ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Whenever the Broncos' quarterback competition begins on the field, both Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater will get an equal shot to win the Week 1 job.
Head Coach Vic Fangio said it would be a "50-50" split of snaps, and he said he has not yet decided which player will get the first snaps of the offseason.
"That will be day by day," Fangio said Friday. "It's totally 50-50. Maybe I'll flip a coin to see who takes the absolute first snap of the offseason and training camp."
Before the offseason program and training camp are complete, though, the two players will receive equal reps with the first-team offense.
"By the end of day, meaning by the end of training camp — before those guys make the decision for us with their play — it's going to be a 50-50 proposition," Fangio said. "Some days, some guy might get more [snaps] than the other. Then it will even out the next day or a few days later. It's not going to be 50-50 every day, but over the course of this offseason and training camp it will be."
The Broncos acquired Bridgewater from the Carolina Panthers ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft in exchange for a sixth-round pick.
After the draft, General Manager George Paton said he expected to move froward with a competition between Lock, the 2019 second-round pick, and Bridgewater, a former Pro Bowler in Minneapolis.
"I like our room right now," Paton said in early May. "… With Teddy and Drew, they'll have a competition, and that's what we've wanted all along. We'll let them compete. I like the room. Does it mean we won't continue to look? No, but I say that about every position. I look forward to getting Teddy here, and he and Drew having a great competition."
Fangio said he's not sure how many players will be at UCHealth Training Center when the Broncos are eligible to begin on-field work in their voluntary offseason program.
"I'm not sure, to be honest with you," Fangio said when asked how many players he expected to see. "I really don't know. We've put a lot of thought into the schedule that we have come up with. It came through many additions. I like the schedule we have. I think we've heard everybody's side of the story — players, coaches, management. I don't know how many will be here. Hopefully we'll have a good number. It's voluntary camp, so whoever decides to come, we'll be happy about."
And if Lock and Bridgewater are both in attendance, we'll see the early stages of an even quarterback competition.
ADDING DEPTH
The Broncos added quite a bit of depth at right tackle this week, as the team signed Bobby Massie on Wednesday before reportedly signing Cameron Fleming on Thursday.
The two players have a combined 152 starts and should battle one another for the starting right tackle position.
"It's going to set up good competition for that position," Fangio said.
The Broncos also signed 2019 undrafted free agent Ryan Pope earlier this week.
'HE'LL HAVE OUR SUPPORT'
Fangio revealed Friday that a contingent of Broncos executives and players traveled to Omaha, Nebraska recently to attend a funeral for Noah Fant's late mother.
Fangio, Paton, Tight Ends Coach Wade Harman, Director of Player Development Ray Jackson, outside linebacker Von Miller and Lock all traveled to support Fant.
"It was important," Fangio said. "It was a very sad situation — very traumatic for Noah and his family. I believe she was only 52, 53 years old. It happened very suddenly. I just think it was good for us to get some guys together to show him some support. He'll have our support when he comes back."
