ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) – Drew Lock didn’t have to wait for the NFL draft to get the competition for his starting job that new general manager George Paton has been promising for months. On Wednesday, Paton traded a sixth-round pick in this weekend’s draft to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for veteran QB Teddy Bridgewater.
Paton might not be done, either.
The Broncos own the ninth overall selection Thursday night. They have had their eyes on several quarterback prospects rated a notch or two below Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and BYU’s Zach Wilson, who are expected to go 1-2 to the Jaguars and Jets, respectively.
“We’re high on Drew,” Paton said last week’s week’s pre-draft news conference. “I like seeing Drew here every morning when I come in. He’s working hard and trending in the right direction. As you know, he has a lot of talent. I think he’s becoming a better pro, but we’ll still look at the quarterback position. SSince I’ve gotten here, I’ve said, I’ve said that we want to bring in competition. That’s the goal, and we plan on doing that.”
Bridgewater became available when the Panthers traded for former Jets QB Sam Darnold three weeks ago.
Bridgewater went 4-11 as the Panthers’ starter last year and struggled to win close games down the stretch. He completed 69.1% of his passes, throwing 15 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions.
Those numbers are better than Locks.
The third-year pro from Missouri tied for the league lead with 15 interceptions in 13 starts, and his passer rating ranked 32nd in the NFL last season. As Denver’s starter, he was 4-9 overall with 16 touchdown throws and is 8-10 in two years.Super Bowl 50 and is headed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this summer.
In Canton, Ohio, Manning’s induction further highlights the franchise’s winding search for a competent successor.
The Broncos are the first team in NFL history to go five years without a playoff appearance following a championship parade, and they’ve had four consecutive losing seasons for the first time since ending a decade-long stretch of sub-.500 records in 1973.
The first-round bust Paxton Lynch, the worst pick in former GM John Elway’s tenure, trade dud Joe Flacco, and free-agent flop Case Keenum were among the washouts.
It was widely believed Bridgewater wouldn’t become available until after the draft and maybe wouldn’t join a new team until June. But, according to the NFL Network, the Panthers agreed to pay a portion of Bridgewater’s salary in 2021.
Bridgewater’s three-year, $63 million contract signed last year calls for him to make $10 million guaranteed and up to $7 million more in 2021.
The Panthers have the eighth overall pick in the draft, and with Darnold in the fold can target other areas of need, including offensive tackle, linebacker, tight end, or cornerback.
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