NFL 2020 odds: Broncos all but committed to Drew Lock as starting quarterback

Denver Broncos boss John Elway has been looking for a good quarterback ever since Peyton Manning retired following an upset win over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50. Since then, the Broncos have started the following list of rather unimpressive signal-callers: Trevor Siemian, Brock Osweiler, Paxton Lynch, Case Keenum, Joe Flacco, Brandon Allen and Drew Lock.

Elway, however, thinks he might have finally found his long-term Manning replacement in Lock, a 2019 second-round pick out of Missouri. This week at the NFL Combine, Elway essentially committed to Lock as Denver's starter in 2020 but admitted he wants a veteran backup to help mentor Lock – meaning Flacco's time in Denver almost surely will end after one season.

Flacco started the first eight games last year and Denver's offense was terrible before Flacco went down with a herniated disc in his neck. While the 35-year-old former Super Bowl MVP wants to play this season, the Broncos are expected to release him. Flacco carries a cap number of $23.65 million but cutting him would save Denver around $10 million in cap space.

The Broncos can't release Flacco until he is medically cleared, though. Denver coach Vic Fangio this week didn't mention Flacco when discussing possible in-house backup options to Lock in 2020.

Allen, set for restricted free agency, took over for three games after Flacco went down, and then Lock was activated off injured reserve and started the final five. Denver went 4-1 in those, and the rookie completed 64.1 percent of his passes for 1,020 yards, seven TDs and three picks – good for a rating of 89.7.

Denver had just six games last year when it scored at least 23 points, and three were with Lock as the starter. The Broncos averaged 21.4 points per game in his starts. The team has a new offensive coordinator this year in former Giants head coach Pat Shurmur.

While Elway said he would be open to talking with Tom Brady in free agency, obviously Brady isn't going anywhere to sit behind another QB. Denver isn't even an option on the Brady NFL futures odds at FanDuel for his Week 1 team. Neither is Philip Rivers. A commitment to Lock also surely rules out the likes of Teddy Bridgewater and Ryan Tannehill as well.

The Broncos have a win total of 7 on the DraftKings NFL odds for 2020 – the same amount they won in 2019.