Like it or not, QB questions are unavoidable for the Denver Broncos' players

There are myriad consequences to having questions at quarterback. The least of these is the types of questions — and responses — that take place in press conferences, which are being held over Zoom for the second consecutive offseason.

It would be irresponsible for media to not ask players — especially on offense — their thoughts about Drew Lock or Teddy Bridgewater. The QB competition is THE question of the Broncos’ offseason. A successful answer would be the single biggest boost to the team’s hopes of returning to relevance and posting their first winning season in five years and their first postseason appearance in six.

Tuesday, wide receiver Jerry Jeudy suggested that having two quarterbacks with different styles competing for the job could provide a boost to the pass catchers, since they have to learn how to catch different styles of passes. Lock’s are “hard,” as Jeudy said, while a typical throw from Bridgewater is “more of a floater.”

A day later, Tim Patrick had a different perspective on the two-QB duel.

“Obviously, you have to get chemistry, but my approach to it is if a ball is coming my way, catch it. I don’t really think about who’s throwing it,” he said. “My job is to catch the ball and that’s it. It doesn’t matter how it comes — just catch it.”

But what teammates notice about the newcomer is the same: Bridgewater has a presence about him, and accuracy is his calling card.

Noted Patrick: “He’s a vet in this game and you saw it on his first day. He just controls the huddle and leads the team. I don’t have much more to say. He’s a true pro, I’ll tell you that.”

Said Jeudy: “I feel like he’s a great quarterback. He knows how to anticipate. I feel like he’s good at anticipating where players are going to be.”

Added tight end Noah Fant last week: “You can definitely tell that he’s a vet. Ball placement and things like that are very important to him.”

Still, one can’t blame the players if they are exhausted of all this. Reporters are, too — this one among them. The social-media and radio/podcast debates have threatened to consume the morale of Broncos Country a dozen times over at various junctures over the five months since the Broncos concluded a desultory 5-11 campaign.

That being said, the questions still need to be asked, because on a roster filled with viable long-term answers at most positions, quarterback remains in flux.

As long as the competition persists, the queries will not fade — even for players who aren’t positioned to have insight into the debate.

Take Dre’Mont Jones, for example. As an emerging defensive end, he hasn’t even gone up against the offense for a snap during 2021 OTAs to this point, as the Broncos have not progressed beyond seven-on-seven work. Team-period repetitions are not slated to commence until next week.

So, Jones and his fellow defensive linemen take individual repetitions with longtime D-line guru Bill Kollar. They attack tackling dummies. They do myriad agility and footwork drills. Kollar’s methodology is time-tested and has maximized the abilities of players for over three decades. His work with the Broncos since 2015 in honing the skills of interior players like Derek Wolfe, Malik Jackson, Shelby Harris, Mike Purcell and now Jones is above reproach.

That daily workload also means Jones is busy — too busy, really, to notice what happens on the next field over, where Lock, Bridgewater and Brett Rypien go through their paces.

When Jones was asked about the quarterback position Wednesday, he answered with blunt honesty.

“I don’t give a s—,” he said. “Whoever’s the quarterback, is the quarterback. I wish the best for Teddy and I wish the best for Drew [Lock]. I don’t know what they’re doing. I can’t see anything, and I haven’t been over there. It is what it is on that part.”

Not every Broncos player will be able to offer keen insight on the quarterback duel. Each is busy mastering his own craft and learning the playbook — too busy, perhaps to pay much heed to Lock and Bridgewater.

But the questions won’t go away — not this week, not this month, and probably not until the point in the preseason when Vic Fangio names his starter.

If the result is improved production from the quarterback position after five seasons of bottom-tier form, all the annoying queries will be worth it.