The Lead
Safety P.J. Locke returned to practice on Thursday, and he could play a critical role for the Broncos on Sunday if he's able to play against the Browns.
Locke, a fourth-year player, made the first two starts of his career this season during Kareem Jackson's absence — and he could be in line to fill in again.
In his two starts, Locke helped the Broncos' defense hold strong to kick-start Denver's winning streak. He intercepted Jordan Love at the end of the Broncos' win over the Packers, and he helped Denver shut down Buffalo's offense before he left a "Monday Night Football" win with his ankle injury.
As he reflected Thursday on what's allowed him to find success in his fourth season, Locke credited Defensive Backs Coach Christian Parker and teammates like Jackson and Justin Simmons.
"Any questions that I have, they always answer them," Locke said.
Locke said the ability to self-evaluate and critique his own game has also been helpful, and he also credited extra meeting time with the coaching staff.
The key element to Locke's success, though, may simply be time on task.
"I think everything's just coming along," Locke said. "I'm starting to understand the game a lot more than I did previous years. That's the biggest thing for me: just the IQ of the game. It was just a lot of trial and error, so I guess now, it's clicking."
