Tag: guard

Broncos sign guard/center to 53-man roster ahead of Ravens game

After using up his practice squad elevations, the Broncos fully promoted offensive lineman Calvin Throckmorton to the 53-man roster.

The Denver Broncos promoted guard/center Calvin Throckmorton from the practice squad to the 53-man roster on Friday, the team announced.

After losing center Luke Wattenberg to an ankle injury, the Broncos elevated Throckmorton from the practice squad to the game-day roster for each of their last three games, which is the maximum number of elevations a player can have in a single season.

With Wattenberg still one week away from being eligible to return from injured reserve, Denver has fully promoted Throckmorton to the active roster so he can serve as the team’s backup center against the Baltimore Ravens behind fill-in starter Alex Forsyth.

Once Wattenberg returns to the active roster (perhaps as early as next week), Throckmorton might be a candidate to get bumped back down to the practice squad.

To make room for Throckmorton on the 53-man roster, the Broncos released veteran fullback Michael Burton on Friday. Burton is expected to re-join the team on the practice squad on Saturday.

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Quinn Meinerz had a bad bowling experience at The Greenbrier

Quinn Meinerz brought his own bowling ball and shoes to the The Greenbrier, but the lanes were not oiled and his ball got scratched.

After playing in Florida last week, the Denver Broncos are staying at a luxury (haunted?) resort in West Virginia this week leading up to their game against the New York Jets on Sunday.

The Greenbrier has its own bowling lanes and a golf course, and Broncos guard Quinn Meinerz was excited to bowl this week, but it didn’t go well.

“I went to the bowling alley,” Meinerz recalled Thursday. “I brought my own ball and shoes. But they didn’t oil the lanes, so as soon as I threw the ball, it went straight to the gutter. And then when it came back from the return, [it left] scratches on my ball and everything. So I kind of stopped bowling and then went to the arcade.”

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Meinerz said his league average was 200 in 2023.

Broncos quarterback Bo Nix and cornerback Pat Surtain both gave positive reports about The Greenbrier, and it has met the team’s football needs, but not everything has been perfect. Defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers estimated that the ate “about 14 times” on Tuesday. He only had one complaint, via the Denver Gazette‘s Chris Tomasson:

Franklin-Myers said the only issue he had was ordering a chicken sandwich and was surprised that it was open-faced. So, he asked for a bun to put on top.

The Greenbrier is a beautiful location to practice, but it’s not without its peculiarities for players.

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Broncos guard Quinn Meinerz: ‘We’ve got to fix this [expletive]’

“We’ve got to fix this [expletive],” Broncos guard Quinn Meinerz said after Sunday’s loss.

Following a 13-6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Denver Broncos guard Quinn Meinerz pointed to himself and his teammates on the offensive line.

“We’re going to continue on the front five to keep on pointing thumbs in and we’ve got to fix this [expletive],” Meinerz said after the defeat.

Broncos running back Javonte Williams averaged just 1.5 yards per carry and Jaleel McLaughlin averaged 2.0 yards per carry against Pittsburgh. That’s not going to cut it.

“There was definitely an emphasis on the run game this week and it really sucks to fall short once again,” Meinerz said.

Denver is now 0-2 after losing on the road in Week 1 and at home in Week 2.

“Hate it,” Meinerz said when asked how it feels to lose at home. “It’s one of the worst feelings. You know, I personally — and I know a lot of the guys on the offensive line — we want to bring back the winning tradition here at Mile High, using the altitude and all those other things to our advantage.”

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Meinerz, a team captain this season, has accepted blame for the team’s offensive struggles, and he has noted the offensive line needs to step up.

“[W]’ve got to continue to stick together, see the light at the end of the tunnel, and keep putting the pressure on us, because it’s on us at the end of the day. Us five.”

Meinerz and Co. will attempt to bounce back when the Broncos go on the road to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3.

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3 offensive linemen worked out for the Broncos on Thursday

Offensive linemen Aaron Monteiro, Mike Novitsky and Mike Panasiuk worked out for the Broncos on Thursday.

The Denver Broncos brought in three offensive linemen for workouts on Thursday, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis.

