Ron Leary
Age: 30
2019 salary cap hit: $9.218 million
Years under contract: 2
When Ron Leary is healthy, he plays at a high level for the Broncos.
It was apparent the Broncos had made the right call giving Leary a big contract in 2017 free agency when he held down the right guard spot, but injuries have prevented him from playing a full season in his first two years with the Broncos.
Because there is still so much dead money on Leary’s deal, the Broncos gave him another year and he has to make good on that investment. He has the highest salary cap hit this year of any lineman on the team, including Ja’Wuan James who counts just $8 million against the cap by comparison.
Leary is a great all-around guard when he’s healthy, capable of shutting interior players down in pass protection as well as using his mean streak in the running game.
Will his powerful style be a fit for the zone scheme? That’s another big question. This is a huge year for Leary, however. He’s got to prove not only that he can stay healthy but that he can also play at a high level despite the injuries.