The Broncos have reached the point where the offensive line can’t keep skating by on reputation or paycheck. After a season of shaky run production and a trade deadline that brought no real help up front, Sean Payton finally sounded ready to put the line under the microscope.
Payton’s comments came in a TV interview with Colin Cowherd on FS1, and Denver Post columnist Troy Renck pointed to them as a noticeable shift. The coach used his usual dry edge first, saying there’s “still some yellow tape around the offense” and that it remains a work in progress. Then he got much more pointed about the protection and run blocking against the Kansas City Chiefs, saying “we didn’t block them very well.”
That kind of honesty matters because this is Payton’s group. He’s the one who committed the money to the offensive line, and it clearly wasn’t easy to say the quiet part out loud. Still, he also noted that the Broncos have “plenty of depth in the offensive line,” which sounds a lot like a hint that changes are on the way.
The numbers back up the frustration. Denver sits 31st in conversion rate and 28th in yards per carry, and those are the kinds of rankings that eventually force a coach to stop waiting for things to smooth out.
Renck singled out guard Ben Powers as one possible change point, and he suggested backup/swing lineman Alex Palczewski should get a shot at left guard. He also took aim at center Luke Wattenberg, calling him inconsistent and saying he’s had too many errant shotgun snaps that have disrupted quarterback Bo Nix’s timing.
That’s a lot to sort through, and wholesale changes still seem unlikely. Renck also mentioned tackle Mike McGlinchey, who has been banged up for most of the season and has played like it.
The bigger issue is that this line was built to protect Nix, but Denver may need to rethink how it’s using the group. The Broncos lean on short passes to avoid negative plays, and Renck also said the offense has “too many schemes” as it mixes gap/duo approaches with wide zone concepts.
However Denver handles it, the message is clear: what the Broncos have been doing hasn’t been enough. The bye week gives them time to sort it out, and a softer matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders gives them a chance to see how far they’re willing to go with the changes.
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