Broncos OT Duo's Five Toughest Matchups on 2025 Schedule

The Denver Broncos' offensive line was one of the best in the NFL in 2024, with two good offensive tackles in Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey. The Broncos' tackle duo faced some ferocious competition last season, and 2025 will be no different, with a slate of elite pass rushers hungry to pummel quarterback Bo Nix.

Bolles and McGlinchey must battle to keep Nix upright if the Broncos are to make another playoff run. Let's examine the toughest pass-rushing matchups Denver's tackle duo will face this season.  

Will McDonald IV & Jermaine Johnson | New York Jets | Week 6

McDonald and Johnson are young and hungry to decimate the competition. Unfortunately for Johnson, his 2024 season was cut short, as he only played in two games before suffering an Achilles tear, but he made the Pro Bowl in 2023 with a 7.5-sack season.

McDonald notched 10.5 sacks last season and shows no signs of slowing down heading into 2025. McDonald’s length and explosiveness, paired with Johnson’s strength and athleticism, make them a formidable duo. McGlinchey and Bolles will have their hands full early in the season.

Brian Burns | Abdul Carter | Kayvon Thibodeaux | New York Giants | Week 7

If a pass-rushing duo wasn’t scary enough, a trio is a certified nightmare. Burns is one of the league's most underrated pass rushers, with 54.5 sacks in his career, using his quickness and burst to fly past or blow through offensive tackles. 

Thibodeaux has some character concerns, but on the field, he’s all business with 21 sacks through three years, utilizing his strength and high motor to take down quarterbacks. That duo is already terrifying on their own, but the Giants tripled down, adding Penn State's Carter with the third overall pick.

Carter has a blend of suddenness and instincts that solidified him as a top-three pick, and his 23 sacks and 41 tackles for a loss in college are very imposing. Bolles and McGlinchey must do their best Superman impression if they wish to slow down the bullet trains coming off the edge in New York.

Micah Parsons & Dante Fowler Jr. | Dallas Cowboys | Week 8

Parsons has been one of the best edge rushers in the NFL since he was drafted, with at least 12 sacks in his four seasons in Dallas (52.5 total). His trinity of burst, agility, and athleticism makes him a problem for any offensive tackle trying to restrain him.

Opposite Parsons, Fowler had his best season in terms of sacks since 2019 with 10.5 last year. The former third overall pick may not have lived up to his draft pedigree, but he’s still a force off the edge using his length and strength to get the job done. Whoever is tasked with blocking Parsons will have a rough day, to say the least, and Fowler is not to be slept on.

Danielle Hunter & Will Anderson Jr. | Houston Texans | Week 9

Hunter and Anderson may be the toughest matchup on Denver’s schedule and possibly the best tandem in the league. In nine years, Hunter has tallied 99.5 sacks, while Anderson has had a strong start to his career with 18 sacks and the Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2023.

Both men possess great size and athleticism, allowing them to bend the will of any offensive linemen. The ferocity with which they push through and around offensive tackles is paralyzing, putting a massive strain on the quarterback to get rid of the ball quickly.

The Texans' defense lives off their pass rush, and the duo of Hunter and Anderson will cripple any offense that takes even a moment to breathe.

Josh Hines-Allen & Travon Walker | Jacksonville Jaguars | Week 16

Many Broncos fans may overlook the Jaguars as they’ve had a hard time finding success overall, but Hines-Allen and Walker are a very underrated duo. Walker has finally found his footing after being selected first overall back in 2022. He has 24 sacks in his three-year career, using his violent hands and huge frame to barrel through the opposition.

Allen has amassed 53 sacks over six seasons, with his highest mark coming in 2023 with a whopping 17.5 takedowns. This Jacksonville tandem is very underrated and could pose significant problems for Bolles and McGlinchey if they underestimate them, as NFL fans seem to have. 

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Bolles and McGlinchey have a gauntlet of elite pass rushers throughout 2025 that will test them at every snap. Both men must remain disciplined to keep Nix’s jersey clean and do their part to ensure the Broncos are contenders this season.