2. Offensive Line
The signings of Russell Okung and Donald Stephenson are nice, but let’s not forget that the Broncos also let two former All Pros in Louis Vasquez and Evan Mathis walk this offseason, too. Even if they aren’t the guys they once were, replacing them with a second-year guard (Max Garcia) and a converted tackle coming off a season-ending injury (Ty Sambrailo) is a definite downgrade.
And let’s be honest, the Broncos have a long way to go before we can call them a “good” offensive line. They were miserable last season, and at times they were worse than that. The fact that a guy like Michael Schofield was actually starting in the Super Bowl only goes to show how bad of a situation it was. Two signings won’t change that overnight, and please, let’s not act as if Stephenson is an all-world talent; I’d be most Broncos fans couldn’t have picked him out of a lineup the day before he signed with Denver.
Aside from possibly Okung — and even then, we don’t truly know what type of shape he’s in — you could make a case that the Broncos need an upgrade at every position across the offensive line. While a lot of people like Garcia and Matt Paradis, they’re not game changers. They’re solid, but they’re not initiating a top-10 run game on their own.
But even if the Broncos really like what they’ve got, and it makes sense that they would, depth is critical. Again, just look at Schofield. When the Broncos lost their top two left tackles early in the season, they were out of luck, having to start a thoroughly overmatched tackle on the right side of their line. Had they had quality depth, maybe that changes.
With the quarterback position in even more disarray than last season, it’s going to be all the more important to make sure the front line is up to par.
