Broncos' Biggest 2022 Roster Battles: Predicting the Starting Guard Tandem

Who will start at the two guard positions when the Broncos take the field in Week 1?

One of the Denver Broncos' most contentious training camp battles is at the offensive guard position. It's kind of flying under the radar of fan scrutiny.

The guards must accomplish a task as high as Mt. Everest: keep quarterback Russell Wilson protected against interior pressure the Broncos will face this season. Over the last few years, the Broncos have stocked the shelves with interior line talent through the draft and free agency and now have four qualified candidates ready to compete for the two starting spots. 

Let's meet the players. 

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Dalton Risner: Incumbent

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A three-year starter at left guard, Risner has been a rock-solid contributor since being drafted by the Broncos in the second round in 2019. The Wiggins, Colo. native has a passion for using his 6-foot-5, 315-pound frame to be physical in the trenches. 

The son of a football coach not only takes advantage of his size but plays with awareness while leveraging his high football IQ. Pro Football Focus rated Risner’s run blocking 63.2 and pass blocking 73.2 last year. 

His high number of starting snaps also gives him an advantage in competing for a starting role. Although the offensive coaching staff is new, Risner is a known product, and it will be difficult to unseat him from the starting role.

Graham Glasgow | Incumbent

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Starting opposite of Risner in 2021 until his season-ending ankle injury, Glasgow has been a steadying presence along the offensive line. The seventh-year veteran was a sturdy contributor for a Broncos O-line that struggled in protection when teams turned up the heat and blitzed. 

Last season, Glasgow started in seven games recording 384 snaps, and earning PFF ratings of 61.1 as a run blocker and 70.1 in pass protection. To remain with the Broncos, he agreed to restructure his contract and reduce his salary from $8.4 million to $3.1 million for the season. 

Glasgow also brings added juice to the roster with his experience playing guard and center.

Quinn Meinerz

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The first offensive lineman drafted by George Paton as Broncos GM, Quinn Meinerz is careening towards unseating one of last year's starters. Meinerz, the third-round selection from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, filled in admirably. 

The 320-pound second-year guard runs a 4.99-second 40. He took advantage of his athleticism as a rookie last season, and often became the lead locomotive for running back Javonte Williams, mowing down would-be tacklers. 

In his nine games, Meiner played 623 snaps. PFF graded him 64.9 in run blocking and 66.7 in pass protection.

Netane Muti

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Entering his third year, Muti brings different skills than the others and possesses Hercules-like strength. At the 2020 NFL Combine, he set a bench press record of 44 reps of 225 pounds. 

Muti's ability to generate power at the line of scrimmage is his calling card. Last season, he started in three games. In an albeit smaller sample size, Muti earned a PFF rating of 59.3 as a run blocker and 52.0 in pass protection. 

The hurdles for Muti are the gaps in his pass protection technique. With significantly fewer games played, he tied with Risner by allowing four sacks in three contests. 

Broncos Country knows that protecting Wilson from interior pressure is non-negotiable. Although Muti is a gifted player, his struggles with assignment execution in the passing game, and his storied injury history, will likely keep him out of the starting rotation. 

Look for the Broncos' coaching staff to find ways to take advantage of Muti's exceptional strength and insert him in short-yardage situations.

The Broncos have a first-world problem at the guard position. Four capable players will have to battle out to decide who will earn the starting roles. 

The top two position priorities will be the ability to keep Wilson secure in the pocket and mastering Hackett’s new zone-blocking run scheme. Dalton Risner and Quinn Meinerz give the Broncos the best chance to accomplish that mission.

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