The Denver Broncos have a great offensive line, and they nearly rode it all the way to the Super Bowl last season. Two members of that line were nominated for the NFL’s new “Protector of the Year” award, and they’re all locked up with either their existing contracts or high-value extensions.
That’s by design, according to Luca Evans of the Denver Post, who interviewed former Broncos assistant GM Darren Mougey about how all this came to be at last week’s combine. The Broncos paid big to get tackle Mike McGlinchey and guard Ben Powers in free agency back in 2023, with their deals being among the largest made for offensive linemen that year, despite the huge cap hit that was coming after the Russell Wilson quarterback fiasco.
“Getting McGlinchey and Powers, and keeping the continuity there on the offensive line, and then starting to build that defensive line — I think that’s been a big part of their success,” said Mougey, who’s now the GM of the New York Jets, “that maybe people talk about, maybe they don’t, I don’t know.”
What people are talking about now is the possibility that the Broncos are shopping Powers, according to sources cited by Evans. But the Broncos quickly squelched those rumors, and Evans added that they contacted Powers late this week and informed him that he won’t be moved, nor will his contract be restructured.
That means three straight years of the same quintet in front of quarterback Bo Nix, which is great for continuity. Newly re-signed swing tackle Alex Palczewski is now the youngest member of the line at 26, and he could push Powers for a starting job in camp this summer given how effectively he played when Powers went down with a torn bicep.
They’ll also look for the next version of Palczewski, based largely on coach Sean Payton’s belief in the importance of the offensive line, which he says “permeates the room.”
“Historically speaking, for me, we’ve always invested maybe early draft capital for that position,” Payton said. “It’s hard to find those guys and the defensive linemen in free agency, this time of the year. There are certain positions that are abundant, but that’s one that’s tough.”
The Broncos are also high on third-year tackle Frank Crum, according to Evans, but only futures signee Nash Jones is now the only offensive lineman who’s under 26.
There are a lot of options to consider from the back of the first round to some Day 2 picks, with Evans mentioning Arizona State tackle Max Iheanachor, Kentucky’s Jalen Farmer or Texas A&M’s Chase Bisontis as possibilities.
Payton added that “you want to make sure you’re looking closely at your offensive line,” and that level of scrutiny will doubtless result in at least one or two young potential additions in April.