Broncos Coaches Gush on Rookie OL Quinn Meinerz Ahead of Chiefs SNF Clash
Denver Broncos' rookie offensive guard Quinn Meinerz is certainly making the most of the opportunities that have come his way, and with the list of injury-stricken linemen looking more and more like a Dead Sea scroll these days, the team is more than happy to have him. When a rookie garners high praise from both his head coach and coordinator, odds are, he's doing exactly what’s being asked of him.
Starting guard Graham Glasgow is already lost for the season, so the Broncos are riding with Meinerz in the starting line-up the rest of the way. That might give some opposing coaches sleepless nights but Vic Fangio doesn't doubt that the Broncos' third-round pick out of Division III Wisconsin-Whitewater has all the right stuff to prosper in the NFL.
“He’s played good and he’s getting better daily,” Fangio said Thursday. “[He’s] a powerful guy. When he sees something new—as a rookie, sometimes you’re not sure how he’ll react to it. That’s just part of the deal. But overall, he’s played [well]. He’s got a great attitude. I don’t think the game is too big for him. He loves playing [and] the guys like having him out there.”
Picking up the nuances of the game at the elite NFL level is difficult for most rookies, so it’s encouraging to hear Fangio say just how well Meinerz has adjusted already. As the season grinds towards its end, the Broncos are forging the identity of a physical run-first team behind running backs Melvin Gordon and Javonte Williams.
Injecting some new blood into the offensive line was an endeavor forced on the Broncos due to the unprecedented slew of injuries, but offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur likes the energy and physical nature Meinerz has brought so far, particularly to the Broncos' running game.
“Yeah, he’s a talented player with a bright future,” Shurmur said Meinerz. “I think the thing I liked about him is he’s excitable. He plays hard. He’s very physical. He shows up in the run game. But when I watch him work out here in practice, and see him functioning in the meetings, he’s really into it. He’s going to be a really fine player.”
Sunday night in Arrowhead, the reconfigured Broncos' O-Line, which will have left tackle Garett Bolles back and hopefully right tackle Bobby Massie, will attempt to move Kansas City's defensive line off its marks and that will prove a real challenge for the 23-year-old from Wisconsin.
But given the levels of confidence Fangio and Shurmur are continuing to show in Meinerz, the Broncos are more than capable of winning the physical battles in the trenches, and of course, running the ball.
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