The Denver Broncos have a few starting jobs up for grabs on the offensive line in 2022. What could the starting lineup look like on opening day?
As we get into the dog days of the NFL offseason, one thing that is going to be fun to do is to think up and dream up the different personnel groupings the Denver Broncos could have for the 2022 season.
If recent years are any indicator, we might see some (or all) of these lineups anyway.
Specifically, we’re going to take a look at the Denver Broncos’ offensive line for the 2022 season.
As of this present moment, it really feels like only two spots are locked in with different starters and those are the left tackle and right guard positions, which will be occupied by Garett Bolles and Quinn Meinerz respectively.
That would leave left guard, center, and right tackle available for competition over the course of the next couple of months. Let’s take a look at some of the different potential combinations we could see as the competition shakes out.
Denver Broncos OL combination no. 1: The incumbents
LT: Garett Bolles
LG: Dalton Risner
C: Lloyd Cushenberry
RG: Quinn Meinerz
RT: Calvin Anderson
One of the options for the Denver Broncos in a starting five offensive line is just to roll with the incumbents.
Obviously, that doesn’t exactly apply to Calvin Anderson at the right tackle spot, but he did play there some last year and in 2020 and he is the highest-paid tackle on the roster besides Garett Bolles.
The question right now is — is this the ideal option for the Denver Broncos?
That is a great question.
Can Dalton Risner keep his starting left guard position? Is it even as “up in the air” as it appears from the outside looking in?
At the center spot, is Lloyd Cushenberry a better fit for this offense or the previous one?
I think Anderson is undoubtedly a good fit for this offense in terms of athleticism and length, but he was a player that was beloved by the previous regime. Obviously, the new staff liked what he put on tape and the Broncos re-signed him for $2.5 million to come back in 2022.
This group would represent the most ‘homegrown’ lineup the team could put together, which is extremely appealing.
Denver Broncos starting offensive line option 2
LT: Garett Bolles
LG: Netane Muti*
C: Lloyd Cushenberry
RG: Quinn Meinerz
RT: Billy Turner*
Another option along the offensive line for the Denver Broncos includes a couple of changes from the first option, which I’ve put a * by.
At the left guard position, Netane Muti takes the place of Dalton Risner. More than I think anyone realizes at this point, I think a demotion out of the starting lineup would be a bit more of a heartbreaker for the fans than anyone is really leading on.
I know the assumption based on Netane Muti’s power and strength is that he’s not a great scheme fit for a zone type of offense, but I think we’re going to have to wait and see on that one.
In the reps we’ve seen Muti have to pull and get out in space, he seems to do a rather good job overall.
At the right tackle position in this alignment, we have veteran Billy Turner.
The Broncos obviously brought in Turner to play a starting role. At least, that has to be the hope, right?
Turner has started at a variety of positions in the NFL and could be a candidate for a couple of spots for the Broncos this Summer.
Overall, I think this lineup would be a solid one especially if a player like Muti can really establish himself as a viable long-term starter, something many Broncos fans have been hoping for since he was drafted back in 2020 out of Fresno State.
Denver Broncos starting offensive line option 3
LT: Garett Bolles
LG: Dalton Risner
C: Luke Wattenberg*
RG: Quinn Meinerz
RT: Calvin Anderson
This lineup would be fascinating for a variety of reasons. Let’s first address the fact that this lineup only has one change compared to the first one with all the incumbent players on it.
That one change is at the center position where rookie Luke Wattenberg is inserted in place of Lloyd Cushenberry.
But not only that, he’s in this lineup instead of Graham Glasgow, the veteran interior swingman who has been a starter at right guard and figures to compete at center this offseason.
This alignment would also mean that Dalton Risner would have proven himself more worthy of a spot in the starting lineup at left guard than Glasgow, who may also be a candidate to start there.
Let’s make the case for Wattenberg, because (spoiler alert) this is the only lineup I’ve included him as a starting option.
Wattenberg is a truly elite-level athlete for an interior offensive lineman.
#9 IOL #RAS 2022
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 13, 2022
Luke Wattenberg is a OC prospect in the 2022 draft class. He scored a 9.59 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 23 out of 532 OC from 1987 to 2022. https://t.co/vqzNnFEla3 #RAS pic.twitter.com/wcwduyBki2
Putting a player like Wattenberg in tandem with another elite RAS player like Quinn Meinerz would really allow the Broncos to do some damage out in space in the running game.
Based on the fact that Wattenberg also has extremely long arms (34 inches) for the center position, I’m also not so sure the Broncos are eliminating the possibility that he could play tackle at some point.
We’ll have to wait and see there.
Denver Broncos starting offensive line combination no. 4
LT: Garett Bolles
LG: Tom Compton*
C: Graham Glasgow*
RG: Quinn Meinerz
RT: Billy Turner*
I think a lot of fans would have mixed feelings regarding this offensive line group.
On the one hand, it’s a veteran group, and you like to see that. On the other hand, it’s about the least ‘homegrown’ you can possibly assemble for the Broncos in 2022.
Having Tom Compton, a free agent signing, stepping in as a starting left guard would be disappointing on a number of levels. It would mean that the Broncos deemed him the best player at a position where multiple young guys should be competing to start.
Graham Glasgow at the center position would be bittersweet. Obviously, the Broncos paid him a lot of money to come in as a free agent in the 2020 offseason and he has had a tough time staying healthy his first couple of seasons with the team.
On the other hand, Glasgow starting at center would mean that he beat Lloyd Cushenberry out for the job, which would effectively declare the end of Cushenberry in Denver barring a scenario where Glasgow is hurt, Cushenberry has to step in, and he does incredibly well.
Billy Turner at right tackle remains arguably the best option as of right now. I think Calvin Anderson earning the starting job there would be the best case scenario.
Denver Broncos starting offensive line combination no. 5
LT: Garett Bolles
LG: Billy Turner*
C: Graham Glasgow*
RG: Quinn Meinerz
RT: Calvin Anderson
On one hand, this offensive line grouping looks pretty good on paper.
On the other hand, it’s not the best possible alignment when considering the potential ends this could spell for some of the younger guys on the offensive line.
Billy Turner taking Dalton Risner’s starting left guard spot would be a tough pill to swallow.
Graham Glasgow taking the starting center position from Lloyd Cushenberry wouldn’t be a terrible thing considering both guys have two years left on their contracts.
One thing about this offensive line group to love would be Calvin Anderson winning the starting right tackle job. If Anderson can secure that job in 2022, it might be his for the foreseeable future.
The Broncos would obviously have a ton of enviable depth in this scenario but they could also use some of their guys as trade bait for other teams depending on which players prove to be scheme fits for the wide zone offense being installed in 2022.
There are certainly other options than these five that exist, including some options that don’t include Bolles or Meinerz barring injury, but there’s no doubt in my mind that the ideal option for the Broncos is either option no. 1 or option no. 3, which are both completely homegrown groups of five players.
Ranking the top 10 moves by the Denver Broncos in the 2022 offseason
The Denver Broncos have made a plethora of roster moves in the 2022 offseason. We rank the top 10 signings, trades, and draft picks so far.
Those alignments would allow the Broncos to keep the veterans on the roster as inexpensive and very valuable depth for the grind that is a 17-game regular season.