ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) -Denver Broncos rookie offensive lineman Zane Beadles doesn’t want to be pigeonholed into one position.
So, he’s brushing up on blocking schemes and formations at guard and center to go with his skills at left tackle.
That versatility could come in handy for a Broncos team whose pocket of protection has been plagued by injuries and exits.
The Broncos had trouble maintaining a cohesive front last season, losing right tackle Ryan Harris to a toe injury midway through the season. Later, left guard Russ Hochstein tore a knee ligament and was placed on injured reserve.
In the offseason, center Casey Wiegmann returned to Kansas City and All-Pro left tackle Ryan Clady underwent surgery after tearing his left patellar tendon while playing hoops.
Now, the Broncos are trying to piece the parts back together.
men who could play a multitude of spots.
There’s Beadles, a second-round pick out of Utah who’s in the running to play guard, center and both tackle positions, along with third-round pick J.D. Walton, a center out of Baylor who may see time at guard. Denver also took Eric Olsen in the sixth round, a Notre Dame product who can play either guard or center.
Co. is still being ironed out, there are some mainstays in place heading into the official start of training camp Sunday.
Right guard Chris Kuper signed a six-year deal in June, and Tyler Polumbus remains an option after filling in for Harris when he went down at midseason. Second-year guard/center Seth Olsen and newcomer D’Anthony Batiste also could figure into the equation.
For now, though, the offensive line is in a state of flux, especially until the return of Clady, who’s currently on the non-football injury list until he’s able to pass a physical. The Broncos are hopeful he’ll be back by the start of the season in September.
Even McDaniels is unsure of what his line will resemble in training camp. Sure, Harris and Kuper will be on the right side, and Polumbus somewhere on the left.
It’s a mystery after that, especially at center, with Walton the likely opening option.
“I don’t want to declare anything at this point, in terms of who will be there and who won’t. You’re going to see a lot of different bodies.”
That’s why Beadles is diligently studying as many positions as possible, seeing that as a way to get on the field even faster.
“I come out here every single day and wherever the coaches put me, I’ll put my best foot forward,” said Beadles, who predominantly played left tackle for the Utes. “I take pride in knowing multiple positions.”
Young linemen who can play more than one spot is the trend in the NFL, especially with teams typically activating just seven linemen on game days.
“Unless you’re an elite starter at one spot, you better be flexible,” McDaniels said. “They’re all being trained in multiple spots.”
Beadles thinks his time with the Utes prepared him to step in immediately. He started 13 games at left tackle last season, allowing only 1 1/2 sacks in 405 passing plays.
Rock-solid protection.
Sound familiar?
Clady has been that adept at keeping his quarterback upright in his two years in the league. He didn’t allow a full sack in his first 20 starts, the longest streak by a tackle to start his career since STATS LLC began charting the statistic in 1994.
However, Clady won’t be rushed back into duty.
“Make sure we’re smart with him once he’s able to play,” McDaniels said.
ugh practices last week with the rookies.
No matter what the starting five is when it’s all settled, things should be a bit easier this year up front. The Broncos will go to a power blocking scheme full-time and ditch the remnants of their old zone-blocking philosophy after a hybrid of styles last season.
For Beadles, it doesn’t matter where he suits up as long as he’s suiting up.
“The way I try to learn this is as a whole – what the entire play is trying to get done,” Beadles said. “I’m looking at what the tight end is doing, what the running back is doing. Obviously, you’re not going to get all that stuff down right away. You learn it as a whole so you know what everybody else is doing.”
And just maybe, slide into any position up front if called upon.
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