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The Denver Broncos were headed for a quarterback competition when they traded a sixth-round pick for Teddy Bridgewater. The Broncos had used a second-round pick on Drew Lock with the hope he would become the franchise quarterback, but weren’t impressed with the early returns. Here’s how Lock and Bridgewater fared in Denver’s first preseason game of the 2021-22 season.
Week 1 preseason reps, stats
Drew Lock: 5/7, 151 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT
Teddy Bridgewater: 7/9, 74 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT
Who has the edge in the QB battle entering Week 2 of the 2021 NFL preseason?
Many covering the organization felt Lock already had a lead due to his experience with the system, but the Missouri product has a clear advantage after Week 1. He had the better performance throwing the ball, highlighted by an 80-yard touchdown to K.J. Hamler. Of course, Lock’s stats are inflated as a result of that throw and a 33-yard catch-and-run from Jerry Jeudy.
Bridgewater had a nice outing himself and made a great throw on the touchdown pass to Trinity Benson. He didn’t have the explosive throws, but that’s not Bridgewater’s strength. He made the throws he was supposed to make and ran the offense well. Lock may be ahead in the competition, but Bridgewater is still very much a factor with this performance.