After years of manning the left tackle spot in Denver, Garett Bolles could find himself on a new team in 2024. Not only is Garett Bolles the oldest player on the Broncos starting offensive line, but he's got just one more year left on his deal and could command a contract extension this offseason. Bolles has certainly earned it, but there are some issues.
The team already has Ben Powers and Mike McGlinchey on large contracts. Center Lloyd Cushenberry is a free agent, and stud right guard Quinn Meinerz is eligible for an extension. I do think the Broncos are going to have to say goodbye to one of Bolles or Cushenberry this offseason, and it could be Bolles.
He is older and will be more expensive than Cushenberry. Denver could trade their long-time left tackle, but where?
3 new teams for Broncos tackle Garett Bolles in 2024
1. Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns might be a perfect landing spot for Garett Bolles. The Browns have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. The unit features Wyatt Teller, Joel Bitonio, and Jack Conklin. The team has not gotten consistent play from their left tackle, Jedrick Wills, who was a first-round pick in 2020.
I could see a scenario where the Browns and Broncos swap players, and maybe the Browns could also include a draft pick in return, as Wills is not as good as Bolles. The Broncos would get a young left tackle who still might be able to develop, and the Browns would get some stability at the position. Bolles would likely finally get to experience some winning football.
2. Green Bay Packers
Long-time Packers left tackle David Bakhtiari has played a total of 13 games over the last three seasons and just cannot stay healthy. I think the Packers are going to part ways with him this offseason, as his cap hit balloons to $40 million, and that just is not a feasible number for a tackle who has barely played. The Packers rolled with second-year tackle Rasheed Walker in 2023. The seventh-round pick was playing like you'd expect a seventh-round pick to.
The Packers benefitted from a miraculous in-season development from Jordan Love and rode that all the way to the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs. Now, all of a sudden, the young Packers offense is in a position to make a huge jump in 2024. The team is paying virtually no one on that side of the ball, so they have a ton of room to spend and make a push. Garett Bolles would be a logical trade for the Packers. Jordan Love would get some much-needed protection on his blindside, and Bolles himself would likely get to enjoy a team that is going to compete for a division title in 2024.
3. New England Patriots
A team that is certainly going through a ton of change is the New England Patriots, who were uncharacteristically bad in 2023, so much so that they earned the No. 3 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, which is not only high enough to land an elite left tackle prospect but also an elite QB prospect. Obviously, the QB is much more important, and I think the Pats would be wise to simply stick at No. 3 and select a QB, unless they want to trade into the first two picks if possible.
This coud then prompt them to select a left tackle later in the NFL Draft. They could do that and still consider trading for Garett Bolles. The Pats could start their rookie signal-caller Week 1, and giving him a solid blindside protector would be a huge plus. New England is flush with cap space, so they can easily make the trade happen.