Denver Broncos: Top 15 first-round draft picks of all time

Most people tend to remember Ryan Clady more for the slew of major injuries that brought his NFL career to an quick-yet-ugly end. However, despite the health issues, we simply can’t ignore the monumental impact the offensive tackle had during his days in Denver.

When healthy, Clady was a franchise left tackle. In today’s NFL, those are few and far between. What was all the more impressive is how he was the model of consistency throughout his first five seasons, during which he started all the possible 80 games. His efforts resulted in four Pro Bowl and three All-Pro selections — not too shabby for a young offensive tackle.

Then, things took a turn for the worst. Clady suffered a Lisfranc injury in 2013, limiting him to only two appearances. He bounced back strong in 2014, earning what would be his final trip to the Pro Bowl that year. Then, in 2015, he tore his ACL during OTAs, costing him an opportunity to play for that season’s championship Broncos squad.

After a short stint with the New York Jets, Clady hung up his cleats for good.

It may not have been a perfect ending to his career, but Clady was damn near perfect for six seasons. As short as that may sound, I can assure you the Broncos enjoyed every moment of having the outstanding blind side blocker on their roster. We may have even been talking Pro Football Hall of Fame some day if his health hadn’t have deteriorated so quickly…