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Broncos roster review: Offensive lineman Calvin Anderson

Is Anderson the secret heir to Garett Bolles?

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: SEP 15 USC at Texas
Could the former Owl and Longhorn carve out a niche with the Broncos?
Photo by John Rivera/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Even the most optimistic in Broncos Country will find the long term tackle situation a bit shaky.

Both Garett Bolles and Elijah Wilkinson are playing on contracts that expire in 2021. Ja’Wuan James health makes him no certainty going forward. There’s a distinct possibility both edges of Drew Lock’s long term line aren’t on the roster.

There’s also a chance the next blind side protector has been hidden on the roster since last October.

Calvin Anderson’s profile

Height: 6-foot-4

Weight: 300 pounds

Age: 24 years old

Experience: 1

The Good

If the Broncos are looking for a prospect who has played on the blindside, Anderson should offer promise. He played left tackle at both Rice and Texas during his career and showed off the kind of quick feet required to survive in the league. He’s also showed hints that he’d be a reliable contributor in the run game.

Many of the rough edges in Anderson’s game could be ironed out with technical improvement under Mike Munchak, such as his hand placement and pass sets.

The Bad

There are plays Anderson was beat at Texas because he was too slow out of his stance, and he’ll get eaten alive if he carries that habit into NFL games. He lacks the physical tools and technical proficiency to make up for a bad start. Anderson’s 33 1/8” arms are shorter than what most line coaches deem acceptable for tackles in the NFL. The hope has to be he got stronger with a year of professional strength and development program, as it lead to some balance issues with the Longhorns.

What they said

Calvin Anderson OT Texas - Draft Player Profile | The Draft Network

Calvin Anderson has the potential to be an effective power tackle in the NFL. His limitations in hip mobility will hinder his ceiling as a pass protector but Anderson has ample length to mask these issues if he’s able to optimize his pass set and get better depth in his deep sets. Anderson is a plus drive blocker with enough functional athleticism to warrant consideration as a potential starter in the long term. Will require a strong OL coach to draw out his abilities, however.

Scouting Jets UDFA Calvin Anderson - Gang Green Nation

Anderson athletic potential is good, but it’s going to be challenge for him to make the physical and technical improvements that he’ll need to be able to hold his own against NFL-level opposition.

Calvin Anderson’s roster status with the Broncos

Much like Tyler Jones, Anderson is in for a tight race to make the roster. The thing that gives him an advantage over Jones and many of the other competitors is that he has the physical tools to intrigue as a developmental tackle option. Munchak has groomed multiple UDFA prospects in the past, after all.

Could Anderson be next?