O-Line

[samparnell]

I posted this in a different subforum earlier, but this is what I am thinking right now:

LT: Bolles/Fleming
LG: Risner/Muti
C: Kush/Meinerz
RG: Glasgow/Muti
RT: Massie/ Fleming

Bolles appears to be playing well at LT. Massie appears to be solid at RT. Fleming appears to be a capable Swing Tackle. Kush needed to add functional strength and should have done that this last off season. Risner and Glasgow had down years but they were playing with a green young Center between them and nothing at RT last season. I'm expecting this group to dramatically improve over last year. I don't know if they carry 8 O-Line on the game day roster but if they do I think it's these 8 guys. If it's 7 then I'd expect Meinerz to be inactive with Glasgow as the 2nd Center. So with 7 you could go:


LT: Bolles/Fleming
LG: Risner/Muti/Fleming
C: Kush/Glasgow/Risner
RG: Glasgow/Muti/Fleming
RT: Massie/Fleming/Risner

Seven O-Linemen suit on game day. The best five start backed up by the Swing Tackle and an inside guy. One of those two is number six. If Swing Tackle isn't the O-Line coach's number six guy, the inside backup will be. Glasgow can cover C. Meinerz will be valuable when he's up to speed at all inside spots. Muti may not be repped at C, but he might be the number six guy and suited on game day. Barring unforeseen circumstances, am thinking nine O-Linemen will make the roster including four Tackles. Austin Schlottmann may end up the odd man out. He's a good inside depth guy. Looking forward to seeing how it works out.

[listopencil]

Seven O-Linemen suit on game day. The best five start backed up by the Swing Tackle and an inside guy. One of those two is number six. If Swing Tackle isn't the O-Line coach's number six guy, the inside backup will be. Glasgow can cover C. Meinerz will be valuable when he's up to speed at all inside spots. Muti may not be repped at C, but he might be the number six guy and suited on game day. Barring unforeseen circumstances, am thinking nine O-Linemen will make the roster including four Tackles. Austin Schlottmann may end up the odd man out. He's a good inside depth guy. Looking forward to seeing how it works out.

It's nice to be able to imagine how the line may be built on game day when we have pieces of the puzzle that seem like they are actually going to function together. I've put the torches and pitchforks back in the shed...for now.

[Hadez]

there a reason Massie and Fleming where still available. so i am not sold on that. i would have to see more from Cush. it is spelled with a C as in Cushenberry, either way he will need to improve or Meinerz will need to show he is better for me to be 100% on board but tile will tell.

So are you trying to say right now that Massie and Fleming with both have worse years than everyone who was under contract before the draft? I personally think there are a lot of reasons people are free agents right after the draft but you seem to think it is clear cut.

[Kyousukeneko]

So are you trying to say right now that Massie and Fleming with both have worse years than everyone who was under contract before the draft? I personally think there are a lot of reasons people are free agents right after the draft but you seem to think it is clear cut.

maybe i think there is a reason they both where not signed as priority fa

[listopencil]

Here's some promising off season fluff:


Cushenberry said he went "straight to work" after the season, given his "unacceptable" level of play. He focused on strength training and "getting twitchier," but his improvement in 2021 may also stem from an increased understanding of the playbook.

"Just to continue that growth mainly from a mental standpoint," Fangio said in early June of the strides he needs to see from Cushenberry. "He needs to play stronger and stouter, and I think that will happen after he's had a good offseason of working out and having a better understanding of the offense, his job and his position. I think that confidence that he'll have will allow him to play stronger and more physical along with the extra work he's put in during the offseason. I expect him to improve mentally, and that will help him improve physically along with him getting stronger."

https://www.denverbroncos.com/news/it-needs-to-be-better-lloyd-cushenberry-iii-not-satisfied-with-play-as-rookie-st

[sra84]

maybe i think there is a reason they both where not signed as priority fa

Exactly. And both came from teams with bad offensive lines (Bears and Giants) yet they were not retained....not exactly a ringing endorsement of either if they weren't re-signed by teams in need of offensive line help.

