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Anticipation grows for Drew Lock as Broncos ready for Chargers

The second-round rookie QB may be but a good week of practice away from his NFL debut.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — It’s not official, but after listening to head coach Vic Fangio and recent starter Brandon Allen address the media Wednesday, it would appear Drew Lock needs only to have an average week of practice to become the Broncos’ next starting quarterback.

The Broncos’ next game is Sunday afternoon against the Los Angeles Chargers at Empower Field at Mile High. Can you imagine how the partisan Broncos crowd would react if the Allen-led offense goes three-and-out on their first series?

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Another sign a switch is in the works is the Broncos didn’t have Allen meet the media from the press-room podium Wednesday. He and Lock each fielded questions in front of their respective lockers.

Allen seemed resigned to the fact Lock is starting Sunday.

“I think he’s going to go in there and do just fine,’’ Allen said of Lock. “Obviously, he’s had a few good weeks of practice before this, so he’s shown that he can get in there and run the offense and do well.

“Obviously, the politics are one thing, but you don’t really worry about that when you’re inside this building and inside this locker room. It’s about just supporting whoever is in there and getting them to do their best.”

If Lock is the starter, Fangio said Allen would be the backup, not Brett Rypien, the rookie who has been the No. 2 QB the previous three games.

The politics refers to Lock being a high, second-round draft pick this year while Allen, the Broncos’ starter the previous three games, is a fourth-year player who was claimed off waivers.

Then again gilded paths are always restricted to the highly skilled. The Broncos’ future is Lock. And with the Broncos having the AFC’s 14th-best record at 3-8 when only six teams making the conference playoffs, there is relatively little concern for the present.

Fangio said Lock’s practice snaps would catapult from 8 to 10 the previous two weeks of practice, to 75 percent this week. Teams don’t usually give 25% of their practice to their game-day starter – another strong hint Lock, and not Allen, will be the Broncos’ starter against the Chargers.

“I just feel like he’s had a couple good weeks of limited practices and seems like—I think he’s ready to advance in his reps and let’s see where he’s at further,’’ Fangio said. “When you’re getting eight to 10 with the offense, it’s not a great look, but he passed those and let’s see where he’s at with getting more.”

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Most first-time starting quarterbacks get a scaled-down version of the playbook on game day. But if Lock does start as is now the sense, it’s difficult to believe the Broncos employing a more cautious game plan than the one they used for Allen amid a stiff crosswind Sunday at Buffalo.

In fact, with Lock possessing a stronger arm, the playbook may expand for offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello.

“I don’t think Rich would be afraid to open it up,’’ Lock said, before referring to how Scangarello had some success as the San Francisco 49ers’ quarterbacks' coach last year with third-stringer Nick Mullens following injuries to Jimmy Garoppolo and C.J. Beathard. “When the whole quarterback situation in San Fran went down, I think he did a really good job there of being able to get a young guy going, get him some throws and get him rolling in a game.

“I think he’ll do a great job. He’s had this happen before where the number does get called then he’d be ready with an awesome game plan.”

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