T.K.O.
07-03-2010, 08:24 PM
Posted June 30, 2010, 1:49 pm MT Broncos’ No. 1 concern in 2010By Mike Klis
Will the Broncos' season be upended with the injury to Ryan Clady? (Cyrus McCrimmon, The Denver Post)
The offensive line. Six months from now, it’s possible we’ll look back and say the Broncos’ season was doomed on a basketball court.
The serious left knee injury suffered by All Pro left tackle Ryan Clady in late-April is the primary question mark among several that accompany the offensive line heading into training camp. Besides Clady’s injury _ which is supposed to be healed in time for the Broncos’ regular-season opener Sept. 12 at Jacksonville but no earlier — the Broncos are also counting on right tackle Ryan Harris to heal from big toe surgery and veteran center Russ Hochstein to recover from major knee surgery.
Replacing Clady is Tyler Polumbus, the former Cherry Creek High School and University of Colorado standout who started eight games in place of Harris at right tackle last season. In Hochstein’s absense, the Broncos have been playing rookie J.D. Walton, a third-round draft pick out of Baylor, with the first-team offense. At left guard, the Broncos will start either rookie Zane Beadles, a second-round pick from Utah, or second-year player Seth Olsen, who essentially was redshirted as a rookie last season.
The only offensive line position without reason for worry is right guard, where Chris Kuper’s consistency was recently rewarded with a five-year contract extension.
The good news about the Broncos’ offensive front is it will be the beefiest in team history. All starters and projected backups will weigh at least 300 pounds. The quality of the collective beef, though, is worth monitoring.
Will the Broncos' season be upended with the injury to Ryan Clady? (Cyrus McCrimmon, The Denver Post)
The offensive line. Six months from now, it’s possible we’ll look back and say the Broncos’ season was doomed on a basketball court.
The serious left knee injury suffered by All Pro left tackle Ryan Clady in late-April is the primary question mark among several that accompany the offensive line heading into training camp. Besides Clady’s injury _ which is supposed to be healed in time for the Broncos’ regular-season opener Sept. 12 at Jacksonville but no earlier — the Broncos are also counting on right tackle Ryan Harris to heal from big toe surgery and veteran center Russ Hochstein to recover from major knee surgery.
Replacing Clady is Tyler Polumbus, the former Cherry Creek High School and University of Colorado standout who started eight games in place of Harris at right tackle last season. In Hochstein’s absense, the Broncos have been playing rookie J.D. Walton, a third-round draft pick out of Baylor, with the first-team offense. At left guard, the Broncos will start either rookie Zane Beadles, a second-round pick from Utah, or second-year player Seth Olsen, who essentially was redshirted as a rookie last season.
The only offensive line position without reason for worry is right guard, where Chris Kuper’s consistency was recently rewarded with a five-year contract extension.
The good news about the Broncos’ offensive front is it will be the beefiest in team history. All starters and projected backups will weigh at least 300 pounds. The quality of the collective beef, though, is worth monitoring.