Drew Lock’s tenure in Denver has run the gamut from franchise hopeful to backup. Lock’s future as a Broncos quarterback in 2022 is uncertain, and he knows it.

Lock was drafted in 2019 as a developmental prospect. The plan was for the Broncos to groom him behind Joe Flacco. Eventually, Lock could supplant Flacco after a year or two. Instead, Lock found himself on injured reserve to start the year. Once healthy, he was thrown into the lineup for the team’s final five games. Lock guided the team to a 4-1 record to finish the season and was dubbed the starter heading into the next year.

His 2020 season got off to a rough start as he suffered a shoulder injury and missed two games. When on the field, he played inconsistently. That inconsistent play created doubt from his coaching staff about whether or not he could be the guy. The doubt from his coaching staff led new general manager George Paton to look elsewhere.

Lock was regulated to the bench after losing a quarterback competition to Teddy Bridgewater.

Listening to how the coaching staff talks about Bridgewater compared to Lock, anyone can tell the third-year quarterback fell out of favor.

The quarterback competition was billed as even-steven. Bridgewater was deemed the winner, but it was extremely close according to Fangio. However, the coaching staff has shown an unwillingness to put him into the game unless Bridgewater was ruled out. This would indicate the coaching staff has little belief in their former starter.

Now, it seems like Lock understands his place with the Broncos is all but secure.

“As long as you’re in the NFL and you’re playing and you get to be on a team as special as this one I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to be,” Lock said, via Arnie Stapleton of the Associated Press. “So, as far as my future goes, that’s not up to me at this point. But I do know my future is playing a game this week and that’s my No. 1 priority right now.”

Ahead of Saturday’s finale with the Kansas City Chiefs, Lock gave some noteworthy responses about his future in Denver.

To unravel his answer, it is important to recognize Lock believes he has improved from last season. He also does not appear content-regulated to the bench.

“Obviously there’s been some good and some bad, as there is with any quarterback,” on if he believes he deserves to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. “In these last couple of weeks, I’ve done a lot of good things. I have. Like I said, this league is run by wins and losses, which we didn’t [win] these last couple weeks. But I feel like I’ve done a lot of good things, to the point where I am confident in myself that I deserve and should be a starter in this league.”

In limited action, Lock has performed well for the Broncos. He bosts a completion percentage of 63.2 percent compared to last season’s 57.3 percent output per Pro Football Reference. Additionally, his quarterback rating has jumped from 75.4 to 82.8.

Additionally, Lock has made some throws that reignite the “what could have been” phenomenon amongst the Broncos fanbase.

Though he remains focused on playing well this Saturday, what Lock said next should be to raise an eyebrow or two.

“It’s going to take other people watching my film and seeing that from me and wanting that for me, in whatever program that it is” Lock stated. “But I do personally believe that [if] you give me a starting job, you let me prep throughout the week, I’m going to give you a damn good chance to win a football game.”

Lock’s response sounds like a player who believes he is a starter in the NFL. It also shows that if he wants to be a starter again, there is chance that it’s not as a Bronco. With rumors swirling around the Broncos’ desire to land Russell Wilson or Aaron Rodgers and Lock’s potential not reached in Denver, this may be the last time he plays a game in orange and blue.