Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock will miss Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys due to COVID-19 protocols, the team announced.
Lock is the second Broncos player this week to be ruled out due to COVID-19 protocols, as tight end Noah Fant tested positive Tuesday and is on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Denver guard Netane Muti is also on the reserve/COVID-19 list after testing positive in October.
The Broncos have not said whether Lock had a positive test or was deemed a close contact.
With Lock sidelined, Brett Rypien will serve as the primary backup to starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.
This is the second time Lock has had to miss a game due to COVID-19 protocols. Last season, backup Jeff Driskel tested positive for the coronavirus and the rest of the team’s quarterbacks were all deemed close contacts, making Denver’s entire QB depth chart unavailable for a game against the New Orleans Saints. Wide receiver Kendall Hinton, a former college quarterback, started for the Broncos in that Week 12 loss.