Following the Broncos' first preseason game Saturday, in which both Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater played well, coach Vic Fangio noted that there was no separation between the QBs.
That could change after their second preseason bout versus the Seahawks.
Fangio said Monday that "it's possible" he could name a starter following Saturday night's affair, per the team's official website.
Bridgewater will get the start in Seattle after Lock took the first reps in preseason Week 1.
We saw what we expected to see from both QBs, dicing up Vikings backups. Lock went 5-of-7 for 151 yards, two touchdowns, and a 153.3 quarterback rating. Bridgewater went 7-of-8 for 74 yards, one touchdown, and the 144.8 rating.
The offense under Lock offered explosiveness while Bridgewater moved the chains with ease. The Broncos didn't punt with either QB in the game. The only drive in which Denver didn't score with Lock or Teddy in the game was the opening sequence, in which Lock couldn't connect with Jerry Jeudy on fourth down near the goal line.
While the game might not have offered any separation for the QBs, Fangio noted that the joint practices against Minnesota would help the evaluation process, perhaps even more than the preseason game itself.
"I thought they both played [well]," Fangio said Monday. "When you talk about last week, you think about the whole week in its totality. The two practices against Minnesota were important because [it was] our [No.] 1's against their [No.] 1's for the most part, and then the game. To me, it was a three-day trip in that regard, and I thought both guys did well."
If Lock proves he's put last year's ball-security issues to bed, it could give him a leg up in the competition versus Bridgewater. Fangio noted Saturday's third-down strike from Lock to Jeudy that allowed the receiver to gobble up YAC, noting that the third-year QB is "definitely" seeing the field better this season.
"He was patient," Fangio said. "The route took a little bit of time to develop. Drew made a good throw and Jerry made a good catch. More importantly, as it relates to Jerry, he did a really good job of running after the catch, and we got some good downfield blocking, which turned it into a big play. It was definitely a good read and a good throw by Drew, made possible by the pass protection because that play took a little longer to develop than you would like it to."
After the QBs played the first preseason game to a stalemate, they'll each get another chance to win the gig Saturday in Seattle. If nothing is decided by then, Fangio will take it to the third and final preseason game. The Broncos have always been preparing for the possibility it could take all three preseason games to determine a starter. It's on the QBs to shorten that plan by a week.
