Many NFL analysts did not view the Denver Broncos' offensive renaissance in the second half in London, in tandem with the unfortunate injury and exit of center Lloyd Cushenberry III, as a coincidence.
Cushenberry went down with a groin injury at the end of the second quarter vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars. While it wasn't perfect coming out of the half, the Broncos' offensive line played significantly better with Graham Glasgow at center.
It begs the question: will Cushenberry miss time?
“Lloyd—he is going to miss some time with a groin strain," head coach Nathaniel Hackett said on Tuesday. "Everybody else, we are continually evaluating. But Lloyd, we will be without [him] for a couple of weeks.”
The Broncos are currently on their bye, which will be followed by the tough task of going on the road to take on the Tennessee Titans in Week 10. To win at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, a team has to be able to run the ball and control the point of attack.
Because Cushenberry lacks power and strength as the pivot, the Broncos haven't been able to establish a run game with any modicum of consistency, especially since RB1 Javonte Williams was lost for the season in Vegas. When Cushenberry is on the field for a designed running play, it's difficult for the ball-carrier to secure the hand-off, find the hole, or a cut-back lane, when the center is immediately blown off the ball and into the backfield on a rep-in, rep-out basis.
In Year 3, Cushenberry has proven that his failure to launch is no outlier. He isn't cut out for the strength of NFL defensive lines. An offensive line is only as strong as its weakest link, which explains why the Broncos' starting five has been so putrid.
When it comes to starting NFL centers, Cushenberry is the seventh-worst, based on Pro Football Focus' grading system. In this particular case, Cushenberry's 56.2 overall grade is commensurate with the eye test. He might be ranked No. 26 by PFF, but there's an argument to be made that he's the worst starting center in football.
Far be it from me to kick a player while he's down, but it only took a couple of games to deduce that a big reason for the Broncos' inability to run the ball and protect quarterback Russell Wilson was the center. For weeks now, I've been pounding the table for the Broncos to bench Cushenberry for Glasgow, especially once Quinn Meinerz returned to the starting lineup at right guard.
With Cushenberry out of the equation in the second half at Wembley Stadium, suddenly, left guard Dalton Risner no longer had to keep one eye on his assignment, and another on the center's. Risner could focus on his man, which led to a precipitous improvement in performance.
Fans have been disappointed in Risner's play in a contract year, and while he isn't blameless, constantly having to cover for Cushenberry's weakness and inability to sustain blocks and win reps, has seen the former 2019 second-round pick flounder at left guard. With Cushenberry sidelined, look for Risner's performance to continue trending upward.
Cushenberry was Denver's third-round pick back in 2020. The former LSU National Champion carried with him some high hopes and expectations when he arrived in Denver, but Cushenberry has failed even to come close to meeting them.
Considering that he had Mike Munchak for his first two years as a pro — one of the most venerated O-line coaches in the NFL (who Hackett dismissed for Butch Barry *shocker*) — Cushenberry's failure to develop into even a plausible starting center is all the more glaring. It's unfortunate that it took an injury to a player for the right interior combination to get on the field, but it could end up being a big blessing in disguise as the Broncos gear up for a stretch run post-bye.
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