Getty Images Former San Francisco 49ers RT Mike McGlinchey celebrates after beating the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Denver Broncos have struggled finding a solid right tackle since the team moved Orlando Franklin over to left guard in 2014.
On August 8, Broncos right tackle Mike McGlinchey went down with a knee injury during practice. Per James Palmer, the former San Francisco 49er got rolled up during a 9-7 period, but did walk off the field into the locker room with a trainer.
While speaking with the media on August 9, Broncos head coach Sean Payton announced that McGlinchey suffered a knee sprain. The injury will keep Denver’s right tackle out a couple of weeks, per Palmer.
Denver signed McGlinchey in the offseason to a five-year $87.5 million deal with $50 million of it guaranteed. This deal makes thee 28-year-old a top-five paid right tackle in the NFL.
McGlinchey Has Struggled in Training Camp so Far
Since the beginning of training camp, McGlinchey missed some time with a personal matter, but when he’s been on the field, he’s made some concerned.
On August 2, former Broncos wide receiver Brandon Stokley went on his radio show and talked about how he feels after watching McGlinchey.
“Nervous, scared that we [Broncos] made possibly the worst mistake that we’ve made at that position in a decade.” Stokley continued, “You a pay guy that much, expectations are that he’s a dude. I’m not going to see Nik Bonitto [Broncos linebacker] just put a spin move on him and he barely touched Bonitto. That’s not Khalil Mack, that’s not [Nick] Bosa, that’s not Chris Jones, so I’m just concerned.”
During the same conversation, Stokley’s co-host, Zach Bye, explained that he has seen McGlinchey, “Jumping offsides almost every single practice or false starting rather. I’ve seen him hang on his back in the first live period today. Not ideal.”
McGlinchey Has Sky-High Expectations for Denver’s OL
In 2022, the Broncos not only had one of the worst offensive lines in football, but they had arguably the worst offensive line in team history.
The Broncos gave up 63.0 sacks in 2022 which tied the franchise record for most sacks allowed in a season dating back to 1963. This made the Broncos realize that they needed to upgrade at left guard and right tackle.
McGlinchey thinks things will be different in a good way for the Denver offensive line this season.
“I think the skies could be the limit for our group. We have two guards that are as big and quick and powerful as probably anyone in the NFL. I certainly believe in the two tackles that we have here that we can be upper echelon and always playing to be the top in the league. Lloyd [Cushenberry] is doing a great job so far too.”
Last season Denver lost their All-Pro left tackle Garett Bolles to a broken leg after appearing in just five games. The Broncos were also hoping that Billy Turner was going to be more impactful, but he only appeared in eight games after suffering a knee injury.
In the offseason, the Broncos knew they needed to upgrade the offensive line, so they went out and signed Ben Powers to play left guard and McGlinchey to play right tackle. Combined, the Broncos spent $81 million guaranteed on the two free agent offensive linemen.