Decision 3: Keeping (these) nine offensive linemen
The Broncos kept three quarterbacks, a fullback, and nine offensive linemen.
Talk about skimping at the playmaker positions.
Though keeping nine offensive linemen is not a shocking development, it’s interesting considering Cyrus Kouandjio was not among those nine linemen.
The guy who stepped in as Garett Bolles’ primary backup all offseason played well this preseason, and looked good in the 2017 season finale before being released.
He hasn’t yet been picked up by any other team, so perhaps he didn’t look as good as we thought, but Kouandjio is likely to get another job offer somewhere in the league after the tape he put out with Denver.
The Broncos, instead, decided to keep Elijah Wilkinson and Billy Turner as the backup tackles, since they can also flex around and play offensive guard. Kouandjio could have played right or left tackle, but the Broncos felt like they had enough guys that could flex between center, guard, and tackle that Kouandjio’s expertise at tackle was not necessary for their rotation.
The team may only dress seven linemen on gamedays, making this decision (combined with the decision to keep three quarterbacks) very odd.