Tank for Trevor (Lawrence)?
That’s what some Denver Broncos fans are saying on this Tuesday after their orange and blue started 2020 0-2.
Of course, Broncos fans were calling for head coach Vic Fangio’s job after their Week 1 loss, and then, some did it again this Sunday afternoon with Denver losing again.
Has the Broncos fanbase lost their minds? Or, loyalties?
Or, is it that the most fringe opinions are often yelled the loudest on Twitter?
Fangio has gone through a rough start to his head coaching career, sure. The Broncos went 7-9 last year and missed the playoffs, and his defense was incapable of stopping anyone early last season. Denver also has four losses of three or fewer points since Fangio took over, which leads the league.
But, consider the team he inherited. It was arguably the worst in the history of the franchise, going 6-10 and looking lost in all three phases under Vance Joseph.
Fangio’s team is still a work in progress, and 2020 may be a long year, but football minds around the league know he’s doing a great job.
But, back to Drew Lock, whom Broncos fans fawned over since his drafting last year.
Rewind back to last year’s preseason and Lock injured his throwing hand in almost the same way he hurt his shoulder this year; he was tripped up and fell awkwardly, fumbling the ball along the way.
Lock — praised for his athleticism — landed on the Injured Reserve and sat there until Week 8. Even then, Brandon Allen started until Week 13, when Lock took over with mixed results.
Again, he’s got a great arm and he’s fleet of feet. The athleticism sticks out immediately when watching him play. However, his footwork needs work, as does his accuracy and touch on the ball, among other things.
But, keeping in mind he was a rookie with a late start, Broncos fans were overwhelmingly enamored by his potential. In fact, he went from “could be” the next long-term option in Denver to “the guy” this offseason without playing a single preseason game.
Hype continued to build when the Broncos used their first two draft picks on receivers, landing the best wideout in the draft in Jerry Jeudy and an interesting wildcard in KJ Hamler. Both are already impressing this year.
However, then it happened. Lock injured his throwing arm for a second time in only two years in the NFL as he scrambled away from a rushing defender and was crushed into the ground. To make matters worse, Courtland Sutton was injured (and lost for the season) while the Broncos lost the game.
Lock will return this year, in 2-6 weeks from now, and he’ll have about half a season to continue to grow as a quarterback.
And that’s the thing, even those who have already appointed Lock as “the guy” for the long term acknowledged he needs some work. If the Broncos go 1-7 to start this season with him out, as some fear, why not continue to “lose for Lawrence?”
Oh, how desperate Denver fans are for a star. Specifically, a star quarterback.
The Broncos should not tank for Trevor — or any other quarterback — for multiple reasons. First and foremost, they have a young quarterback with a ton of potential in Lock. Whether or not he can realize that potential remains a giant question mark. Not only does he need to stay healthy, he’s got to put in the work to become great.
By all accounts, Lock worked his butt off this offseason, pushing his teammates and cementing himself as a leader who also loves having fun on the field. At the very least, he should be given one more year as the team’s starter, and really, the experiment should be allowed to play out through 2022.
Secondly, John Elway said, back in 2013, the Broncos aren’t looking to “win now” they are looking to “win from now on.” One only has to look to 2019, when Denver battled ferociously to beat the Raiders in their last game in the city of Oakland. If the Broncos would have lost that game, they would’ve picked 10th instead of 15th in the 2020 NFL Draft.
And finally, it’s important to keep in mind a TON of teams are already desiring Lawrence, from the Jets to the Vikings and, yes, even Broncos fans. If Denver throws in the towel, after only two games, there’s still no guarantee they will land the most coveted player in the draft.
Look, Broncos fans, you waited for months for this season to kick off and then waited only one week to throw your coach under a bus and two weeks to toss away your QB of the future? Give this season a chance to play out. While the Broncos likely won’t make the playoffs, there’s still hope Fangio’s team will grow in 2020.
