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Denver Broncos: Offensive tackle Darrin Paulo claimed off waivers

By Travis Wakeman

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 7: Offensive lineman Darrin Paulo #77 of the Utah Utes and offensive lineman Jordan Agasiva #79 of the Utah Utes look to block during the first half of an college football game against the Stanford Cardinal on October 7, 2017 at Rice Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 7: Offensive lineman Darrin Paulo #77 of the Utah Utes and offensive lineman Jordan Agasiva #79 of the Utah Utes look to block during the first half of an college football game against the Stanford Cardinal on October 7, 2017 at Rice Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) /
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The Denver Broncos are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to the offensive tackle position.

On Sunday, the team was awarded offensive tackle Darrin Paulo off waivers from the New Orleans Saints. Paulo was waived on Saturday after the Saints brought in defensive end T.J. Carter.

Undrafted out of Utah, Paulo was on the back end of the Saints’ roster and was not expected to make the team. He will now come to Denver in the same role, but with far less time to impress as the league will ask teams to get down to the roster limit by September 5.

But it is interesting that the Broncos keep bringing in so many offensive tackles. It speaks to the fact that it is a shaky spot for the team, so the Broncos could be looking to acquire as many resources as possible, even if it is just to stash them on the practice squad.

The tackle spot was a big question mark  entering the offseason as the two guys slated to be the starters were Garett Bolles and Ja’Wuan James.

Bolles has struggled mightily in his young career and has often drawn the ire of many fans in the process. James has a lengthy injury history and then chose to opt out of the upcoming season.

Since then, the Broncos have been scrambling to make sure that all bases are covered.

Elijah Wilkinson is going to get every chance to be the starter, but the argument that he is a better fill-in tackle or spot-start guy than he is an every-week starter makes plenty of sense. If he proves that he can’t handle the job, veteran Demar Dotson will get the shot and could easily be the team’s Week 1 starter.

But the Broncos know that depth is necessary and that is why Paulo was brought in.

Paulo made starts at  both tackle spots at Utah in college where he was a teammate of Bolles. He also started all 14 games for the team last season, helping him garner All-Conference honors.  He gives the team another potential swing tackle though he will likely be battling for one of the spots on the practice squad.

The Broncos also made another move on Sunday, signing veteran linebacker Mark Barron.

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