Most of the Broncos’ 2017 position battles ended last weekend along with the end of training camp and preseason.
On offense, Trevor Siemian held on to the starting quarterback position he earned last season; an outcome that was reinforced by an unfortunate injury for Paxton Lynch. First round pick Garret Bolles sustained his early lead and locked down the starting job at left tackle, as expected. And nothing really changed at tight end, while nothing really got any clearer there either. Both the running back and wide receiver position groups featured close competition for roster spots behind the starters.
On defense, the big surprise was a position battle few realized was happening as the combination of a lingering injury to pro bowl strong safety T.J. Ward and the rising potential of 2nd year safety Justin Simmons led to Ward being one of the biggest names included among roster cuts around the league. Elsewhere, the starters are still starters and we saw some intriguing play from young players and recently signed free agents along the defensive line.
But there’s actually still one position battle continuing into the regular season. According to the Broncos’ Week 1 depth chart, as of September 4th, the starter’s spot at Left Guard is up for grabs.
That -or- is pretty significant. It means that Max Garcia, possibly the weakest of the current o-line starters and 1 of 2 remaining starters from 2016, has some serious work to do if he wants to keep the job.
His main competition, as noted in the depth chart, is former Eagles guard Allen Barbre. Despite being a backup for most of his career with the Eagles, Barbre evolved into a starter at LG during his last two seasons there and graded out as a quality starter in 2016. Pushed out by 2016 3rd round pick Isaac Seumalo, it took just a 2019 7th round pick for John Elway to acquire the potential Broncos starter.
But Barbre isn’t the only competition breathing down Garcia’s neck. The format of the depth chart doesn’t show it, but second year Guard/Center Connor McGovern is poised to make a run at the starter’s spot as well.
“Connor has done a great job. He's carried us because Matt's [Paradis] been out for an entire spring and some of training camp. Connor's done a great job playing center and now playing some guard. He's competing for playing time. I've been really proud of him.” - Broncos Head Coach Vance Joseph
Many fans doubted McGovern when he didn’t see the field even once as a rookie, but after a strong training camp and preseason filling in as the first team Center he has the look of a possible long term solution somewhere on the O-line. Playing center in the NFL is not an easy task, and filling in as well as he did makes me think McGovern may potentially be a future fan favorite.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out over the next week or two. I don’t think head coach Vance Joseph will wait much longer to choose an official starter at LG for the season. Cohesion along the offensive line is a premium commodity, so dithering won’t benefit the team. Don’t be too surprised if the first week or two of the season features players rotating in and out at left guard.
Poll
Who wins the starting job at Left Guard?
This poll is closed
-
5%
Max Garcia will hold off his challengers.
-
58%
Allen Barbre will deliver like he did in 2016.
-
36%
Connor McGovern just won’t be denied.
Thanks for reading! Scroll on down for today’s...
Horse Tracks
Von Miller named one of five Broncos captains for 2017
Von Miller will serve as a captain for the first time.
Von Miller's step-by-step guide to sacking a quarterback
The All-Pro explained the detailed steps that lead to recording a sack.
Broncos' back Williams wants more than a well-paid practice squad player
Jonathan Williams became the beneficiary of a multi-team bidding process.
SportsNation -- Projecting the Denver Broncos' season
How do you see the top storylines surrounding the Broncos playing out? Cast your vote now.
What will Broncos do with Brock Osweiler once Paxton Lynch returns?
What will happen to Brock Osweiler once Paxton Lynch is healthy enough to play this year? Will the Denver Broncos carry three quarterbacks?
For more daily Broncos news, give The Strongside Blitz newsletter a try.
NFL News
NFL picks 2017, Week 1: Experts see wins for the Patriots, Packers
Our panel of "experts" returns to pick every single game this season, starting with Week 1.
Michael Bennett: Las Vegas police threatened to ‘blow my f*cking head off’
The Seahawks defensive end says he experienced violence at the hands of Las Vegas police.
Las Vegas police respond to Michael Bennett’s claims of excessive force
The LVPD is opening an internal investigation.
Malcolm Jenkins and Anquan Boldin explain goal of NFL's anthem protests
Two of the NFL’s biggest activists talk about the changes they would like to see made.
Richard Sherman stands up for Colin Kaepernick, despite disagreeing with how he protested
Sherman thinks there are better ways to get a message across than protesting during the national anthem.
Myles Garrett injures ankle, may miss extended time for Browns
Further proof the Browns can’t have nice things.
NFL Panic Index 2017, Week 1: Is it already too late for the Colts?
Andrew Luck is out for who knows how long, which is bad news for Indianapolis. And sorry, Falcons fans, but the memes will never die.
’Hard Knocks’ 2017 recap: 6 best moments from the season finale
As the Buccaneers play their final preseason game, stars like Jameis Winston and Mike Evans rest while fringe players fight for a place on the 53-man roster.