The Denver Broncos let Lloyd Cushenberry III sign a big deal with Tennessee, but now he'll be joining the Bills.
The Denver Broncos have solidified their offensive line in the last couple of seasons, but former starting center Lloyd Cushenberry III has signed a one-year contract with the Buffalo Bills, according to a report from Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk.
Cushenberry was a third-round draft pick for the Broncos back in 2020, and he spent four years in Denver, starting 57 games. He was replaced at center by Luke Wattenberg, who was drafted in the fifth round, and Wattenberg was one of several players who received a lucrative extension last season during Denver’s bye week.
Cushenberry’s most recent stint was with the Tennessee Titans, where he started every game he appeared in at center, according to Williams, during his two-year stint in Tennessee. He got off to a strong start in Denver, but issues with availability and some of his more advanced metrics were part of what led the Broncos to move on.
He suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in Tennessee after signing a four-year, $50 million deal with the Titans back in 2024. Before the injury he was considered a leader of the offensive line, and his ratings as a pass blocker were strong.
Last year, however, he struggled, probably due to the lingering effects of his ankle injury. Cushenberry is expected to be a depth piece behind center Connor McGovern, and he could also slide over and spend time at guard.
The Broncos are more than satisfied with the performance of Wattenberg, who’s added toughness to the interior of the offensive line while helping quarterback Bo Nix make protection calls. He was out for multiple games with a shoulder injury, but Wattenberg made it back on the field in time for Denver’s playoff run.
Despite his performance, though, the offensive line is still a source of some controversy. The Broncos have invested massively in their players up front, and while that investment has paid off with outstanding protection for Nix, the running game never took off next year.
The controversy is about who’s at fault for those running-game struggles. Most experts are blaming the running backs, which is why it’s been surprising that Denver hasn’t added a big back to run between the tackles. But there were rumors that had a couple of linemen on the trade block early in the offseason, and the Broncos did some contract restructuring to bring the cost factors in line and add some cap space.