It’s time for Brett Rypien to replace Drew Lock as the Broncos backup
Since Drew Lock lost the Denver Broncos starting quarterback position, he’s been a liability. The time has come for Brett Rypien to take his job.
The time has come for Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio to make a substantial change at the quarterback position. No, at this point, we’re not calling for Teddy Bridgewater to be benched (anymore — what is this last week?).
It’s time for Drew Lock to be demoted…from his backup position.
Lock’s second relief appearance of the season was as cringeworthy as you will ever see from a backup quarterback, whose job is not to come in and play hero with a 14-point lead but to maintain that lead and keep the offense moving at a reasonable rate.
Brett Rypien should get the Broncos QB2 nod over Drew Lock going forward
Lock showed some promising signs in preseason play, starting with an awesome performance in the first preseason contest against the Minnesota Vikings.
Although it was just preseason, it was better than we had seen from Drew Lock for most of the 2020 season, so it was encouraging. Over the course of the next couple of preseason games, Lock made a couple too many mistakes and the coaching staff went with the veteran Teddy Bridgewater instead.
In his two relief appearances in the 2021 season, Lock has completed just 57.1 percent of his passes with two interceptions and a fumble. He’s also taken four sacks on 32 dropbacks and looks like a baseball player that’s got the “yips” out there.
Against the Los Angeles Chargers, Lock made two horrendous mistakes, one of which could have proven to be crucial had the tide not turned in the second half back in Denver’s favor.
Lock’s fumble was thankfully recovered by Tim Patrick, who actually covered up the loose ball for a first down on a drive that led to a score for Denver.
On another promising drive late in the first half, Lock and the Broncos’ offense was closing in on Brandon McManus’ field goal range to potentially go into halftime with, at worst, a 17-0 lead.
Instead of throwing the ball away like he should have, Lock attempted an impossible throw from an unconventional throwing slot to try and will the ball into the hands of Kendall Hinton. It ended up getting picked off by Derwin James instead.
To be fair to Lock, it wasn’t like Pat Shurmur was calling plays that favor Lock’s skill set. Lock is pretty good at throwing off of play-action and Shurmur seemingly avoided those plays like the plague when Lock was in the game, but the interception Lock threw was a quarterback not understanding situational football and making the wrong decision with way too much on the line.
Lock’s recklessness is well-documented, and in his first season as a starter, it was at least somewhat excusable. At this point, as a backup quarterback coming into a game with a 14-0 lead, you have to know your role.
The Broncos’ coaching staff clearly does not trust Lock, who was getting the old “run-run-pass” Tebow treatment we saw 10 years ago.
Because of Lock’s ineptitude in two relief appearances and the fact that the coaching staff clearly doesn’t trust him, it’s time for Brett Rypien to suit up against the Kansas City Chiefs as the primary backup to Teddy Bridgewater.