When the Denver Broncos acquired veteran offensive lineman Russell Okung from Seattle back in March, general manager John Elway and company knew they had finally landed their much-needed leader up front.
It’s been just four days of training camp, and Okung’s O-line leadership has arrived on schedule.
“He is a talker on the field,” head coach Gary Kubiak said. “He’s a leader. There is nothing better as a coach when you start getting on a group and a player says, ‘Coach, I got them.’”
While Okung accepts his leadership role, his main goal is to see his fellow linemen step up and make names for themselves.
“I just want to serve the guys the best that I can,” Okung said. “If that looks like leadership, I’m fine with that, but I want to see these guys do extremely well and have amazing years. All of the offensive line, all of the guys on the offense — whoever — I’m just for them.”
The Broncos are inexperienced up front, with three second-year players on the interior of their offensive line (Matt Paradis was on the practice squad in 2014), which makes Okungs experience and advice invaluable.
Okung may have switched teams this offseason, but the goal for the 2013 Super Bowl champion remains the same.
“We want to win every day,” he said. “The best we know how. If we do that, if we stay true to that, we stay on course. I think the sky is the limit for this group.”