Denver brought in tackle Aaron Monteiro, center Mike Novitsky and guard Mike Panasiuk.

Monteiro (6-6, 315 pounds) played college football at Boston College, earning third-team All-ACC recognition as a senior in 2018. He has spent time with the Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders, but he has never played in a regular-season game.

Novitsky (6-5, 295 pounds) played college football at Buffalo and Kansas. He signed with the Seattle Seahawks in April and he was waived earlier this month.

Panasiuk (6-4, 300 pounds) played college football at Michigan State. He has spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders and Panthers but has only ever played in preseason games.

Elsewhere in the NFL, former Broncos wide receiver Trinty Benson and linebacker Justin Hollins worked out for the Commanders earlier this week. Hollins also worked out for the Indianapolis Colts.

Denver seems to be looking for more depth on the offensive line going into Week 2 of NFL preseason. We’ll track any potential signings on Broncos Wire.

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Broncos sign offensive lineman after losing Quinn Bailey to season-ending IR

The Broncos signed offensive lineman Oliver Jervis on Thursday and placed Quinn Bailey on the season-ending injured reserve list.

The Denver Broncos signed 24-year-old offensive lineman Oliver Jervis on Thursday after losing lineman Quinn Bailey to a season-ending ankle injury.

Jervis (6-5, 305 pounds) is an undrafted rookie out of Colorado State. He spent the first five years of his college career at Monmouth University before transferring to CSU ahead of the 2023 season. Jervis started all 12 games at tackle for the Rams last fall, giving him 36 career starts at the college level. He was one of three linemen who worked out for the Broncos last week.

Bailey dislocated his right ankle and suffered a fractured fibula during Wednesday’s practice, coach Sean Payton announced. Bailey will undergo surgery next week after being placed on season-ending IR.

“There are two parts to the injury,” Payton said. “He dislocated his ankle and he fractured his fibula, the smaller bone a little further up. Next week — I don’t have the day yet, but he’ll have the ankle surgery and there’s probably a good chance they’ll just leave the fibula and let it heal, but they’ll look at that.

“The main injury is the ankle, so he’ll have that done next week. He was put on reserve injured and then we signed the young offensive lineman we had out in camp from Colorado State, Oliver.

Each team can designate up to two players to return from IR on roster cutdown day. Because Bailey was placed on IR at this point in the offseason, he won’t be eligible to return during the 2024 season.

Denver linebacker Drew Sanders (Achilles) could be a candidate to be placed on IR when the Broncos set their initial 53-man roster later this month (Aug. 27).

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Broncos OL Quinn Bailey fractures ankle, will have surgery

Broncos offensive lineman Quinn Bailey was carted off the practice field Wednesday with an apparent right leg injury.

Story update: After practice, Broncos coach Sean Payton announced that Quinn Bailey fractured his ankle. Bailey will undergo surgery. See our original post below.

Denver Broncos versatile backup offensive lineman Quinn Bailey was carted off the practice field during Wednesday’s training camp session.

Bailey went down during 9-on-7 drills with what appeared to be a “gruesome lower right leg injury,” according to the Denver Post‘s Parker Gabriel.

Bailey was carried onto a cart with a “heavy brace” on his right leg, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. He was then loaded into an ambulance, presumably to be taken to a local hospital.

Bailey, 28, originally joined the Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of Arizona State in 2019. He bounced between the practice squad and active roster from 2019-2022 before locking down a spot on the 53-man roster last summer.

Bailey is a versatile backup swing tackle/guard who dressed for all 17 games last fall. He served as an injury fill-in starter for one game in each of the last two seasons. Bailey was one of the favorites to serve as the team’s top backup swing tackle in 2024.

With Bailey sidelined, Denver’s remaining backup tackles include Alex Palczewski, Frank Crum, Matt Peart and Demontrey Jacobs.

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Broncos roster series: No. 77, guard Quinn Meinerz

Quinn Meinerz — “The Belly” — is one of the best guards in the NFL and the Broncos rewarded his play with a big extension this offseason.

Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at fourth-year guard Quinn Meinerz, No. 77.

