Broncos possible O-line starters catch up with Stokley and Zach

The Denver Broncos offensive line is still coming together. One of training camp’s most significant battles is about a dozen players competing for five spots.

Two of those players are Quinn Meinerz and Calvin Anderson. And depending on who you ask, they both may be backups at this point. But Meinerz started nine games last year in his rookie season while Anderson got three starts in his sophomore season.

Meinerz and Anderson joined Brandon Stokley and Zach Bye on Monday on 104.3 The Fan live from UC Health Training Center.

“I think the offense as a whole; we’re making pretty good strides here already,” Meinerz said. “Five days in, and I think we’re already starting to gel. Usually, you see early in training camp that the defense is winning a lot more than the offense because it takes time to get that continuity together. And I like I think you already start to see and feel that we’re starting to gel together quickly.”

“I think because we were so detailed in OTAs in the spring, everything is popping back into the mental,” Anderson added. “We were on it like every little detail on the spring, and now it’s just popped back into the memory.”

Both players say they’re prepared for the changes coming to the offense. The big one for the being that the scheme will be outside zone.

“The new offensive system with this outside zone stuff, we can feel it working,” Anderson said. “All the details we put in the spring they’re coming out now, and that’s exciting to see, especially a week out from playing Dallas. I can’t wait to put this thing on people.”

Dallas will come to Denver for a preseason game on Aug. 13, but before that, the two will meet at Dove Valley for joint practices.

The big difference for both entering the game against the Cowboys compared to last year is their new signal caller Russell Wilson.

“I have a big opportunity ahead of me; I want to make a huge impact on this team,” Anderson said. “That requires me to be at my best day in and day out, to build and garner the trust of my teammates, especially Russ; I’m going to be protecting him.”

“He always talks about flipping the switch and knowing when to turn on the switch. So when he is coming towards the huddle, it’s flipped that switch instantly and listen to what he has to say and hanging on every detail,” Meinerz said. “He’s a very detail-orientated person. I’m trying to find every clue that he’s leaving behind.”

There was a moment during Monday’s practice where the offense was struggling, and Wilson stopped the team.

“Today, we weren’t practicing to our standard, and everyone could feel that that was happening,” Meinerz said. “And Russ goes to the offense, and he goes, he goes, ‘Hey, guys, we’re down 14. Let’s go out there and start scoring some points.’ Just basically saying we got to relax and refocus.”

Anderson said there’s additional help for the offense in having Nathaniel Hackett, an offensive coach, because he encourages explosive plays.

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