How do you guys feel about the Offensive Line

[The Excellector]

I’m familiar with the blocking scheme that Scangarello is about to run. Mike Munchak is the best line coach in the league. James is a good pickup at RT. I hear that the coaching staff is confident with McGovern at Center. How do you guys feel about the Guard spots? Also, does the coaching staff seem sold on Bolles at LT? He needs work and the potential is there, but I gotta tell you. I’ve been watching tape of the upcoming draft prospects and Andre Dillard looks like he would be the perfect LT for the blocking scheme Denver will run. Is there any chance they either take Dillard at 10 or trade down to take him between 10-20, and work a trade for Bolles? Or keep Bolles for depth?

[Murph2432]

I’m familiar with the blocking scheme that Scangarello is about to run. Mike Munchak is the best line coach in the league. James is a good pickup at RT. I hear that the coaching staff is confident with McGovern at Center. How do you guys feel about the Guard spots? Also, does the coaching staff seem sold on Bolles at LT? He needs work and the potential is there, but I gotta tell you. I’ve been watching tape of the upcoming draft prospects and Andre Dillard looks like he would be the perfect LT for the blocking scheme Denver will run. Is there any chance they either take Dillard at 10 or trade down to take him between 10-20, and work a trade for Bolles? Or keep Bolles for depth?

I think Denver is a solid G away from being a top 15 oline. James got overpaid but is the best RT we’ve had in years. Not too concerned about Mcgovern. I think this will finally be the year Denver moves him to RT and James to LT when they see him struggling again. If James ever does move LT then his price tag is actually fitting since LT get paid more

[beastlyskronk]

I doubt Denver moves Bolles as he was showing solid improvement down the stretch last season. If he regresses this year I think he either switches to RT or kicks inside to G. Leary should be back but what level he returns at remains to be seen. Even then I have concerns about his fit schematically. McGovern should be solid at C. James will be the best RT we’ve had in years although that isn’t saying much. There’s a hole at RG that I expect us to fill through the draft.

I’m cautiously optimistic about our oline. I’m still hoping that we draft either Taylor and/or Cody Ford and get a OG later in the draft. I love Lindstrom but I can’t see us going back to back oline in rounds 1 and 2. Maybe Cajuste in the 3rd and kick him down to G. Other potential targets would be Jenkins, Sharping, Dieter, and the OU Guards. Any combo of these players and I’d be a lot more excited about our oline for this season and the future. Quinton Spain is also still a FA that I would love to add to the oline as well.

[The Excellector]

If they get a good offer to trade down to the end of the first, it may just be worth taking Lindstrom there. The fit is excellent.

[samparnell]

Denver has ten O-Linemen under contract. They will need at least fifteen for TC. Of the current ten, the starters would be Bolles-Leary-McGovern-Wilkinson-James. The other five are: Barclay; Jones; Schlottmann; Falah; and, Knappe.

I think Denver will draft two O-Linemen fairly high. Maybe not first round, but a couple by the fifth. Of course, I've felt this way for years which probably means it won't happen.

If Denver takes a top C prospect, they could move McGovern back to RG with him being the backup C. If they pick a G, McGovern could stay at C with maybe Jones, Schlottmann or Falah providing C depth. If Barclay makes the team, he could provide depth at G. Jones, Schlottmann and Falah can all be considered G/Cs or C/Gs.

The acquisition of James doesn't deal with the issue of quality depth at T. If they could re-sign Veldheer, he would be a great game day Swing Tackle IMO. Otherwise, the Broncos may draft an O-Lineman who can play inside/outside.

Denver will most likely sign some UDFA O-Linemen after the Draft. I'm looking forward to seeing what Munchak and Kuper can do with the O-Line group they end up with.

[Jonny_Quest]

History tells us that Elway doesn't think OG is a position worthy of a first round pick. My guess is that he'll try to find a starter in the 2nd or 3rd round, and add depth on Day 3 and with UDFAs.

I'd be surprised at the Dillard scenario. The organization seems bought into Bolles as a long-term solution. I don't think they'd draft his replacement until Bolles had at least one full year under Munchak's mentorship.

I'd actually hoped that Leary would be traded in the off-season. I'm not sure he's a scheme fit, and his health is unreliable. Seems unlikely he plays a full season. I'd rather have a youth infusion now that we have a true guru coaching the offensive line.

I'm also glad that we didn't overpay for Paradis. His health and performance seemed to be slowly deteriorating.

So overall I'm bullish if we can get some prospects that Munchak likes. He seems to be a real magician, especially if given young bright players. I think the line will be rocky for the first half of the season, and will slowly morph turn into a top 15 O-Line. I just hope Flacco can survive the early hits.

[Sam_Z]

History tells us that Elway doesn't think OG is a position worthy of a first round pick. My guess is that he'll try to find a starter in the 2nd or 3rd round, and add depth on Day 3 and with UDFAs.

I'd be surprised at the Dillard scenario. The organization seems bought into Bolles as a long-term solution. I don't think they'd draft his replacement until Bolles had at least one full year under Munchak's mentorship.

I'd actually hoped that Leary would be traded in the off-season. I'm not sure he's a scheme fit, and his health is unreliable. Seems unlikely he plays a full season. I'd rather have a youth infusion now that we have a true guru coaching the offensive line.

I'm also glad that we didn't overpay for Paradis. His health and performance seemed to be slowly deteriorating.

So overall I'm bullish if we can get some prospects that Munchak likes. He seems to be a real magician, especially if given young bright players. I think the line will be rocky for the first half of the season, and will slowly morph turn into a top 15 O-Line. I just hope Flacco can survive the early hits.