Before the Broncos: Meinerz (6-3, 320 pounds) played college football at Wisconsin-Whitewater, a Division III program. Despite playing at a small school, Meinerz caught the attention of NFL teams with his impressive film. A two-time All-WIAC guard, Meinerz stood out at the Senior Bowl ahead of the 2021 NFL draft. He also went viral after posting videos of his unique outdoor workouts on his Instagram page.

Broncos tenure: Denver picked Meinerz in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft and he quickly became a fan favorite thanks to his habit of “letting the belly breathe” at practice and delivering huge blocks on game days. After emerging as one of the best guards in the NFL, Meinerz was rewarded with a four-year, $80 million contract extension this offseason.

Chances to make the 53-man roster: Lock. Meinerz is Denver’s best offensive lineman and after getting a massive contract extension, he’s poised to remain with the team through at least the 2028 season.

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Broncos roster series: No. 76, OL Calvin Throckmorton

Calvin Throckmorton joined the Broncos this spring with 27 career starts on his resume. He’s a versatile lineman who has played OT, G and C.

Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at fifth-year offensive lineman Calvin Throckmorton, No. 76.

Before the Broncos: Throckmorton (6-5, 311 pounds) entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon with the New Orleans Saints in 2020. He played tackle, guard and center in college and that versatility was appealing to the Saints. After spending his rookie season on the practice squad, Throckmorton dressed for all 17 games in 2021, starting 14 times.

After starting just six games in 2022, Throckmorton failed to make the Saints’ 53-man roster last summer. He was then picked up by the Carolina Panthers and started seven games before being waived again. Throckmorton then finished the season with the Tennessee Titans.

Broncos tenure: Denver signed Throckmorton this spring to add more depth to the offensive line. He has played primarily as a guard in the NFL, but Throckmorton could serve as a swing guard/tackle with the Broncos.

Chances to make the 53-man roster: Toss up. Throckmorton’s experience playing in Sean Payton’s offense could help his chances of making the squad. He is unlikely to start this year, but Throckmorton could win a backup role as an experienced, versatile lineman.

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Broncos roster series: No. 75, OL Quinn Bailey

Quinn Bailey is projected to serve as a backup swing tackle/guard for the Broncos this season.

Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at third-year offensive lineman Quinn Bailey, No. 75.

Before the Broncos: Bailey (6-6, 323 pounds) spent five years at Arizona State, emerging as a full-time starter in his third season. Bailey started 34 games during his time with the Sun Devils, playing primarily as a right tackle. He also spent time at guard. Bailey earned honorable mention Pac-12 All-Conference recognition in his final season in 2018.

Broncos tenure: After going undrafted, Bailey signed with Denver as a college free agent in 2019. He bounced between the practice squad and active roster from 2019-2022 before winning a spot on the 53-man roster last summer. Bailey dressed for all 17 games in 2023 as a backup swing tackle/guard. He made one fill-in start in each of the last two seasons.

Bailey has been with the team since 2019, but the NFL considers him a “third-year” player because he only has two accrued seasons (dressing for six or more regular season games in the same season).

Chances to make the 53-man roster: Likely. Bailey is not expected to win a starting job at training camp, but he should be a top candidate to serve as a backup swing tackle/guard in 2024.

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Broncos roster series: No. 74, OL Ben Powers

Entering his second season with the Broncos, Ben Powers will look to improve after allowing four sacks last fall.

Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at sixth-year guard Ben Powers, No. 74.

Before the Broncos: Powers (6-4, 310 pounds) entered the league as a fourth-round pick out of Oklahoma with the Baltimore Ravens in 2019. He spent his rookie season as a reserve player before emerging as a fill-in starter for seven games in 2020. Powers started 12 games in 2021 and then emerged as a full-time starter in 2022. He was penalized once in 2022 and did not allow any sacks, according to Pro Football Focus.

Broncos tenure: Following the best season of his career, Powers hit free agency and signed a four-year, $52 million contract with Denver. He allowed four sacks and was penalized three times in 2023, according to PFF.

Chances to make the 53-man roster: Lock. Powers is set to start at left guard for the Broncos again this fall. Barring injury, Powers is in no danger of losing his starting role ahead of the 2024 season.

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