Quick, name the last right tackle to start consecutive Week 1 games for the Broncos.
Whatever the first name is that popped to mind, you’ve probably got to go back further than that.
The answer: Orlando Franklin in 2012 and 2013.
Yeah, it’s been a while. The franchise has had a different man on the right edge of its offensive line in each of the past 10 season openers.
Denver hopes the streak ends at 11 with Mike McGlinchey, whom they signed to a five-year deal worth up to $87.5 million ($52.5 million guaranteed for injury) back in March.
Even then, the fickle nature of continuity in the NFL popped its head up early in camp when McGlinchey suffered a knee sprain. Midway through camp, he appeared to be on track to play in the Broncos’ season opener against Las Vegas.
The league’s changed over the course of that parade of right tackles. One of many: Right tackles are viewed as much more important — and a much worthier investment — now than even when Franklin started.
The old way of thinking: Left tackle’s the glamour spot. The blind-side protector of a right-handed quarterback. Everybody else? Run block and don’t give up quick pressure in the passing game.
Now?
“There’s a little bit to the left side, but if the (quarterback) is throwing the ball and their first read is to the left, they probably see that fine from the ‘gun,’” offensive line coach Zach Strief told The Post. “That’s very different than how it used to be with drops. So I think the positions have balanced out a little bit.”
Not only that, but defenses play so little base coverage now that typical notions of where pressure comes from have gone more or less out the window.
“More than anything, we’ve put offensive linemen in tougher and tougher positions as time has gone on,” Strief said. “When this became a passing league, the requirements of offensive linemen raised exponentially. I hear a lot of people talk about the quality of offensive line play and, you know, blaming college or whatever, I think at the end of the day, we’re asking guys to do things they never would have dreamed asking them to do 30 years ago. We’re not putting our hand in the dirt every play, we’re not double-teaming every play.”
Combine that with the scarcity of quality tackles compared to interior linemen and the right tackle market is on a hot streak.
When McGlinchey signed, he briefly was the fourth-highest-paid tackle on average annual value. Half an offseason later, he’s tied for sixth. After he signed, Philadelphia’s Lane Johnson reset the market at more than $20 million per year. Tytus Howard re-upped with Houston at $18.67 million per year this summer. There are now nine right tackles with an AAV of $15 million a year or more.
Another consideration up front that teams have started to factor in: Offensive lines are weak-link systems. Whereas a truly disruptive pass-rusher on defense might make up for relatively weaker players along the rest of the front, a really good left tackle can’t stop a poor right tackle from hurting an offense or requiring help.
“It’s really, really hard to buy average players in the NFL because you don’t know exactly where the average is coming from,” said Sumer Sports analyst Eric Eager. “So teams are much more willing in weak-link systems to buy what they view as well-above-average players for elite prices because they know if the worst thing happens there, they’ll still have average production. Which is good enough. …
“You just don’t want to have weaknesses. Right tackle, that ends up being the case, and because it’s hard to find tackles, that drives the market up.”
The Broncos think they’ve solidified their starting quintet with the additions of McGlinchey and left guard Ben Powers.
Both fared well as pass-blockers last year, but McGlinchey’s calling card is the run game. He’s graded out as one of the NFL’s better run-blockers since he was drafted in the first round in 2018.
“I would intuitively take a guy that grades in the upper percentiles as a run-blocker. When you do the math, it’s actually more valuable for a tackle to be a good run-blocker,” Eager said. “It’s kind of a sleight of hand, but run-blocking and pass-blocking are correlated. If you’re good at one, generally you’re good at the other. But the other part is success in the run game is almost entirely driven by O-line play, whereas success in the pass game is about the quarterback and receivers getting open.
“So in a weird way, even though passing is more important than running, the offensive line gets a smaller credit for pass-protecting well than they do run-blocking well. The math almost always shakes out to preferring dominant run-blockers. It’s the quickest way to mainline their contribution.”
That’s what Denver expects McGlinchey to be, though if you ask players and coaches about his value, they’re probably not going to talk about weak-link systems and math and analytics. They’re going to talk about leadership and culture.
“When he walks into the building, you feel his presence,” quarterback Russell Wilson said.
Denver paid a premium price to add McGlinchey to its right side and bookend its offensive line, so the franchise will take all of it.
And if he stops the revolving door, all the better.
Broncos’ Week 1 starting right tackles
| Year | Starter |
|---|---|
| 2013 | Orlando Franklin |
| 2014 | Chris Clark |
| 2015 | Ryan Harris |
| 2016 | Donald Stephenson |
| 2017 | Menelik Watson |
| 2018 | Jared Veldheer |
| 2019 | Ja’Waun James |
| 2020 | Elijah Wilkenson |
| 2021 | Bobby Massie |
| 2022 | Cam Fleming |
| 2023 | Mike McGlinchey* |
* If healthy
Top of the right tackle market
| Player | Team | Per-year salary |
|---|---|---|
| Lane Johnson | Philadelphia | $20.19 million |
| Jawaan Taylor | Kansas City | $20.00 million |
| Ryan Ramczyk | New Orleans | $19.20 million |
| Tytus Howard | Houston | $18.67 million |
| Brian O’Neill | Minnesota | $18.50 million |
| Braden Smith | Indianapolis | $17.50 million |
| Mike McGlinchey | Denver | $17.50 million |
| Taylor Morton | Carolina | $17.00 million |
| Jack Conklin | Cleveland | $15.00 million |
Source: OverTheCap.com
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