For the first time in years, Broncos offensive line is a team strength

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — By this time last year, the Broncos were about to utilize their sixth-different starting offensive-line combination. They were well on their way to making it an even 10 starting quintets by the end of an injury ravaged season.

Not a single offensive lineman made it through 17 starts without injury. And by the time the Broncos reached their ninth game of the season, eight-different players started on the offensive line.

This season, the Broncos rolled their same starting offensive line onto the field to open each of their first eight games. And barring a practice injury, left tackle Garett Bolles, left guard Ben Powers, center Lloyd Cushenberry III, right guard Quinn Meinerz and right tackle Mike McGlinchey will make it nine for nine next Monday night in Buffalo.

With health comes lineup consistency, and with that comes chemistry. Perhaps no position group in the field relies more upon chemistry than the offensive line. Keep a fivesome together, and — eventually — strong work usually follows.

And that is the case with the Broncos offensive line. As a collective, it appears to be in its finest state since Super Bowl 50.

“It’s a tremendous help for all of us to have as many snaps as we’ve had together,” Meinerz said. “There’s nothing that can replace those gameday reps together. And it goes into the work that we’ve all put in to keep our bodies healthy.

“It goes all the way back to the spring, when we were working out here, all of us were here together. We just have done a good job staying healthy. And it’s really important.”

The result was a dominant performance — particularly in run-blocking — in the Broncos’ last game before the bye, a 24-9 thumping of the AFC-leading Kansas City Chiefs.

“I think we’ve been building for that,” McGlinchey said. “I truly think that our group has been getting better and better every single week, and I’ve felt that way since we’ve been in OTAs.”

BRONCOS HAVE A ‘GREAT GROUP’ UP FRONT

“We have a great group,” McGlinchey said after the Broncos defeated the Chiefs. “A group that we really enjoy going to work with each other. We have a lot of fun. And we have two great coaches leading us in the O-line room.”

Those coaches — offensive-line coach Zach Strief and assistant-offensive-line coach Austin King — emphasize teaching and attention to detail. For the Broncos’ linemen, this combination works well.

“With Coach Strief, I’ve really learned how to move more efficiently,” Meinerz said. “I think that is something he did really well in his career, and I think that’s really helped me develop as a player, being more consistent, and that’s kind of been a common theme with me of trying to develop in the NFL, is to continue to grow in my consistency.”

Quinn Meinerz has learned quite a bit from Broncos offensive-line coach Zach Strief. “… I’m just being a lot more calculated with how I use my feet and how I use my hands and being more calculated with my decisions and everything else.” pic.twitter.com/G5VME9tmS3

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) November 8, 2023

And being consistent starts with taking a thinking-person’s approach.

“My rookie year, I had lots of highs and lows, and last year, it was starting to slim down a little bit,” Meinerz explained. “And now I’m just being a lot more calculated with how I use my feet and how I use my hands and being more calculated with my decisions and everything else.

The proof of the teaching is in the results. Meinerz appears on his way to getting a coveted contract extension after his rookie deal expires. Bolles is having one of his best seasons, as is Cushenberry. Powers has lived up to his surname. And McGlinchey appears to be rounding into form after a training-camp knee sprain and a rough opening act to the regular season.

For the first time in several years, the Broncos offensive line appears to be a core strength of the team. And it should only improve from here.

“We’re very, very lucky to have the group that we do,” McGlinchey said. “I think the sky can be the limit for us. We’ve just gotta keep after it, keep improving.”