Broncos Training Camp: What would Jake Long signing mean?
The Denver Broncos have made a habit of it in John Elway’s time leading the front office, and apparently 2015 is no different. Reports have surfaced that Jake Long is visiting the Broncos on Thursday as veterans report for training camp, and we all know what happens when a free agent comes to town and John Elway wants his man.
At or near the start of training camp, Elway has brought in veteran players who ended up playing key roles on every one of his teams since pulling triggers for the Denver Broncos when it comes to the roster.
In 2011, he brought in Willis McGahee, who wound up making the Pro Bowl. Granted, the free agent period and training camp were all wound up into one big, tangled web that year due to the lockout, but it still counts.
The next season, Elway brought in Jim Leonhard, a safety who ended up with a key reserve role on the defense and a major role on special teams. He also brought in Keith Brooking, who started the majority of the season for the Broncos at inside linebacker.
In 2013, Elway signed Ryan Lilja to compete for a starting offensive line position but wound up cutting him before the regular season started. In late-August, Elway did sign Paris Lenon, another defensive player who started a lot of games for the Broncos and played a key role on that side of the ball.
Last season, the Broncos didn’t make any big name additions at or near training camp, but they were mostly healthy last year at this time as well. That, and Elway had just come off of the 2nd biggest free agent period of his tenure (Peyton Manning signing ranks 1st).
This offseason, it look like Elway could pick things up again by signing the former number one overall pick out of Michigan, though Long’s health is a serious concern that teams are looking at. As of this point in time, he’s visited with the Falcons and Giants, making the Broncos his third known visit since spending the offseason recovering, readying himself for a comeback after his most recent knee injury.
So what would this potential signing mean for the team?
The Broncos currently have at least two-deep at both tackle positions with whatever combination of Ty Sambrailo, Chris Clark, Michael Schofield, and Ryan Harris they choose. Sambrailo and Schofield are both recent top 100 picks by John Elway, guys who should be expected to be in the lineup sooner rather than later.
Clark is a solid swing tackle who played very poorly on the right side for the Broncos last year but filled in for Ryan Clady phenomenally the year before.
Harris, who most recently started at right tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs, probably wouldn’t be affected one way or another about the possibility of Long signing unless the Broncos plan on putting Long on the right side.
The biggest issue I might take with this is, unless he’s really not ready, you would hope the addition of a player like Long wouldn’t immediately put rookie Ty Sambrailo on the bench. I’m not opposed to rookies sitting on the bench and learning, but I would also much prefer Sambrailo learn on the job.
The coaches obviously know more than I do.
At any rate, the possibility of adding a player of Long’s caliber excites me, provided he’s healthy. When he’s healthy, he’s one of the best left tackles in the league. The obvious caveat to that is that he’s rarely healthy. The Broncos will host him on Thursday, find out how he is health-wise, and hopefully make the right decision for the team.