Only three members of the Broncos’ offensive line remains from before Mike Munchak was hired to coach the group: Garett Bolles, Elijah Wilkinson, and Nico Falah. The first two are set to compete for a starting job at left tackle as they play out expiring contracts. The latter merely hopes to make the roster after an injury derailed his 2019 before it got underway.
Per source, G-C Nico Falah did suffer Achilles tear. He's out for season. He was on Broncos' 53-man roster for final 10 games last year but was never activated on game day. #9sports https://t.co/j2T7VUKnVy
— Mike Klis (@MikeKlis) May 14, 2019
Nico Falah’s profile
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 301 pounds
Age: 25 years old
Experience: 3
Undrafted out of USC in 2018, the Broncos are the third team of Falah’s short career. He’s also been a member of the Tennessee Titans and New York Jets. Acquired from the Jets’ practice squad during the 2018 season, Falah suffered a torn Achilles’ tendon on the first day of OTAs last season. He started 26 games at center during his college career for the Trojans, but to date has not logged a snap in a regular season NFL game.
The Good
I expect the Broncos to carry eight to ten offensive linemen and even with the addition of Lloyd Cushenberry and Graham Glasgow, there is room for an interior offensive lineman to stand out among a mostly unproven group. Patrick Morris, Austin Schlottman, and Tyler Jones represent insurmountable obstacles to the roster.
One thing that could go a long way to help Falah is his ability to step in and play both center as well as guard. Even with an expanded roster there will be a premium on versatility from backups along the offensive line.
The Bad
More and more 2020 looks like the worst possible situation to be on a roster bubble, which is exactly where Falah finds himself. Cushenberry and Netane Muti were recent draftees, while Morris and Schlottman started games in 2019. So far Falah’s had little to no snaps in front of Munchak to win him over and between the injury and COVID-19, it’s going to be difficult to come in and impress in what looks certain to be an abbreviated offseason.
Nico Falah’s roster status with the Broncos
It’s hard to say, really. Falah represents as big an unknown as you get in today’s NFL. Achilles injuries are not insurmountable, but represent a tough injury for a 300 lb man to recover from in a normal year. Hopefully Falah was not hurt too badly by the shutdown and able to continue his rehab and training so he can push the rest of the interior lineman.