“We’re all in lockdown, but the season is going to happen,” Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock said in an interview with Phill Milani of DenverBroncos.com on Thursday.
From his native Kansas City, Missouri home, Lock acknowledged this “weird time” of the current pandemic, but, being away from the team facility in Dove Valley hasn’t stopped the young QB from preparing for the upcoming 2020 season.
“My quarterback guy is here,” Lock said. “I can still throw with [him] here and there. My trainer is here. They shut all the gyms down, but we found a ton of different ways to get work in at home with bands and whatnot. Something cool, actually: [Backup quarterback] Jeff [Driskel] sent me some of his workouts, some of his shoulder [and] arm stuff that he uses to stay in shape. … I’m starting to do a little bit of that.”
So, it sounds like the new QBs are hitting it off, which is another positive considering Driskel and Lock have yet to meet in person.
With all the gyms closed down, on top of throwing the football in his back yard and at a local place, Lock is taking runs around his block while wearing an altitude mask. So, Broncos Country can rest assured he’s staying in shape. And when he’s not working out, Lock’s been studying game film of the New York Giants, Pat Shurmur’s old offense.
“And then toward the end of the night, I’ll spend a couple hours and look over the playbook [at] stuff that we’ve been allowed to have on our [tablets],” Lock said. “It’s been a little different. I’ve watched some Giants film, because you look forward to being able to start early, get rolling with the new guys.”
Shurmur took over as offensive coordinator for the Broncos after Rich Scangarello was let go following the 2019 season. Scangarello was the young, up-and-coming coordinator who was supposed to infuse new thoughts, but brought to Denver and old-school offense. After the failures of their offense last year, the Broncos went to a seasoned veteran play-caller in Shurmur, who has 20-plus years of experience at the NFL level.
In fact, Shurmur now makes a third NFL head coach (Mike Munchak, Vic Fangio) currently with the Broncos.
In 2017, he was awarded the AP Assistant Coach of the Year for the great job he did with the Minnesota Vikings’ offense that year. That super progression led to his head coaching gig with the Giants in 2018-19 and his eventual trek to the Mile High City.
As for Lock and the Broncos, early predictions say Denver could make it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2015. But, the Broncos are expected to once again be led by the defense, meaning the young QB and older coordinator have a lot of work to do.
And, about Lock saying there will be a 2020 season; nothing is certain right now, but Mike Klis reports ticket holders will be refunded or given vouchers to future events in the case of cancelations.
But, for now, the NFL and Broncos are planning on playing the games as scheduled. That official 2020 schedule is set to be released on May 9.