[samparnell]

O-Line can't be evaluated until the hats and pads go on and the hitting begins. Unit cohesion and chemistry is most important. Some people don't seem to view Bobby Massie and Cam Fleming as an upgrade over Demar Dotson and Elijah Wilkinson. Time will tell.

[FR Tim]

O-Line can't be evaluated until the hats and pads go on and the hitting begins. Unit cohesion and chemistry is most important. Some people don't seem to view Bobby Massie and Cam Fleming as an upgrade over Ja'Wuan James and Elijah Wilkinson. Time will tell.

Can you even include James in the conversation? He has zero impact as a “player”. Just a financial drain over the past two seasons.

So the question becomes are Massie and Fleming upgrades over Wilkinson and Dotson?

IMO they are. Still need to prove it on the field and play the season, but as of today, I consider both an upgrade for the offensive line. Both are solid experienced olinemen that become important pieces in this Munchak puzzle. Broncos just need to have some consistency at RT. Massie has that ability. At least I’m hoping so. LoL

[samparnell]

Can you even include James in the conversation? He has zero impact as a “player”. Just a financial drain over the past two seasons.

So the question becomes are Massie and Fleming upgrades over Wilkinson and Dotson?

IMO they are. Still need to prove it on the field and play the season, but as of today, I consider both an upgrade for the offensive line. Both are solid experienced olinemen that become important pieces in this Munchak puzzle. Broncos just need to have some consistency at RT. Massie has that ability. At least I’m hoping so. LoL

OK, fine. Duly noted. Make that Wilkinson and Dotson then. Have a nice day.

[beastlyskronk]

Can you even include James in the conversation? He has zero impact as a “player”. Just a financial drain over the past two seasons.

So the question becomes are Massie and Fleming upgrades over Wilkinson and Dotson?

IMO they are. Still need to prove it on the field and play the season, but as of today, I consider both an upgrade for the offensive line. Both are solid experienced olinemen that become important pieces in this Munchak puzzle. Broncos just need to have some consistency at RT. Massie has that ability. At least I’m hoping so. LoL

It depends on what you want. Wilkinson was a good run blocker so in that aspect I think it’s a wash. Dotson was a good pass protector albeit diminished due to age but Massie has never really been a great player. I think overall Massie provides us some type of middle ground between Dotson and Wilkinson. Overall I’m just expecting average play, but there will be terrible games and there will be very good games so naturally the focus will be on the terrible games when judging the position. Fleming I’m even less sure on, there’s potential but he was available for a reason and it wasn’t due to cap concerns.

[listopencil]

It depends on what you want. Wilkinson was a good run blocker so in that aspect I think it’s a wash. Dotson was a good pass protector albeit diminished due to age but Massie has never really been a great player. I think overall Massie provides us some type of middle ground between Dotson and Wilkinson. Overall I’m just expecting average play, but there will be terrible games and there will be very good games so naturally the focus will be on the terrible games when judging the position. Fleming I’m even less sure on, there’s potential but he was available for a reason and it wasn’t due to cap concerns.

Well, Massie was available because the Bears did what we should have done; they drafted an OT in the second round. Since the Broncos refused to properly address their weakness in the best possible way they ended up taking what was left over, and it was a good move to do so because up until they did that they were looking up from the bottom of a hole that they had dug for themselves. We also needed a Swing Tackle because the OT position has been ignored long enough that not only did we not have a capable starter but we had no depth either. Signing Fleming addresses that depth and, again, it was a good move to sign him because of the bad position that the team had put itself into. I'm not excited about the signings but I'm relieved that they appear to have finally been compelled to address the Tackle situation in some way other than happy wishes, fairy dust, unicorn tears, duct tape and bailing wire.

[samparnell]

Calvin Anderson is a Swing Tackle. Think Denver keeps four Tackles on the roster.

[listopencil]

Calvin Anderson is a Swing Tackle. Think Denver keeps four Tackles on the roster.

Off the top of my head that sounds reasonable. We have plenty of IOL skill and depth in what I think would be the other 8 guys besides him.


*UPON EDIT:

Bolles, Risner, Kush, Glasgow, Massie, Muti, Fleming, Meinerz, Anderson, is what I am thinking