Rookie OG Netane Muti is Already a 'Favorite' of Broncos OC Pat Shurmur

Netane Muti has earned the respect and praise from his coaches as the rookie comes off the first start of his NFL career.

Netane Muti is coming off his NFL debut, starting in place of the injured Graham Glasgow at right guard in the Denver Broncos' 32-27 win over the Carolina Panthers. Muti played all 61 offensive snaps, helping pave the way to 96 rushing yards and 365 total yards. 

After watching the film, head coach Vic Fangio said that he was "impressed" by Muti's performance and only a couple of days later, Broncos offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur took it a step farther. 

"Then Muti, for instance— you're not supposed to have favorites, but I really like what he does," Shurmur said on Thursday. "He's very strong and explosive, but yet he's mobile."

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Muti had a few struggles in pass protection and at least one miscommunication with right tackle Eli Wilkinson that led to Drew Lock getting trucked and strip-sacked but as a run blocker, the rookie's talents were on full display. Muti got to the second level on multiple occasions, exemplifying the 'Dancing Bear.' 

"The one block he made on the screen to the right, where he ran flat and cut the defender, that was awesome," Shurmur said. "You can't see a lot of people be able to do that. Get in there and wrestle bears like they do at guard, but then have the quickness and the instincts to be able to go out and cut a guy."

Shurmur is referring to the play in which Muti got out in front of a Melvin Gordon screen and cut out the legs of a Panthers defensive back, and giving the ball-carrier room to run North. Shurmur pointed out that such a maneuver is more difficult than it looks and takes a unique athleticism to execute.

"A lot of players can't cut and block low because it takes some initial quickness," Shurmur said. "He showed in a few snaps why he's got a very, very bright future. It's exciting.”

It's safe to say the Broncos are geeked up about Muti. The fly in the ointment is albatross of a contract the team recently paid to Glasgow. 

This past spring, Glasgow signed a four-year, $44 million deal with the Broncos that included $26 million fully guaranteed. He's missed three starts this year due to injury and is listed as questionable for Saturday's bout with the Buffalo Bills. 

Based on the structure of the contract, the Broncos are tied to Glasgow through 2021, which means that he's going to have a place on the offensive line provided he's healthy. As a player, he does offer up position versatility, so the team could move him around, but thanks to Denver's savvy drafting over the past two years, the two other slots Glasgow could be considered for are currently held down by highly-drafted players like Dalton Risner at left guard and Lloyd Cushenberry at center. 

It was great to see Muti thrive in his NFL debut but it's more of tease than anything. Barring injury, Muti isn't likely to be a starter until and unless Glasgow leaves or someone else gets hurt. 

Muti is a guy known for playing with reckless abandon but also a child-like joy and enthusiasm for the game. His teammates love him. Sometimes that enthusiasm translates to a bully-mentality, as far as his opponents go, as Muti had a reputation at Fresno State for pancaking guys and playing through to the whistle. 

With the emergence of Muti, the Broncos seem to have locked up four of the five spots on the O-line long-term after signing left tackle Garett Bolles to a lucrative contract extension recently. The only question mark is at right tackle but the team is still holding out hope that 2019 prized free-agent acquisition Ja'Wuan James will render that point moot when he returns to the field next year. 

James opted out of the 2020 campaign citing COVID-19 concerns. Meanwhile, the Broncos tried to get by with Wilkinson before he got hurt and had a lot of success with mercenary signing Demar Dotson, the latter of whom has yet to relinquish a sack this season despite playing eight starts. The team is rolling with Wilkinson, it would seem, at right tackle, now that he's healthy, perhaps due to Dotson's hand injury. 

Don't be surprised if the Broncos err on the side of caution and keep Glasgow sidelined this week which would give Muti his second straight start at right guard. 

Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.