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September 22, 2020 By: Kevin Kissner

Broncos QB Drew Lock out 3-5 weeks with right shoulder injury

Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock is expected to miss 3-5 weeks with a rotator cuff/labral issue in the back of his right shoulder.

Broncos head coach Vic Fangio said Lock will miss 3-5 weeks after suffering the injury Sunday in Pittsburgh.

Lock suffered the injury in the first quarter after having to scramble out of the pocket to elude pressure coming from Steelers star T.J. Watt, who beat Elijah Wilkinson off the right edge. As Lock scrambled, he was hit from behind by Bud Dupree, who beat the duo of Garett Bolles and Dalton Risner. There was a miscommunication between Bolles and Risner on a switch play that allowed Dupree to get a free pass on Lock.

The Broncos gunslinger told the media after the game that he tried throwing on the sideline, but his shoulder still felt funny. Lock also mentioned that because it is his throwing shoulder, the team will be more cautious with the injury.

Backup quarterback Jeff Driskel filled in for Lock and nearly brought the Broncos back to upset the Steelers, but it was too little too late. Driskel finished the game 18-34 passing for 256 passing yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, for a quarterback rating of 84.9 (the interception came on a dropped pass by Courtland Sutton). Driskel was also sacked six times in his Broncos debut.

The Denver offensive line has struggled since their Super Bowl 50 run back in 2015. With the lack of depth and the decision not to address the position(s) in the NFL Draft, offensive line play remains an issue which continues to hinder player development at the quarterback position.

With Jeff Driskel being named the starter for the time being, the Broncos will call up Brett Rypien from their practice squad. They also signed veteran quarterback Blake Bortles, who will first have to pass through the league’s COVID-19 protocols before he can join the team.

Lock will be added to the growing list of Broncos that have been bitten by the injury bug already this season, including Courtland Sutton, Dre’Mont Jones, Von Miller, A.J. Bouye, and Phillip Lindsay.