Denver Broncos: UDFA offensive linemen getting a golden opportunity

The Denver Broncos are known for their ability to keep and develop undrafted players, but this year’s offensive linemen have a particularly golden chance.

Death, taxes, and the Denver Broncos finding undrafted free agent gems.

The Broncos have a very long, successful history of developing undrafted free agents, so the question is not merely if any among the 2019 crop will make the roster and find their way into Broncos history, but who or even how many?

As is often the case, the best opportunities for undrafted free agents are at positions of greatest weakness or positions where depth is needed on the roster, and the Broncos have some depth issues on the offensive line this offseason.

Therefore, if it wasn’t clear before, it should be clear that the Broncos’ top undrafted free agent offensive linemen stand a pretty good chance of seeing their dreams of cracking an NFL opening day roster become a reality.

Ty Walden already took a look at five UDFAs this year who have a good chance of making the roster, and he included one of the Broncos’ top rookie UDFA offensive linemen (Quinn Bailey) among his selections.

Here’s a look at the list of offensive linemen the Broncos signed after the 2019 NFL Draft:

Quinn Bailey, T, Arizona State
Ryan Crozier, C, Connecticut
Nathan Jacobson, OT/G, UNLV
John Leglue, OT/G, Tulane

All of these guys have one thing in common — a ton of experience.

Whatever their athletic limitations were athletically that led them to being undrafted in 2019 no longer matter. They are now in camp where the Broncos have a pretty solidified starting five of:

LT: Garett Bolles
LG: Dalton Risner
C: Connor McGovern
RG: Ron Leary
RT: Ja’Wuan James

Outside of that starting five, the Broncos’ depth is thin to say the least.

With Ron Leary making his way back from an Achilles injury, journeyman veteran Don Barclay has been working in with the ‘top’ unit.

The Broncos drafted Sam Jones out of Arizona State in the sixth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, and he’s expected to factor in at guard if need be.

They lost interior lineman Nico Falah who was poached from the Jets’ practice squad last year to injury at OTAs.

Elijah Wilkinson started some games for the Broncos in 2018, but it’s somewhat telling that he wasn’t the one taking reps at right guard with Leary still recovering.

Austin Schlottmann returns after spending all of last year on the practice squad, and he has experience all over the line but will be an interior player if he makes the roster.

By my count, the Broncos really have no swing tackle unless they believe that guy is Wilkinson. They have no clear backup center behind McGovern. They have a 2018 draft pick with some promise and a veteran who signed a reserve/future contract in his 30s backing up the guard spots.

It’s safe to say that if the Broncos’ starting offensive line suffers any kind of injury, they could be in some trouble. I’m not even sure I’m overly confident in the current 6th man, whoever that may be.

With that said, I am not trying to be overly critical of the Broncos’ offensive line depth (although it’s a valid concern) and I have the utmost confidence in Mike Munchak’s ability to develop guys, but I’m saying no one should be surprised if one or more of these UDFA offensive linemen are able to crack the roster.

These guys were good starters in college, but for whatever reason didn’t have draftable qualities.

It’s tough to find NFL-ready players on the offensive line at the college level nowadays, but the Broncos had better be hoping they found at least one beyond Dalton Risner.