid or that the playbook keeps defensive coordinators guessing as it should. What I will say is that maybe running the same playbook for more than one year could be beneficial to players and coaches alike.
The 2020 NFL season and especially that of the Denver Broncos has been a troubled one and a season to forget, but moving forward with Drew Lock and quite possibly the same staff while continuing the progress we made in this year’s draft and offseason is the logical answer in my opinion.
Here’s to beating the Raiders and having a strong draft and offseason happy 2021.