With Billy Turner back, what will Broncos offensive line look like?
Now that Billy Turner is seemingly back and healthy, what should we make of his future along the Denver Broncos offensive line?
He was signed in free agency to compete for the right tackle position, but rumors developed within Broncos Country that he could also slide inside at guard. Now that he is back practicing with a few weeks left before the start of the 2022 season, how will the team eventually incorporate him along the line?
I would argue that he is going to start on the line somewhere; he is arguably the team’s most talented offensive linemen– he’s an above-average right tackle, adequate on the inside, and his overall ability to play both in and out makes him extremely valuable.
He did spend time in Green Bay with Nathaniel Hackett, so there’s obviously a huge connection here. I think it’s worth wondering where he will end up playing. Well, we know for a fact he won’t be playing left tackle. He’s never played that side before and the team has Garett Bolles for those duties.
We know he won’t play center– he’s never played that position, even if the team did not want to start Lloyd Cushenberry, they have Graham Glasgow who can play center.
That leaves both guard positions and right tackle.
I think right guard is out of the question. I think Quinn Meinerz has all but solidified that position. Even though Dalton Risner might be more talented and has held left guard down for longer, I have a feeling that the Broncos have fully endorsed Quinn Meinerz at right guard.
You just get the feeling that he’ll be at that position for years to come. I really do not think under any circumstance we see Billy Turner playing right guard, unless there’s an injury.
Dalton Risner has held down the left guard spot since 2019, and a return to the zone blocking scheme seems to be helping him. I was in favor of the team replacing Risner, but again, I get the feeling that the team feels perfectly satisfied with him there.
Right tackle seems to be the most likely spot for Turner to play. As I mentioned above, he is simply too talented to not be starting along the Broncos’ offensive line.
While many are excited to see if Calvin Anderson can be the long-term right tackle, he was essentially unofficially named RT1 because there wasn’t legitimate competition at the position.
Now that Billy Turner is back for the Broncos, I think we quickly see him settle into right tackle. That was his main duty in Green Bay, and I think the coaching staff wants to keep the Bolles-Risner-Cush-Meinerz group together so they can continue to grow within each other.