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2009 Offensive Line Analysis - Denver Broncos

2009 Projected Starters:
Left Tackle: Ryan Clady
Left Guard: Ben Hamilton
Center: Casey Wiegmann
Right Guard: Chris Kuper
Right Tackle: Ryan Harris

2008 Injuries:
None

2008 Statistics:

ALY (Adjusted Line Yards): It is an alternate measure for yards per carry developed by Football Outsiders that takes into account various factors including down, distance, situation and opponent.
Source: www.footballoutsiders.com

Overview:
The Broncos offensive line usually does not get as much credit as it deserves but there should not be any doubts that they were the best in the NFL in 2008. They allowed the fewest number of sacks with only 12 despite attempting 620 passes and also tied for second in the NFL with an average of 4.8 yards per carry. Since 2002, the Broncos have never rushed for under 4.4 yards per carry but that could change in 2009 with Josh McDaniels replacing Mike Shanahan as the head coach.

The retirement of starting left tackle Matt Lepsis, who had been the starter since 1999, opened up a hole on the line and it was filled admirably by 2008 first round pick Ryan Clady. In his first season in the NFL, Clady ranked first amongst left tackles with only 0.5 sacks allowed. Clady has good size at 6’6” and 325 lbs and is very athletic. He has quick feet which allow him to move laterally with ease and make him a very good pass protector. Clady was expected to be a solid pass protector but it was a nice surprise to see him perform so well in run blocking. He seemed to get much stronger last off-season in order to prepare for the NFL and it really paid off. Last season Clady was one of the best left tackles in the NFL but in order to receive the recognition he deserves, he will need to play a few more seasons at that level and most importantly, stay healthy. Starting at right tackle is the 24-year old Ryan Harris who surprised in training camp last year and won the starting job. Harris was a third round pick by the Broncos in 2007 but saw little action in his rookie year because of a back injury that bothered him throughout training camp and the first few weeks of the season. At 6’5” and 300 lbs, Harris is not particularly strong so he remains average in run blocking but his athleticism makes him hard to beat in pass protection. The top backup at tackle is another young guy, Tyler Polumbus, who was signed as an undrafted free agent last off-season. Veteran Brandon Gorin could also compete for that spot but he missed the entire 2008 season after suffering a shoulder injury so he remains a question mark.

At left guard, the Broncos will count once again on Ben Hamilton who started all 16 games last year after missing the entire 2007 season due to a concussion. Hamilton had not missed a single snap for the Broncos in five years until 2007. Hamilton is small at 6’4” and 290 lbs but has arguably the best technique of any lineman in the league. He has quick feet to stop defensive linemen from going around him and has the lower body strength to stay in front of them. Hamilton is an average run blocker because he does not have the strength to hold his blocks for a long time but it is not a problem as long as the running backs are able to find the hole quickly. Overall he is a very good guard but it remains to be seen how he will fit into the new scheme in Denver. Starting on the right side is another smaller-sized guard in Chris Kuper. Kuper is a 25 year old from Anchorage, Alaska who started 11 games at left guard in 2007 and then earned the starting job at right guard in 2008. He is a smart player who has the versatility to play guard or tackle. At 6’4” and only 300 lbs, he is not particularly strong but has pretty good athleticism so can be used as a guard who pulls to the outside to run block. He is another player who played very well under Mike Shanahan but it remains to be seen how he will perform this year. Adding depth at guard are this year’s fourth round pick Seth Olsen and former undrafted free agent Pat Murray.

Returning as the starting center for the second consecutive season will be Casey Wiegmann. The 35 year old lineman was signed as a free agent from the Kansas City Chiefs last off-season and started all 16 games in his first year with the Broncos. He is another small lineman at only 285 lbs but has quick feet and is a nice asset for this line. Wiegmann also has the ability to play both guard positions so could become a valuable backup if he gets beat by 2008 fourth round pick Kory Lichtensteiger. Lichtensteiger has excellent awareness, quick feet and plays with great intensity despite weighing in at only 295 lbs.

2009 Outlook:
The Broncos offensive line will bring back the same five starters as last year but there are still a number of question marks going into this season with new head coach Josh McDaniels. McDaniels made a lot of questionable moves with this offense and it is hard to predict how this prototypical Shanahan offensive line will perform. However, the good news is that McDaniels retained offensive line coach Rick Dennison and has not touched this line so far in the off-season. Depth is somewhat of a concern on this line since Polumbus, Olsen and Lichtensteiger are unproven while Gorin has not played since 2007. Overall this line has the same talent as last year but the number of sacks will probably increase with Kyle Orton at quarterback and the running game will be a question mark without Mike Shanahan.  

See all of our 2009 Offensive Line Analysis Articles