Film Room: Broncos' First-Team OL a Cause for Concern

The Denver Broncos' first-team offensive line goes under the microscope.

Aug 23, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) calls for the ball against New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis (56) during the first half at Caesars Superdome. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Last year, the Denver Broncos boasted a great offensive line, rated at the top of the NFL in both ESPN's run-block and pass-block win rate. The expectation is for the unit to perform at that level again, with few murmurs about a potential regression. 

However, after what has been a rough preseason for the Broncos' offensive line, that conversation needs to be had. Granted, the first-team O-line only had two games to stand out, but it didn’t have a great showing in either of the preseason games. 

There is reason to hope the Broncos' starting five will turn it around for the regular season, but after watching the preseason finale against the New Orleans Saints, concerns are mounting. While the O-line starters played 21 total snaps, the following four plays, which are from the first 10, illustrate where the problems lie. 

Run-Blocking Play 1

Interior blocking not on point. pic.twitter.com/jeOvN5AXmx

— Mile High Huddle (@MileHighHuddle) August 24, 2025

The Broncos are in I-formation with Adam Trautman as the Y-tight end alongside left tackle Garett Bolles. Fullback Adam Prentice joins RJ Harvey as the two backs in the backfield. This is a run up the middle, where Harvey is looking at the A-gap between center Luke Wattenberg and right guard Quinn Meinerz. 

Meinerz does well to clear out the run lane, but Wattenberg gets handled by Saints defensive tackle Devon Godchaux. Godchaux can set and anchor in the running lane, with Wattenberg getting no push or movement off the line. This forces Harvey to cut to the left, but there isn’t much running room. 

There is a wall to the left with Trautman, Prentice, and wideout Marvin Mims Jr. trying to handle four defenders while Bolles and left guard Ben Powers handle a double team to get movement and clear a lane. However, the double team fails. 

Bolles isn’t able to get ideal positioning on the double block, and Powers ends up getting tripped up and falling to the ground. Even so, Harvey is now aiming for the gap behind the double team and to the left of Wattenberg, but Godchaux adjusts to the gap and is in the ball-carrier's way. 

There are a lot of failures here, but the biggest is Wattenberg and his inability to control Godchaux, which was an issue last year. If the Broncos want to run inside, they will need to find a way for Wattenberg to generate movement, at a consistent level, against tough run defenders on the inside, as the Broncos have a lot of them on their schedule this year. 

Pass-Blocking Play 1

Lack of recognition leads to a hit on Bo Nix. pic.twitter.com/BagNqfB1jz

— Mile High Huddle (@MileHighHuddle) August 24, 2025

Bo Nix motions a wide receiver from the right to left, with Tyler Badie in as the lone back and no tight end in to help. The Broncos are looking at six blockers; if Badie stays in, against what looks like six defenders coming. 

It's a simulated pressure, as two of the six defenders drop off into coverage, and the Saints are only sending four. On top of that, the Saints are executing a stunt rush on the right side, as Wattenberg pulls left with Powers and Bolles. 

The clearing defender leads right tackle Mike McGlinchey inside and can sideswipe Meinerz, which frees the stunting, or looping, defender to get a free chase on Nix. Badie was initially kept in as a blocker, then cleared out to be a checkdown outlet, but the transition doesn’t happen quickly enough. 

Nix is about to get hit and has to fire a shot, which wasn’t on target, and fortunately, it fell incomplete instead of getting tipped and picked off. The issue here is the lack of recognition on the right side from McGlinchey, and while some may have problems with Badie not staying in to chip, they shouldn’t. 

If Badie was meant to chip the looping defender, which odds are he wasn’t, it can become dangerous. It slows him down getting into his route as a checkdown, so backs are often told to get into their route and not chip in instances like this. 

To be fair to McGlinchey, he was in a tough spot. The often taught technique is to pull off the clearing defender and get ready for the looper, but the defender can easily change up and go after Nix. The issue is that after Meinerz gets sideswept, McGlinchey is late to get outside in front of the looper. 

What happens next on the Broncos beat? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Run-Blocking Play 2

Multiple OL lost this rep, leaving Tyler Badie with little room to make something happen pic.twitter.com/xxdGT9u4Tw

— Mile High Huddle (@MileHighHuddle) August 24, 2025

Badie is the lone back in gun to the right of Nix, with Evan Engram as the tight end next to Bolles. Wide receiver Trent Sherfield also lines up close to the line as another blocker up front. Again, the Saints appear to be sending six defenders, all coming as they read the run off the snap. 

The 2i-technique against Watteberg gets by him quickly, but Engram is pulling to the right and can disrupt that. Sherfield, Bolles, and Powers failing in their blocks, with the run going to the left, is the bigger culprit here. 

Powers loses inside almost instantly, and then can't get back into position to seal the lane. It eliminates a potential cut lane for Badie, forcing him farther outside. Bolles' failure means Badie has to now cut it inside, as the left tackle lost outside containment, but Bolles and Powers created the gap. 

When both offensive linemen fail to lead, cut lanes become unavailable, and both of their assignments become chase defenders. Sherfield misses his block on the second level, and that defender can come down into the lane. This leaves Badie with three defenders, with no options available except getting north and hoping to break free. 

Pass-Blocking Play 2

Evan Engram dropped this pass, but it was a bit rushed because LG Ben Powers lost his rep quickly pic.twitter.com/BwAH9TO5ho

— Mile High Huddle (@MileHighHuddle) August 24, 2025

This isn’t a terrible play by the offensive line, but Powers loses quickly. Although he can slow down his defender by partially getting back into position, the pressure is already applied. Powers can only slow down the defender, and not stop him completely. 

The defender breaks free again as Nix gets rid of the ball. Nix saw the pressure and knew he had to hurry it up, and fired a good pass to Engram, who then dropped it. Powers lost this rep and saw the pressure applied, but there was still a chance for a positive outcome. And Engram absolutely has to catch this pass.

Obviously, you don’t want Powers to lose the rep as quickly as he did, or if he does, to be able to get back into position completely and turn a loss into a win. However, that isn’t going to happen all the time; even among the best offensive linemen in the NFL, they will still have their losses. 

When plays like this happen, you need the offensive weapons to do their part by catching passes that hit their hands cleanly and turning them into positive plays. Again, the blocking from Powers isn’t great, but it's a case of teammates needing to step up to cover a bad play.