CBS Sports: Denver Broncos Activates Their $87.5 million offensive lineman To Practice Ahead Of Saints Game
On Thursday night, the 3-3 Denver Broncos will play their seventh regular season game of the 2024 season in Caesars Superdome in Louisiana against the 2-4 New Orleans Saints. Sean Payton is making his New Orleans debut after leaving as head coach at the end of the 2021 campaign. Following the 2022 season, Payton was traded by the Saints to the Broncos.
The Saints’ 22nd-ranked defensive line vs. the Broncos’ 10th-ranked offensive line in the battle of the trenches is an important matchup to keep an eye on throughout the game. Through six games, the Broncos’ offensive line has allowed 43 pressures, 16 QB hits, and nine sacks, while the Saints defense has been responsible for 52 pressures, 13 QB hits, and 15 sacks.
Given that Denver’s top two tackles are out with injuries, it will be intriguing to watch who gets the start at right tackle. They haven’t had their veteran play since Week 2.
Since Week 2, the $87.5 million RT Denver Broncos have not played.
During their Week 2 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Mike McGlinchey seemed to have a knee injury in the fourth quarter, missing the team’s final two offensive plays. According to tests, he had an MCL sprain of Grade 2, which usually requires four to six weeks to heal. Consequently, McGlinchey was placed on injured reserve by the Broncos prior to Week 3, and he has missed the team’s last four games.
Now that four weeks have elapsed, he is qualified.
The group unlocked his window of practice.
The Denver Broncos declared on X that Baron Browning and Mike McGlinchey will be returning from injured reserve. Before McGlinchey can be activated from injured reserve by the Broncos, he needs to practice with the club for 21 days. He will miss the remainder of the season if he doesn’t practice during that window of time or if the team decides not to activate him.
Although McGlinchey took part in practice on Tuesday in a limited capacity, it seems doubtful that he will play in Week 7 due to its short duration. In the worst case, he sits out the following week and returns in Week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens, or he doesn’t play until their Week 8 game against the Carolina Panthers.
His backup is likewise severely damaged.
In Week 4, his backup had an ankle injury.
For the third, fourth, and fifth weeks, Alex Palczewski played right tackle in place of the injured Mike McGlinchey. But in the second half of their Week 5 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, Palczewski appeared to have injured his ankle, and he did not play again. According to tests, he missed their Week 6 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers due to a severe ankle injury.
Palczewski was considered a limited participant by the Broncos on Monday, and he took part in practice on Tuesday as a limited participant. It’s uncertain if he will perform on Thursday evening. It’s possible that the squad won’t have access to its top two right tackles.
If neither of them can start, who does?
At right tackle, Matt Peart will start in the event that Alex Palczewski or Mike McGlinchey are out. Palczewski was out, and Peart made his starting debut for the Broncos with a strong showing. He had an 81.7 PFF grade, a 90.0 run block, and a 71.1 pass block according to PFF.
