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The Denver Broncos won their third straight game with a 34-18 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, and they did it short-handed.
Starting right tackle Mike McGlinchey has missed the last three contests, sidelined by a knee injury and on injured reserve. Unfortunately for the Broncos, his backup, Alex Palczewski suffered an injury of his own in Week 5.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero updated Palczewski’s status after the game.
“#Broncos RT Alex Palczewski is believed to have suffered a high-ankle sprain in today’s win over the #Raiders, per source. X-rays were negative. More testing to come Monday,” Pelissero reported on X on October 6.
Palczewski has received praise for his play while filling in for McGlinchey.
Palczewski signed a three-year, $2.7 million contract with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of Illinois in 2023. He was active for one game in 2023 but did not log any snaps.
Without him, an already thin position for the Broncos gets even thinner.
Alex Palczewski, Luke Wattenberg Broncos’ Latest OL Injuries
GettyHead Coach Sean Payton of the Denver Broncos.
“Matt Peart finished the game at right tackle,” 9News’ Mike Klis wrote on October 6. “Palczewski and center Luke Wattenberg, who went down after [Bo] Nix‘s 1-yard quarterback leap, left the stadium limping. McGlinchey is eligible to come off the injured list after the game next Sunday against the Chargers, although the following game is a shortened week, a Thursday night game against [Broncos head coach Sean] Payton‘s former Saints in New Orleans.”
The Broncos signed Peart in free agency during the 2024 offseason. A third-round pick in the 2020 draft by the New York Giants, Peart has logged seven of his 47 games played in his five-year career.
Palczewski is also listed as the top backup at both guard spots on the Broncos’ official depth chart essentially weakening them in two positions.
If needed, the Broncos also have rookie undrafted free agent Frank Crum on hand.
Bo Nix’s college teammate at Oregon, Alex Forsyth, is the next man up at center. Forsyth was a seventh-round pick by the Broncos in 2023 and competed with the more experienced Wattenberg for the starting job in training camp.
Palczewski is the Broncos’ second-highest-graded offensive lineman, per Pro Football Focus. Wattenberg ranks sixth in the group in overall grade.
He also has the third-best pass-blocking grade.
Broncos Could Turn to Old Friend in Free Agency Amid Injury Woes
GettyFormer Denver Broncos offensive lineman Billy Turner.
If Palczewski’s injury is serious and McGlinchey is not ready to return from IR when he is first eligible, the Broncos could turn to a familiar face to address the lack of depth behind the presumed fill-in starter, Peart.
Veteran offensive lineman Billy Turner has suited up for four different organizations, including three-plus seasons with the Broncos that were split between two stints.
Turner was with the Broncos in 2022, appearing in eight games and starting seven.
He was also with the Broncos for part of the 2016 season through 2018. With 77 starts in 105 appearances, Turner has plenty of experience that neither Peart nor Crum offers. Adding Turner might be wise even if the Broncos expect to return to full strength quickly.
They have already suffered several injuries up front and maintaining the offensive line is critical to rookie Bo Nix’s development.
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