AFC Notes: Broncos QB Competition, Chargers, Chiefs

Broncos

Broncos’ HC Vic Fangio has a big decision on his hands ahead of the 2021 season, and that is whether to start young QB Drew Lock or journeyman QB Teddy Bridgewater, with each player having a good preseason so far.

“Both of these guys have done well. We can play and win with either one of these guys, and that’s a good thing. The calendar’s closing in on us,” Fangio said, via Pro Football Talk. “It won’t be tomorrow. The earliest it would be would be early next week, or we’ll let it go another week. These guys, both of them, Drew and Teddy, have done well, as you guys have seen, and they’ve made it a hard decision. We’ll give it thorough thought. We’ve been discussing it with the coaches, with [General Manager] George [Paton] all along, and we’ll continue to do that.”

Fangio seems to like both quarterbacks, offering praise for Bridgewater’s mobility and giving Lock the benefit of the doubt when his pass protection broke down during the preseason matchup.

“He’s got good quarterback awareness and instincts,” Fangio saidof Bridgewater. “I think it’s shown in the way he can move within a pocket, and buy time that way. You know, there are two types of elusive quarterbacks, the ones that run around and there are the other ones that manipulate the pocket to buy time. And the best in the last 20 years of that has been Tom Brady. And he’s got a little of that in him, as far as manipulating the pocket. There were also some protection breakdowns when Drew was on the field. I want to see all his plays with a remote in my hand and take a good look at it, rather than what I saw at the field at the time.”

Bridgewater had a great night for the Broncos and showed that he has the ability to lead the team into the endzone. 

“I just wanted to get my unit to the end zone,” Bridgewater said. “That’s been my message throughout training camp. My mentor, my great mentor [Bill Parcells], he always tells me, ‘Hey, just get your unit to the end zone. No matter how you do it, just get them in the end zone.’ And that’s my mindset every time I step foot on the field is how can I get this unit that’s out here with me competing and battling every play to the end zone, because that’s the most exciting feeling when you score a touchdown.”

Chargers

• Chargers HC Brandon Staley said UDFA LB Amen Ogbongbemiga sprained his AC Joint on Sunday. (Daniel Popper)
• Staley added OL Trey Pipkins and OL Storm Norton continue to struggle in the preseason: “I think those two guys got a really accurate picture of where they’re at.” (Jeff Miller)

Chiefs

Chiefs HC Andy Reid listed a number of players who all missed practice Monday, via the Athletic’s Nate Taylor, including:

• OL Yasir Durant (concussion protocol)
• DL Chris Jones (non-Covid illness)
• LB Dorian O’Daniel (non-Covid illness)
• OL Austin Blythe (sports hernia surgery)
• RB Darrel Williams (concussion)
• DE Frank Clark (hamstring)
• CB Rashad Fenton (hamstring)