I hate to say it but I see a pattern here with the O-linemen. Not saying it’s a bad thing but I can’t help but notice that when Denver linemen get hurt in a contract year, the Broncos are very reluctant to resign them.

I remember Chris Kuper and JD Walton being allowed to leave via free agency and now Matt Paradis. Luis Vasquez was also kind of forced into retirement. The only reason Leary May still be here is because he was smart enough to get the injury clause worked into his contract but other than that I think we may see someone like Dalton Risner drafted if Denver decides to trade down in the first round with the number 10 pick.

Most ppl say it’s unlikely that Denver would draft another O-line in the first even beyond the top 20 but I think Munchak will have more of say so than most ppl want to think!

Also it’s wortj mentioning that both Franklin and Beadles were allowed to leave as well.

[FL BRONCO]

I will hold my opinion until after the draft, I do not think we are done yet.

[Hadez]

I think Denver is a solid G away from being a top 15 oline. James got overpaid but is the best RT we’ve had in years. Not too concerned about Mcgovern. I think this will finally be the year Denver moves him to RT and James to LT when they see him struggling again. If James ever does move LT then his price tag is actually fitting since LT get paid more

Problem is the OL is a mess and has been a mess for a while in terms of pass protection. It is a big hole to climb out of. We did show some strong execution in the run game in 2019 tho. Our success in 2019 will determine greatly on how realistic the coaches are with our team pass protection and what they do in terms of a season plan and game to game plan.

Do not give up on Bolles yet. All season long people in the NFL said Bolles had technique issues. I herd NFL minds say multiple times his technique was forcing him out of position where he made bad plays and/or penalties. There is logic to think Munchak can help this.

I like our new RT. Some talent for Munchak to work with.

We still need least one more good player in the OL imo. Ultimately we need to go BPA in the draft but if I were running things I would make trades (down if need) and do what it takes to get an elite talent to add to the OL.

We still have a lot of question marks and even if we end up with the right talent on the team, and if they stay healthy, it may takes some games for the OL to learn chemistry and/or for the coaches to work out the final kinks...and that is IF the talent is there to perform.

With Flacco being the statue pocket passer he has been his career I think it is essential we ensure our run game is running on all cylinders. It was looking good last year but with new coaching and new OL players we will need to work to get back to where we were last year....unlike the pass game in the run game we know we can get there in 2019 imo.

With the run game doing its thing it will allow an easier path for the OL (and team as a whole) to hone their game in pass protection.

[listopencil]

I think Munchak will "fix" Bolles at LT, McGovern will be fine at Center, and James is the answer at RT. We already have a few options at the Guard spots. And we have an O-Line guru to maximize those options. I would love to have Quenton Nelson on the roster right now, but we got a stud in Chubb instead, and this is another situation where I expect Munchak to work his magic. I'm optimistic about the O-Line for the first time in years.

[Acedude]

Denver has ten O-Linemen under contract. They will need at least fifteen for TC. Of the current ten, the starters would be Bolles-Leary-McGovern-Wilkinson-James. The other five are: Barclay; Jones; Schlottmann; Falah; and, Knappe.

I think Denver will draft two O-Linemen fairly high. Maybe not first round, but a couple by the fifth. Of course, I've felt this way for years which probably means it won't happen.

If Denver takes a top C prospect, they could move McGovern back to RG with him being the backup C. If they pick a G, McGovern could stay at C with maybe Jones, Schlottmann or Falah providing C depth. If Barclay makes the team, he could provide depth at G. Jones, Schlottmann and Falah can all be considered G/Cs or C/Gs.

The acquisition of James doesn't deal with the issue of quality depth at T. If they could re-sign Veldheer, he would be a great game day Swing Tackle IMO. Otherwise, the Broncos may draft an O-Lineman who can play inside/outside.

Denver will most likely sign some UDFA O-Linemen after the Draft. I'm looking forward to seeing what Munchak and Kuper can do with the O-Line group they end up with.

I didn't know the team was so thin at OL. Elway has some work to do.

[Acedude]

I think Munchak will "fix" Bolles at LT, McGovern will be fine at Center, and James is the answer at RT. We already have a few options at the Guard spots. And we have an O-Line guru to maximize those options. I would love to have Quenton Nelson on the roster right now, but we got a stud in Chubb instead, and this is another situation where I expect Munchak to work his magic. I'm optimistic about the O-Line for the first time in years.

Bolles is a good athlete. He's a strong agile guy, and fearless. He got seasoned a bit last year, I see him as a solid LT for a while.

[samparnell]

I didn't know the team was so thin at OL. Elway has some work to do.

Right. There are sixty-three players under contract at the moment. Twenty-seven need to be added for TC. Right now Denver has eight draft picks. If that stays the same, they will need to add nineteen free agents before, during or after the Draft. That's a lot of guys. Should be interesting.

[Acedude]

Right. There are sixty-three players under contract at the moment. Twenty-seven need to be added for TC. Right now Denver has eight draft picks. If that stays the same, they will need to add nineteen free agents before, during or after the Draft. That's a lot of guys. Should be interesting.

Hopefully it's 'interesting' in a kick-butt kind of way. Hey, maybe Elway can pick some guys off of this Alliance of American Football league. Is that possible?

[Taos_Broncomaniac]

Right. There are sixty-three players under contract at the moment. Twenty-seven need to be added for TC. Right now Denver has eight draft picks. If that stays the same, they will need to add nineteen free agents before, during or after the Draft. That's a lot of guys. Should be interesting.

It definitely has been so far...

I am excited by the direction this coaching staff seems to be taking compared to years past. Fangio's getting his Evil Genius on early!