Former Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock is headed east. The Broncos' 2019 second-round pick is taking his talents to the New York Giants on a one-year deal, according to Ian Rapoport.
"The Giants are signing Drew Lock," Rapoport reported on X Tuesday afternoon.
Lock joins Giants head coach Brian Daboll on a one-year deal reportedly worth $5 million. Daboll is considered a great quarterback coach and play-caller, so it'll be interesting to see how Lock's new football environs impact his NFL profile.
Included in the blockbuster Russell Wilson trade that saw the Broncos get swindled by the Seattle Seahawks, Lock played out the last year of his rookie contract in 2022. Lock was supposed to beat out Geno Smith for the Seahawks starting job, but due in large part to catching COVID at the penultimate worst time, he was unable to do so.
Smith won the job, producing the one-and-only Pro Bowl campaign of his career and leading the Seahawks to a playoff berth. After the season, Lock re-signed with the still Pete Carroll-led Seahawks.
In 2023, Lock appeared in four games with two starts (1-1) in relief of Smith. Lock completed 63.2% of his passes for 543 yards and three touchdowns to three interceptions.
Lock's big win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 14 helped earn back some cache to his name outside of Seattle. And with Carroll mutually parting ways with the Seahawks, Lock is now cashing in with the Giants on a $5M deal, albeit on a one-year term.
But if Lock can shine in Daboll's scheme, it could lead to bigger things in the Big Apple. Lock's name quickly became mud in Denver after his whirlwind rookie season, during which he went 4-1 as a starter.
'Lock Derangement Syndrome,' as branded by Mile High Huddle, saw him fall out of favor within the Broncos fanbase and local media, especially. Every little foible, it seemed, would be exaggerated and blown out of proportion. The kid couldn't do anything right, or so the perception went.
After losing the starting job to Teddy Bridgewater in Vic Fangio's final season as head coach, Broncos Country mostly lost interest in Lock, but the Seahawks wanted him as part of the Wilson deal, seeing some untapped potential. It didn't work out perfectly in Seattle, but there's no question that Lock improved his NFL profile over the two years he spent there.
We've always wondered how Lock would do in the right coaching situation. Daboll helped develop Josh Allen into an elite quarterback in Buffalo, so Lock's stock is looking up.
Perhaps he'll finally 'secure the bag.'
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