Without consistent protection, an entire offense can fall apart. Look at the New York Giants this season, where Daniel Jones is constantly under siege.
Teams can never have too many capable offensive linemen, especially when contending for a playoff spot.
But Garett Bolles and the Denver Broncos are nowhere close to being a contender. At least not this season, not after a 1-5 start.
Bolles has expressed frustration over not only this season’s struggles, but he’s also been in Denver since 2017, has become a second-team All-Pro selection yet has never made it to the postseason. At 31 years old, his patience is understandably wearing a bit thin.
Sean Payton was supposed to revolutionize the Broncos’ offense, hoping to get this Denver team back on the Super Bowl path they thought they were on following the Russell Wilson trade a year ago. But that hasn’t happened.
Now, we’re seeing the Broncos look ahead to next season, or just the future in general, with the departures of Randy Gregory and Frank Clark. But they may not be the only players who are on the move this season.
According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Bolles could be a name to watch as the Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline nears.
Bolles sounded like a player who wouldn’t turn down a change of scenery, noting a desire to compete. With just two years remaining on his contract, it’s possible Bolles gets his wish soon.
He holds a $17.8 million cap hit this season, and that increases to $20M next year, the final year of his contract. Yet, another team, ideally one closer to contention, could plug Bolles in as their starting left tackle right away while determining whether he’s a part of their long-term future. No matter what, Bolles holds value, and if the Broncos want to add more draft capital that helps them spark a quick turnaround next season, it may be wise to gauge trade interest leaguewide.
Related: NFL insiders expect Denver Broncos to trade Jerry Jeudy; Six potential trade fits