All NFL teams have one main goal when playing in the preseason: Avoid injuries.
However, the injury bug bit the Denver Broncos hard in their third preseason game of the year against the San Francisco 49ers.
First, it was first-round pick Noah Fant who injured his foot in the first quarter. Then, in the third quarter, second-round pick Drew Lock scrambled to his right and fell awkwardly on his right hand, injuring the thumb on that throwing hand. After falling, being tripped by a defender, Lock stood up and yelled in pain before shaking his hand.
Lock, Broncos fans’ hopeful heir apparent at quarterback, dropped back and let a pass fly after injuring his thumb. But following that incompletion, Lock was pulled from the game and had his right hand evaluated.
Luckily, since Fant’s injury first happened, Adam Schefter is reporting the injury isn’t likely to be serious. But, no word yet on Lock’s injury and its severity.
For a quarterback, the worst place to be injured is on the throwing hand because it has to grip the football on every, single throw. Not only that, but Lock struggled taking a snap under center on Monday night, too. He’s struggled all training camp long taking those snaps under center because it wasn’t something he ever did at Missouri, in college.
Without a doubt, all signs have pointed to Joe Flacco being the certain starter at quarterback this season, and Lock has a long way to go before he will be NFL-ready. A hand injury could set his progression back depending on how serious it is.
Denver trails San Francisco 17-9 at the end of the third quarter the time of this piece being published.