In 2016, the Denver Broncos’ offensive line did little to help the team in its pursuit of back-to-back championships. They were reportedly looking to upgrade the unit as a whole in the 2017 offseason.
As the many dominoes begin to fall in what has been a much anticipated 2017 free agency, the Denver Broncos have begun redesigning their offensive line.
Per a report by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Denver will sign former Cowboys’ guard Ronald Leary to a four-year, $35 million contract with $20 million in guarantees. The deal cannot become official until the new league year begins at 2 p.m. MT.
Signing a guard is hardly a surprise for those who watched the Broncos’ offensive line struggle as a unit in 2016. As two of the best offensives tackles in Andrew Whitworth and Ricky Wagner, had already reportedly agreed to preliminary deals with other teams, Denver’s focus shifted to the guard position.
In 2016, Leary took over the starting guard spot for the Dallas Cowboys when La’el Collins was lost for the season. In his place, Leary finished ranked 24th at the position. More impressively, Leary placed 12th in run-blocking, paving the way for rookie sensation Ezekiel Elliott.
Most impressively, Leary didn’t surrender a single sack in 2016, much to the relief of Denver’s current quarterbacks.
This signing is generally seen as a positive one for the Broncos. At age 27, Leary is still in his prime and proved he could handle the workload of a solid starting guard.
Another name that the Broncos have been tied to throughout the entirety of the offseason is soon-to-be free agent QB Tony Romo. Perhaps the signing of one of Romo’s former teammates is a sign of what’s to come in terms of Denver’s plan at the quarterback position.
After a quiet start, the Denver has begun to unfold its plan to get back to championship-caliber football in 2017.
