Broncos Training Camp powered by Ford is just a couple of weeks away, and that means it's time to take a position-by-position look at the Broncos' roster.
The categories are refreshed and a little different this season, but we're still going to take a close look at each position group that's set to take the field in late July.
We continue with the offensive line, which returns all five starters from an impressive 2024 season.
TOP STORYLINE
Can the Broncos' offensive line continue to set the tone?
Change is to be expected in the NFL, but the Broncos enter training camp with all five starters returning along the offensive line. Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Luke Wattenberg, Quinn Meinerz and Mike McGlinchey — after forming arguably the best offensive line in football in 2024 — are back for another season. And while injuries kept Denver's five starters from sharing the lineup every week, the Broncos' complete group of starters took the field for 11 games — including the final nine games of the year.
"That group played well last year, and it's an important group," Head Coach Sean Payton said in June. "It's the one group that permeates your building."
As Payton explained, it's difficult to get a solid read on the rest of the team without a capable offensive line.
"Everything we're doing, it's hard to accomplish when that group is not what it needs to be," Payton said. "It's hard to evaluate the quarterback. It's hard to evaluate the receiver because the quarterback's having trouble. It's hard to evaluate the runner. It's hard to evaluate the coach. It's extremely important to get that group right."
The Broncos have invested heavily in the offensive line, from signing Powers and McGlinchey in free agency ahead of the 2023 season to extending Bolles and Meinerz. That commitment has paid off, as Bo Nix was one of the least-sacked quarterbacks a year ago.
Now, as training camp begins, the group will look to build off that success with the key pieces of its foundation remaining in place.
PLAYER TO WATCH
T Garett Bolles
The Broncos' veteran tackle seems to be getting better with age.
Bolles started all 17 games in 2024 and allowed the lowest pressure rate by any NFL tackle with at least 325 pass-block snaps, according to Next Gen Stats.
The longest-tenured current Broncos player, Bolles owns the fifth-most starts at tackle in team history — and he signed a contract extension during the season to remain in Denver.
"At a young age, I just wanted to put everyone in the dirt all the time," Bolles said in June. "Now, I think it's more sexy to stay in front of somebody and block them with your feet and hands. The reality is [if] you want to be the best tackle in the league, [when] you talk about some of the great, that's what they did. They stayed in front of the guy. They moved their feet and they played a long time. I also think it comes to taking care of your body and knowing what you're going to put in. You're not going to put bad gas in a Ferrari or a 'Lambo.' You're going to put in the best gas. 91, 95 octane. That's just what it takes. When you get older, you have to focus on the little things. That's eating right, that's sleeping right, that's training and just getting disciplined in everything you do. The game's the same. The speed's the same. I'm more confident in that, but when it just comes to taking care of your body and making sure you're doing everything right, which we do a really good job here, I can play as long as I can."
Bolles was a key piece of an offensive line that helped protect a rookie quarterback, and he'll again be responsible for shoring up Nix's blindside.
STAT TO KNOW
1.
The Broncos' offensive line earned the top mark in both pass-block win rate and win-block win rate in 2024, according to ESPN's analytics team.
Only the Broncos and Ravens were rated in the top five in each metric, and Denver snagged the top spot in both.
In addition to the team success, several of Denver's linemen ranked highly in individual metrics.
Powers earned the best run-block win rate of any interior offensive line, while Wattenberg (No. 2), Meinerz (No. 3) and Powers (No. 5) all ranked among the best interior linemen in pass-block win rate. McGlinchey and Bolles ranked sixth and seventh, respectively, in pass-block win rate among tackles.
… AND ONE MORE THING
The Broncos' continuity in the starting five shouldn't take away from the solid depth they also possess — and the hard-fought training camp competition that could ensue.
Alex Palczewski, Alex Forsyth and Matt Peart all started multiple games in 2024, while Frank Crum and Calvin Throckmorton also return after appearing in multiple contests.
The Broncos did not draft an offensive lineman in 2025, but they have young talent in players like Palczewski, Forsyth, Crum, Nick Gargiulo and several others.
Depending on how many linemen the Bronco choose to keep on the active roster, the battle for those extra spots could be fierce. Especially in live preseason reps, Denver's young linemen will get a chance to prove they're deserving of those spots.
