Broncos' O-Line Receives Elite Ranking Entering 2025 Season

The excellence of Denver Broncos' offensive line was one of the pleasant surprises of last season. The unit was solid in 2023, but no one expected the Broncos to be among the best in 2024, or even second-best, based on Pro Football Focus' rankings.

PFF's Zoltan Buday ranked the NFL's offensive line units entering the 2025 season, placing the Broncos as the second-best unit, behind only the Philadelphia Eagles. This ranking is in addition to placing first in ESPN's pass-block win rate and run-block win rate.

“All five of Denver's starting offensive linemen in 2024, each of whom logged more than 800 snaps, return for 2025. The Broncos' offensive line led the NFL with a 90.8 PFF pass-blocking efficiency rating last season, allowing only 110 pressures on 677 snaps," Buday wrote. "Right guard Quinn Meinerz has emerged as one of the best players at the position, highlighted by his 87.3 PFF overall grade, which ranked second among guards in the league last season."

Individual Rankings

There is ample evidence that the Broncos' offensive line performed exceptionally well last year, despite some issues with the overall offense. Before getting into it, let’s examine where each player ranks in overall offensive grade per PFF.

Out of 59 offensive tackles with at least 600 blocking snaps, Garett Bolles ranked 13th, with Mike McGlinchey at 28th. At guard, there were 60 players with at least 600 snaps, and Meinerz ranked second, with Ben Powers at 34th. At the center, there were only 30 players with at least 600 snaps, and Luke Wattenberg ranked 14th. 

This makes it a little easier to identify the Broncos' strengths and weaknesses on the offensive line. Meinerz, Bolles, and McGlinchey help lift the O-line's rankings. Meinerz is one of the best guards in the NFL, and the Broncos' tackle duo is likely a top-five tandem in the NFL.

Bolles and McGlinchey both have their issues, but they possess a clear strength that is a significant boost to the offensive line. Bolles is a high-quality pass protector, while McGlinchey is among the better run-blocking tackles in the NFL. 

The Broncos' two vulnerabilities upfront are Powers and Wattenberg. Powers is an acceptable starting left guard, but he's overpaid and could end up a cap casualty after this season.

The Broncos need Powers to make a significant step up in terms of his play. He was signed as a good run blocker, and he has been solid there, but not good enough to make up for his issues in pass protection. 

Meanwhile, Wattenberg enters the final year of his deal, and the Broncos may not be able to re-sign him if he does well. Currently, he's likely poised to garner around $6 or $7 million per year on average.

However, if Wattenberg improves as the Broncos need him to, he could demand $10 million or more per year. He's performed at a solid, but replaceable level, and while the Broncos need improvement, it could lead to his cost being more than they can afford, with other players needing to get paid. 

The Takeaway

As I've talked about this offseason, the continuity has helped the Broncos' offensive line. The team returns all of its starters, as well as its key depth players, including Alex Forsyth, Alex Palczewski, and Matt Peart.

The Broncos have a good offensive line, and hopefully, they can build on what they did last year. Offensive line play isn’t as volatile as it is with other units, but there is always a chance for it to drop off or even suffer injuries.

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While a lot is riding on Bo Nix for the team's success, the Broncos must win in the trenches. The O-line did well protecting Nix last year, but it can do even better. With upgrades at running back, hopefully the unit's run blocking won't be squandered as it was last season.