The Denver Broncos selected Boise State offensive lineman Kage Casey with the 111th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, bringing in a versatile lineman to their current group. The Broncos' offensive line was arguably the best in all of football last year, and all of their starters are, at worst, league average. The duo of Garett Bolles and Quinn Meinerz is among the truly elite in the game, leading an incredible group for the Broncos.
Offensive line coach Zach Strief has quickly become one of the best in the game at his job, and his group is truly elite. Despite how good this unit is, questions are rising for more than half of the Broncos' current starters.
Meinerz and center Luke Wattenberg are young and locked into long-term deals, but the other three starters have some form of a question mark. For Bolles, it is nothing more than his age getting up there. Mike McGlinchey is entering the back half of his free agent contract in Denver while also crossing the 30-year-old mark. For guard Ben Powers, the questions are louder than ever.
Powers missed half of the season last year, is entering the final year of his deal, and it was actually a moderate surprise that he was not a cap casualty this offseason. Instead, the Broncos will see through the end of his contract with the team. It is unlikely the team retains him after this year anyway, but this comment about Casey from Broncos Co-Director of Player Personnel Cam Williams could all but make that official.
New Denver Broncos offensive lineman Kage Casey could immediately threaten a key starter's job
In a quick one-on-one with team media, Williams made a quick, but important, comment on offensive lineman Kage Casey: "We think he can play guard, maybe even center long-term."
On Kage Casey: "We think he can play guard, maybe even center long-term." https://t.co/R4EZAbxlBw
— Sayre Bedinger (@SayreBedinger) April 26, 2026
The Broncos do not have major or pressing needs on their roster, giving them the leeway to be far more forward-thinking with their draft class than other teams. They attacked several positions with starters heading into contract years, such as tight end, and appear to have done so with the guard position as well.
With Powers potentially entering his final season in Denver, Casey now becomes the immediate favorite to become the starting guard opposite Meinerz heading into the 2027 season. Alex Palczewski has proven to be solid depth, but the Broncos' opting to keep him on the bench in 2026 is a strong indicator of their opinion of him as a mainstay at left guard.
Casey might also be the closest thing the NFL will have to a positionless offensive lineman: he played tackle at Boise State, the Broncos believe he can play center in the NFL, and he is most likely an offensive guard long-term. Considering how physical he is, it wouldn't be a shock at all to see him immediately fit in with the Broncos and their mauling mentality up front. The Broncos have built an identity with Meinerz and Bolles to finish through blocks and be the more physical group in the trenches, and Casey might fit right into that.
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