Tag: offensive tackle

Broncos roster series: No. 79, OT Matt Peart

Broncos 27-year-old lineman Matt Peart is likely competing for a backup tackle/guard role this summer.

Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at fifth-year offensive tackle Matt Peart, No. 79. 

Before the Broncos: Peart (6-7, 315 pounds) first made a name for himself at UConn in college, where he played from 2015-19, starting 48 games. As a result of his outstanding work on the line, he was drafted in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft by the New York Giants. Peart dressed for 43 games in the NFC East, getting seven starts in his four years with the Giants.

Broncos tenure: After playing out his rookie contract with the Giants, Peart was signed by the Broncos this offseason to a one-year contract.

Chances to make the 53-man roster: Toss up. Peart’s time with the Giants may not have been the most eye-popping, but there is a talent here. Peart may be looking at time as a swing guard/tackle in 2024. There are some injury concerns, however, as Peart missed most of 2022 with an ACL tear. He’ll get a chance to compete for a spot this summer.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=482983128]

Broncos roster series: No. 78, OL Will Sherman

Entering his third year with the Broncos, Will Sherman will aim to win a backup tackle role at training camp this summer.

Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at first-year* offensive lineman Will Sherman, No. 78.

Before the Broncos: Sherman (6-4, 300 pounds) entered the league as a sixth-round pick out of Colorado with the New England Patriots in 2021. He spent most of his rookie season on the practice squad, playing six snaps on special teams in his lone appearance. The following year, Sherman failed to make New England’s 53-man roster and was cut after training camp.

Broncos tenure: Denver signed Sherman to its practice squad after he was waived by the Patriots in 2022. Sherman was promoted to the active roster late in the season but did not play. He returned in 2023 and spent the entire season on the Broncos’ practice squad.

*Sherman has been in the NFL since 2021, but he does not have an accrued season (dressing for at least six regular-season games in a season), so the league lists him as a first-year player.

Chances to make the 53-man roster: Toss up. Sherman will be competing for a backup swing tackle role this summer. His competition will include Quinn Bailey, Alex Palczewski, Frank Crum, Matt Peart and Demontrey Jacobs. Competing at a crowded position, Sherman’s best chance to stick around in 2024 will likely be on the practice squad.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

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.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

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.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Broncos roster series: No. 73, OT Frank Crum

Broncos undrafted rookie Frank Crum has a shot to win a spot on the 53-man roster this summer as a backup swing tackle.

Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at rookie offensive tackle Frank Crum, No. 73.

Before the Broncos: Crum (6-7, 315 pounds) spent six years at Wyoming (he had a redshirt freshman season and an extra year of eligibility granted from COVID-19). He started 11 games from 2019-2020 before emerging as a 13-game starter in 2021. He started at right tackle for 12 games in 2022 before moving to left tackle in 2023. He earned first-team All-Mountain West Conference recognition following his final season last fall.

Broncos tenure: NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein projected Crum to be a sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft, but the tackle surprisingly went undrafted. He was one of the top UDFAs available and Denver signed him in May. Crum will compete for a backup OT spot this summer.

Chances to make the 53-man roster: Decent. Crum has a real shot to make the active roster as a backup swing tackle. The Broncos carried four backup offensive linemen last season, including tackle Cam Fleming and swing guard/tackle Quinn Bailey. Fleming remains an unsigned free agent and Crum might be a candidate to fill his backup OT role in 2024.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Broncos roster series: No. 72, OT Garett Bolles

Broncos veteran left tackle Garett Bolles is entering a contract year this fall.

Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at eighth-year offensive tackle Garett Bolles, No. 72.

Before the Broncos: Bolles (6-5, 300 pounds) went on an LDS Church mission right after high school and then spent two years at Snow College, a junior college in Utah. After standing out at the NJCAA level, Bolles committed to the University of Utah in 2016. After earning first-team All-Pac-12 Conference recognition with the Utes, Bolles declared for the NFL draft and entered the league as a 25-year-old rookie.

Broncos tenure: Denver added Bolles with a first-round pick in the 2017 NFL draft. He struggled early in his career, costing the team 32 penalties through his first three seasons. Bolles then had a breakout season in 2020, earning second-team All-Pro recognition after not allowing any sacks in his fourth season. Bolles has not committed double-digit fouls since 2019 and he has allowed nine sacks over the last four years, a big improvement after allowing 14 sacks in his first three seasons.

Chances to make the 53-man roster: Lock. Bolles is safe as the team’s left tackle going into the 2024 season, but his long-term future is uncertain. The 32-year-old veteran is scheduled to become a free agent in 2025 and it remains to be seen if the Broncos plan to give him an extension.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Broncos roster series: No. 71, OT Demontrey Jacobs

After spending last season on the practice squad, Demontrey Jacobs will compete for a backup spot on Denver’s offensive line this summer.

Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at first-year offensive tackle Demontrey Jacobs, No. 71.

Before the Broncos: Jacobs (6-6, 315 pounds) spent three seasons at Grambling State, beginning with a redshirt season in 2017. After starting 22 games for the Tigers from 2018-2019, Jacobs transferred to USF ahead of the 2020 season. Thanks to his redshirt season and an extra year of eligibility from COVID-19, Jacobs was eligible to play three seasons with the Bulls.

Jacobs started one game at left tackle in 2020 before taking over as the full-time right tackle for 12 games in 2021. He started all 12 games again in 2022, ending his college career with 47 starts between two colleges.

Broncos tenure: Denver signed Jacobs as an undrafted free agent last spring and he spent his rookie season on the practice squad. He is entering his second season with the Broncos, but Jacobs did not appear in any games and did not earn an accrued season last fall, so the NFL lists him as a “first-year” player.

Chances to make the 53-man roster: Toss up. It remains to be seen how many backup offensive tackles Denver carries on the active roster this year. Jacobs won’t be a favorite, but he’ll get a chance to win a spot this summer.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Broncos roster series: No. 69, OT Mike McGlinchey

Entering his second year with the Broncos, right tackle Mike McGlinchey will look to bounce back after an underwhelming season last fall.

Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at eighth-year offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey, No. 69.

Before the Broncos: McGlinchey (6-8, 315 pounds) entered the league as a first-round pick out of Notre Dame with the San Francisco 49ers in 2018. McGlinchey started all 16 games in his first season and made the PFWA All-Rookie Team. The following year, McGlinchey missed four games due to injury.

McGlinchey started all 16 games again in 2020, but he missed half of the 2021 campaign with a torn quadriceps. In the final year of his contract with the 49ers, McGlinchey started all 17 games in 2022.

Broncos tenure: Denver signed McGlinchey to a five-year, $87.5 million contract last offseason. He started all but one game and allowed six sacks in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus.

Chances to make the 53-man roster: Lock. McGlinchey’s right tackle job is safe, in part because the Broncos would lose $39.1 million if he’s cut. The 29-year-old veteran enters his second year in Denver as a lock to make the team.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Broncos roster series: No. 63, OT Alex Palczewski

After spending most of last season on injured reserve, Alex Palczewski will compete for a backup spot on the offensive line this summer.

Broncos Wire’s 90-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at second-year offensive tackle Alex Palczewski, No. 63.

Before the Broncos: Palczewski (6-6, 314 pounds) spent six years at Illinois, gaining an extra year of eligibility from COVID-19. He earned honorable All-Big Ten honors in 2018 and 2021 before being named a first-team All-American in 2022. Palczewski did not allow a single sack in his final season, ending his college career as a team captain with an FBS-record 65 starts. He started 49 games at tackle and 16 games at guard during his time with the Illini.

Broncos tenure: Palczewski was not picked in the 2023 NFL draft and opted to sign with Denver as a college free agent. After initially making the 53-man roster, Palczewski was placed on injured reserve with a hand injury. He was activated from IR for the team’s season finale but did not play in the game.

Chances to make the 53-man roster: Likely. The Broncos have Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey returning as their two starting tackles, but Palczewski seems likely to make the squad as a backup in 2024.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Check out this film of new Broncos OT Frank Crum

Frank Crum was one of the top UDFAs available this spring. Here’s film from his time at Wyoming.

The Denver Broncos added another front-range son to their 90-man roster after the 2024 NFL draft when they signed University of Wyoming left tackle Frank Crum as a college free agent.

Crum (6-7, 315 pounds) was a big presence protecting passers for college football’s Cowboys from 2018-2023. A Laramie, Wyoming native, Crum decided to play for his hometown college after a solid high school career.

In six seasons, Crum played a total of 43 games, making him one of the most experienced college football veterans on the Broncos’ current roster.

During his time at Wyoming, Crum was instrumental in helping two Cowboy running backs break 1,000 rushing yards in a season: Xazavian Valladay (2019, 2021) and Titus Swen (2022)). Wyoming also was ranked No. 17 in the nation in rushing offense in 2020.

Check out his film below:

Crum was one of the top UDFAs available this spring, but he is still going to be a long shot to make the 53-man roster in 2024. The Broncos have gone out in recent offseasons to pay for veteran offensive linemen like Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers. He’ll face an uphill battle, but if Crum performs well, he could carve out a backup role on the Denver offensive line.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]