Coach Fangio Addresses How the Center Competition is Shaping Up at Broncos Camp
When the Denver Broncos selected Lloyd Cushenberry III in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, fans presumed that he would sit atop the depth chart as the team's starting center. However, the reality is, the 22-year-old from LSU has only had three meaningful practices in an NFL training camp.
So far, coaches and teammates have praised Cushenberry's work ethic and study habits. While the 6-foot-4, 315-pound rookie has significant potential to spearhead the Broncos' starting five, he has significant competition in camp.
At UC Health Training Center, the veterans Patrick Morris and Austin Schlottmann have been splitting reps at center with the first-team offense.
“Good, they’re all—and Pat Morris—all three of them are getting reps in there," head coach Vic Fangio said following Monday's practice. "It’s way too early to say one guy’s in the lead or not, but all three guys have the license to go get that job. We like all three so them, so we feel good about it.”
Unlike their rookie teammate, Morris and Schlottmann both started their NFL careers as undrafted free agents and both hailed from TCU, entering the draft the same year. Morris initially signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a college free agent in 2018. In Pittsburgh, he played on the practice squad for a time before being waived in 2019.
The Broncos quickly claimed Morris off the wire last December. He saw some action in the final two games of the season. Morris, 25, has turned some heads in the beginning of training camp under the watchful eye of O-line coach Mike Munchak.
Gabriel Christus/Denver Broncos
At 6-foot-3, 300-pounds Morris displays powerful hand strength and an adequate base in both run and pass blocking. He has a high motor, and his film reveals utilization of leverage and technique.
Schlottmann signed with the Broncos in 2018, joining former high school teammate Courtland Sutton in the Orange and Blue. For the entire 2018 season, he played on the Broncos' practice squad before making the active roster in 2019.
Injuries to then-right guard Ronald Leary gave Schlottmann the opportunity to start the last four games of the season at right guard. Standing 6-foot-6, 300-pounds, he’s an unusual candidate at the center position.
Gabriel Christus/Denver Broncos
However, Schlottmann is exceptionally quick as he ran a 5.0-second 40-yard dash during his TCU pro day. His long reach and power allow him to lock onto defenders to withstand bull rushes. The 24-year old is well regarded in the O-line room and will compete at any position on the interior.
Between the two incumbents and the rookie, there are four games of starting NFL experience combined. There’s not an old and savvy veteran with loads of experience but rather three prospective interior O-linemen all fighting for a job and career.
Second-year QB Drew Lock started five games last season and is now operating the Broncos' new offense with all three players rotating in and out. Day 1 of training camp saw Schlottmann receive the lion's share of first-team center reps, with Morris getting the nod on Day 2. On Monday, it was once again Schlottmann running with the ones at center.
“I think right now it’s nice to be able to try all of them out,” Lock said after Monday's practice. “I know that sounds weird. Working with Pat, working with Cush, and working with 'Schlott', it’s been good just flipping them in and out every single day and seeing who we’re going to mesh with the best. I think if we get a lot of reps with all the guys, it’ll be up to the coaches when they decide who is the one, the two and the three.”
Heading into training camp, the most anticipated competition along the O-line was supposed to be at the left tackle position with Garett Bolles and Elijah Wilkinson projected to battle it out. Instead, with Ja'Wuan James opting out of the season, the real battle has shifted to center and the Broncos must quickly fill a need for their ‘QB of the OL.’
I project Cushenberry to lead the Broncos' O-line for a long time alongside left guard Dalton Risner. But it’s hard to know when Cushenberry's time will come.
With limited camp reps and the cancellation of the preseason, time is a luxury the Broncos don’t have. I’ve always believed in the old saying, 'Where there’s smoke, there’s fire'.
Well, the smoke signals coming out of Broncos camp suggest that Fangio and Munchak see talent in all three players at the center position. Showing leadership, Lock said that he trusts all three of his teammates, as well as the coaches, and is willing to wait to see how the chips fall.
“We’ll all have reps with every single one of them to where we’ll be ready to head into a game week if it was four or five days advance notice," Lock said.
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