New Denver Broncos offensive guard Evan Mathis has just two weeks to get ready for the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens, and he says he’s planning on being ready.
“Yeah, I think I’ll be up to speed,” Mathis said. “We’ll see, won’t we?”
Mathis’ impact on the Broncos’ offensive line cannot be overstated. On a one-year contract, Mathis is coming to the Broncos approaching the age of 34, but certainly not wearing down in his play any if you consider he’s been either the best or 2nd best guard in the NFL per Pro Football Focus Grades…
"The No. 1 priority in finding a new place to play was playing for a contender"http://t.co/yjrjUR2Jmp pic.twitter.com/ZPF53nePtv
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) August 26, 2015
Mathis’ incredible production led to a contract dispute with the Eagles this past offseason, a team that was at a crossroads with a lot of players. Philadelphia and Chip Kelly opted to move on, and so did Mathis. Mathis said after practice on Wednesday that when the Broncos came calling, it was something he simply couldn’t pass up on.
“The Broncos were a team that throughout this process, they weren’t really involved and kind of showed up late and showed some interest—a very enticing opportunity. Really made me think hard about it. There were just so many things about this team, the organization, the coaching staff that I just couldn’t avoid. I couldn’t turn it down. I had to be there.”
With Mathis, the Broncos have arguably the best combination of guards in the entire league. Not that Max Garcia wouldn’t have been able to hold down the fort, but adding a player like Mathis is an opportunity they couldn’t pass on for the price. Especially considering the ‘win now’ situation they are in.
.@EvanMathis69 was on the field but will be eased in.
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 26, 2015
@MaseDenver's Wednesday quick hits http://t.co/lcmUiF3XdR pic.twitter.com/kAPxOcC4Fb
Over the course of the last few months, Mathis has been released from the Eagles and trained on his own without a team for the first time in his NFL career. He said that was a bit of an interesting experience.
“Definitely a really, really weird experience this offseason and preseason compared to most. Every other year, I was part of everything the whole year. This year was after the season was over with, this is my first day back doing anything with a team. That’s a long time. I’m thankful for the time I was able to spend with my wife and two young daughters. We had a good time. I was able to put a lot of good work in. just down here to catch up mentally and get ready to go.”
All along, it seemed like the Broncos would be a fit if the price was right, but that was the problem. It seemed like Mathis was holding out for a $5.5 million deal, but apparently that wasn’t the case. He says the Broncos didn’t pop up in the ‘race’ for his services until late in the game, but when they did, he wasn’t caught off guard.
“Early on, I think there were a lot of people saying that it would be a good fit and a lot of people even asked me, ‘Are the Broncos in the mix?’ I was like, ‘No, they haven’t reached out yet.’ But it didn’t surprise me when they did. I’m really glad they did.”
And we’re glad as well.
Next: Ronnie Hillman climbing the RB depth chart
More from Predominantly Orange
- Broncos chances of landing Sean Payton dwindling, but not gone
- Denver Broncos dream coaching staff for DeMeco Ryans
- Denver Broncos: “Sleeper” David Shaw checks every box
- The Broncos’ coaching search likely has not gone to plan
- Special Chiefs Suck Offer: Bet $5, Win $150 if Joe Burrow Passes for ONE YARD vs KC