ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Denver Broncos common supervisor George Paton mentioned he needs so as to add “competitors” at quarterback for Drew Lock, however he additionally nonetheless believes in exercising endurance.
In his pre-draft remarks Thursday, Paton once more mentioned he likes Lock’s potential as a quarterback however would not decide to him being the group’s Week 1 starter. Paton mentioned he’s nonetheless actively trying so as to add a quarterback, whether or not it’s with a first-round choose or through free company or a commerce.
That features utilizing the group’s No. 9 choose in subsequent week’s draft or buying and selling up within the first spherical. Requested particularly whether or not not including a quarterback to the depth chart throughout free company meant he was assured Lock can be the Week 1 starter, Paton mentioned, “I do not find out about Week 1. We’re actually excessive on Drew. I like seeing Drew right here each morning after I are available in. He is working exhausting. He is trending in the correct path.
“As you already know, he has quite a lot of expertise. I believe he is changing into a greater professional, however we’re nonetheless going to take a look at the quarterback place. I’ve mentioned since I received right here, we need to herald competitors; that is the purpose, and we plan on doing that.”
Paton mentioned the group would contemplate buying and selling up within the first spherical for “the correct man” on draft day, relying on who was out there after the opening picks are made.
Paton mentioned that he has acquired calls from different groups about transferring down within the first spherical however that he had not but made calls to maneuver up.
“We do like Drew Lock,” Paton mentioned. “What we do not need to do is drive it and produce a man in, overpay a man to return in and possibly he is inferior to the man now we have, you already know, possibly he is not adequate to compete. We need to get the correct man, and we nonetheless have time.”
Paton known as Ohio State’s Justin Fields and North Dakota State’s Trey Lance “elite athletes” and added that “each [have] actually robust arms, each actually proficient, good; they’ve all of the intangibles you need in quarterbacks and in soccer gamers. They’re uncooked a bit bit, however actually excessive ceilings [for] each gamers.”
The Broncos, who made a preliminary name to the Detroit Lions about Matthew Stafford early within the offseason earlier than he was traded to the Los Angeles Rams, sat out free company on the place. Paton, who has mentioned repeatedly this offseason that he believes in Lock’s potential, additionally mentioned Thursday that the “commerce market” was nonetheless a consideration as properly.
“The panorama might change after the draft — a group drafts one and possibly that [other] quarterback is available on the market,” Paton mentioned. “We will be affected person, not drive it, however we do need competitors, and I’ve mentioned that since I’ve gotten right here and that hasn’t modified.”
The Broncos completed 5-11 in Lock’s first full 12 months as a starter — the group’s fifth consecutive playoff miss. Lock had some flashes of fine work, equivalent to a three-touchdown efficiency in a win over the Chargers or his four-touchdown day in a win over the Carolina Panthers.
However he additionally tied for essentially the most interceptions within the league with 15 and was final among the many league’s starters in completion proportion (57.three%). He missed two video games with a shoulder damage and one other as a result of COVID-19 contact tracing, when the group’s quarterbacks, who had been later fined by the group, met on their very own with out following protocols.
The Broncos performed with follow squad vast receiver Kendall Hinton at quarterback for a lot of the Nov. 29 loss to the New Orleans Saints.