The Denver Broncos need to closely monitor Riley Reiff’s situation.
The Denver Broncos’ offensive line is certainly not set in stone heading into the final week before roster cuts are made, and one situation that needs to be closely monitored by John Elway and the front office is that of Minnesota Vikings tackle Riley Reiff.
Hearing the Vikings have gone to LT Riley Reiff about re-structuring his contract. If he’s not willing, they may cut him to save more than $8M in cap space.
— Chad Graff (@ChadGraff) August 31, 2020
Sounds like it may not have been a fluke that Brian O’Neill was at LT at practice yesterday.
The Denver Broncos could have had Reiff on their trade radar as soon as Ja’Wuan James opted out of the 2020 NFL season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The team decided to sign veteran Demar Dotson as a potential replacement for James instead, and Dotson has only recently started taking some snaps with the starting offensive line.
At the team’s training camp scrimmage at Empower Field at Mile High on Saturday, right guard Graham Glasgow injured his ankle and the team called it a sprained ankle after the practice.
After the day off on Sunday, Glasgow was not present at Denver Broncos practice on Monday morning.
I don't see #Broncos starting right guard Graham Glasgow on practice field. He sprained his ankle on Saturday. #Denver7
— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) August 31, 2020
Vic Fangio will have to update the media on that situation after practice as best he can, but if Glasgow is seriously hurt, that is enough cause to sound the alarm for the Broncos on the offensive line again here in the 2020 offseason.
James opting out already puts the Broncos in a situation where they need to re-shuffle things pretty significantly, but an injury to Glasgow really opens up a new can of worms.
Austin Schlottmann has been working as the top center at times and one of the primary backups at right guard, so it’s possible he and Elijah Wilkinson would make up the right side of the Broncos’ offensive line.
It’s also possible the Broncos could move Elijah Wilkinson back to right guard and just push Demar Dotson into the top right tackle spot as well.
One way or another, if Riley Reiff has the potential of being cut by the Minnesota Vikings, he’s a guy who has history with Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and is someone the Broncos tried to sign in free agency back in 2017.
Reiff can play either the right or left side, and you’d certainly feel a lot more comfortable with him even playing guard if Graham Glasgow has to miss significant time than some of the alternatives.