Another day, another hot free agent rumor regarding the Denver Broncos has surfaced.
The theme? Upgrading the offensive line. It's no surprise, but seems to reinforce General Manager John Elway's statements at the NFL Combine yesterday and another report that the Broncos are among the front-runners for free agent guard T.J. Lang. Unquestionably, the franchise is positioned to make a serious move for an impact lineman (or two) in order to fortify a unit that ranked as one of the league's worst in 2016.
According to reports from Benjamin Allbright and Ethan Young, the team is interested in and covets free agent left guard Ronald Leary, formerly of the Dallas Cowboys.
I am told the #Broncos ARE interested in a former Dallas player...
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) March 2, 2017
...former #Cowboys OG Ronald Leary.
Some interesting things I've heard so far at the Combine:
— Ethan Young (@NFLDrafter) March 2, 2017
1. The Broncos covet Ronald Leary. He's a top priority for them.
Those reports were further supported when long-time Cowboys insider Mike Fisher tweeted statements that back up those claims. According to Fisher, Leary is one of the Broncos' top four targets on the offensive line in free agency. It would seem that Andrew Whitworth and the aforementioned Lang would be two of the others.
My question is, who could the fourth be?
by time #Broncos chart FA priority list (not counting #Romo,), a deserving @RonLeary75 will be one of their top 4 O-line targets
— mike fisher ✭ (@fishsports) March 2, 2017
In respect to Leary, he is ranked by ProFootballFocus as the sixteenth best free agent of 2017 and the fourth ranked free agent guard. Their statistics show Leary did not surrender a single sack in 2016 and was one of the primary reasons why the Cowboys' rushing attack with Ezekiel Elliott was so effective.
Leary has been a starter for the Cowboys for the past four seasons and one of the best left guards in the NFL, but does have some concerns — mostly in regard to injuries. He went undrafted in 2012 because teams were concerned about a degenerative condition in his left knee. Furthermore, he missed a significant amount of time in 2015 due to a lingering groin injury from training camp that inhibited his play.
Leary might not be as good of a player as Kevin Zeitler or T.J. Lang, but will likely have his fair share of suitors and command top dollar on the market. However, when healthy, Leary is one of the most dominant guards in the NFL and would provide an immediate upgrade at a position of need for the Broncos.
Stay tuned to Mile High Report for the latest rumors and reports coming from the NFL Combine. We are glad to have you with us.