ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Things are a quite different this year for Drew Lock.
A season ago, he entered training camp as the Broncos' unquestioned starter but faced the daunting task of learning and implementing a new offense without the benefit of an offseason program.
Lock's world has changed.
He's now locked in a quarterback battle with Teddy Bridgewater, but he also has the benefit of entering his second season in Offensive Coordinator Pat Shurmur's system.
Despite the increased competition, it's certainly possible this combination could create better results for the third-year quarterback.
"It felt a lot different," Lock said as he compared the two training camps. "Even when we came and did the rookie stuff a couple days early — I think the things we were looking at [were] corrections and what we could possibly talk about a little bit more with the rookies out there. It's way more fine details instead of big-picture things. [We're] getting to focus on the small things and just working toward perfection instead of bigger-picture things. That's what's been the most fun, even from just starting on Day 1. Even during OTAs, we felt like we could do that instead of looking at bigger-picture things. That's when guys start to get comfortable, and guys start to play fast. Guys start to make mistakes that are — you're going 100 percent making these mistakes. You're not thinking, 'Should I have done this? Should I have done that? I was convicted on this, and this is why I did it.' It's been fun. Guys are flying around, and guys are playing fast. They can only get better from here."
Training camp is officially underway for the Broncos. Check out our photos capturing all the fun and hard work from Day 1 of #BroncosCamp.
Jonathon Cooper during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Mike Boone during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Jonathan Harris during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Tim Patrick and Kyle Fuller during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Adam Prentice during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Isaiah Mack during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Von Miller during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Josey Jewell during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
McTelvin Agim during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Justin Strnad during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Mike Boone during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Trinity Benson during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
KJ Hamler and Kyle Fuller during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Kareem Jackson during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Justin Simmons during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Drew Lock scrambles during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Justin Simmons during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
McTelvin Agim during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Kyle Fuller during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Pat Surtain II, Ronald Darby and Parnell Motley during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
KJ Hamler during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
A fan watches during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Brett Rypien during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Melvin Gordon III and Running Backs Coach Curtis Modkins during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Jerry Jeudy during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Melvin Gordon III during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Noah Fant during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Mac McCain III during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Courtland Sutton during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Diontae Spencer during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Jerry Jeudy during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Melvin Gordon III during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Bryce Callahan and Kyle Fuller during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Andre Mintze during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Michael Ojemudia during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Brandon McManus during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Teddy Bridgewater during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Noah Fant during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Nate Hairston during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
KJ Hamler during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Tedric Thompson during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Trinity Benson during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Brandon McManus gives a thumbs up during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Sam Martin gives a thumbs up during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Kareem Jackson during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Kareem Jackson and Von Miller during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Von Miller douses himself with water during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Jonathon Cooper and Derrek Tuszka during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Defensive Line Coach Bill Kollar during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Von Miller during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Trey Marshall during practice on the first day of training camp at UCHealth Training Center on July 28, 2021. (Photo by Ben Swanson)
Teddy Bridgewater during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Bradley Chubb during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Melvin Gordon III during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Melvin Gordon III during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Teddy Bridgewater and Javonte Williams during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Andrew Beck during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Albert Okwuegbunam during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Drew Lock, Garett Bolles, Melvin Gordon III in a huddle during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
A rabbit during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Melvin Gordon III during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Kyle Fuller and Adam Prentice chase a loose ball during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Seth Williams during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Jerry Jeudy during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Warren Jackson during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Mac McCain III during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Bradley Chubb during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
McTelvin Agim during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Fans line the berm during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Andre Mintze during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Warren Jackson during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Derrek Tuszka during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
KJ Hamler during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Peter Kalambayi during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Von Miller gets the crowd hyped during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Teddy Bridgewater, Drew Lock and the rest of the team warm up during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Von Miller gets the crowd hyped during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Fans line the berm during training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
Fan fill the berm during the first day of training camp on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colorado. Photo by Gabriel Christus
And while the Broncos' continuity should help Lock improve from the up-and-down season he posted in 2020, he doesn't expect the battle with Teddy Bridgewater to hurt him.
"If anything, I'd say it's motivating," Lock said of the competition. "Everyone talks about staying focused and controlling what you can control. My idea is to come out with high energy every single day — focus on me, make the plays when they come to me when I'm in there, congratulate Teddy when he makes a good play, and we'll talk about when I make a bad play or when he makes a bad play.
"It's just about getting better every single day and staying in my lane and helping this team get better every single day. The main goal — besides this competition — is us to start winning games here. I think we can do that with this team that we have. It's just a different feeling around this building right now. It's really fun to be a part of."
As his world has changed, so too has his perspective.
Lock said he's a "smarter player" than he believes he was during the first two years of his career — and he's focused now on taking "calculated chances" that will limit turnovers.
"When I press the ball, it's going to be a safer call, so to say," Lock said. "I do know better when to check it down and when to get the five yards and when to get the three yards. That's obviously been stressed to me in the building. The gunslinger mentality can still be there, but it's got to be a calculated gunslinger rather than just a sprayer."
Lock did not turn the ball over during practice on Wednesday, though he did hold the ball at times. Head Coach Vic Fangio said he instructed Lock not to throw the ball late in a scramble situation, as he wanted to avoid collisions between teammates.
While it's unwise to draw conclusions after one day of practice, a continued effort from Lock to cut down on turnovers could show increased maturity. He said Wednesday that he's bulked up to 230 pounds and "gotten some grown man strength."
But he and his teammates are also at the point in their careers where youth is no longer an excuse. His perspective — on the field and off — has changed, and his expectations for himself and his team are high.
"I think another thing is we're starting to get a little older," Lock said. "I don't think there's one person in there that's going to be able to make the excuse about we're young or that was a rookie mistake. We're going to hold these rookies to a high standard because there's not going to be a ton of them. There's going to be a couple of them. We just have the age, so to say. There's no old team in the NFL now. There are young teams and then there's experienced teams. I believe we should be one of the ones that's an experienced team. And if we don't play like it, shame on us.
"If we do play like it, then that's what we expect in that locker room."
