Denver Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles was rumored to have been on the trading block during the 2023 offseason. And when the Broncos opened the regular season at 1-5, Bolles was one of many players tapped as a trade chip to parlay into a full rebuild.
But now it's a lot harder to suggest that Bolles should be traded. He's having a quality season, one in which the Broncos may have to think about — dare I say it — extending him.
Bolles is coming off another good game, this time against Cleveland Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett. Garrett may have injured his shoulder at some point (though he never left the game), but Bolles' play against a top pass rusher deserves praise.
However, Denver's win over the Browns wasn't the only game Bolles has played well in. He's been one of the Broncos' most consistent offensive linemen this season in terms of quality play from week to week.
Over the Cap's contract valuation metric puts Bolles at a valuation of nearly $16 million through Week 11, meaning that's how much he's worth per season based on his play. When you consider Bolles is getting $14M this season, the Broncos are actually getting a good return on that investment.
There were concerns about how Bolles would play after he suffered a broken leg. However, nothing about his play suggests that the injury has affected him much.
Though Bolles isn't an elite offensive tackle, he's a good one, and while it's not always advisable to keep veterans around for too long, there are two exceptions to the rule: quarterback and offensive tackle. Both positions are ones in which it's possible for quality players to be worth keeping for longer periods of time.
Bolles is due $15.75M in base salary in 2024, but the Broncos could give him an extension to tie him to the team through 2025. However, Denver could get out of the deal in 2026 if necessary.
That could be done through a contract that fully guarantees his 2024 money and puts some guarantees into 2025. Bolles' cap number could be lowered through an extension, allowing the Broncos to keep this gelling offensive line together.
While the 2024 offensive tackle draft class does have some good prospects, at the rate things are going for the Broncos, there's no guarantee they'll be able to get a top prospect. Drafting a swing tackle would be well advised, but it's not a given Denver would find another starter if it moved Bolles.
And while the Broncos will need to make some tough decisions about the roster going into 2024, regardless of how the rest of 2023 unfolds, it's ideal to have stability on the offensive line. Thus, it's preferable to keep Bolles, so long as he's playing at the level he is.
And let's give the man some credit. It wasn't long ago people had no compunctions about expressing their doubts about Bolles, given the comedy of penalties he drew. Remember the Garett 'Holds' memes? The broken leg he suffered last season only opened the door to more questions about his future with the Broncos.
But just as Bolles eventually answered the critics about his initial play, he's answered the questions about his health from last season. He's doing more than enough to warrant remaining a part of the Broncos for the foreseeable future.
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