Payton: Broncos View Lloyd Cushenberry as Starting Center

Upon taking over as Broncos head coach, Sean Payton quickly identified the offensive line as the biggest roster weakness, and thus the biggest priority in free agency, where Denver shelled out $139 million to right tackle Mike McGlinchey and left guard Ben Powers.

Left largely untouched, however, was the center position occupied by fourth-year incumbent Lloyd Cushenberry, who many view as a candidate for replacement — unlikely as that now appears.

“We feel like he's certainly going to benefit from these additions," Payton said Monday regarding Cushenberry and the team's revamped OL. "We haven't met any of these guys yet, but we see him as our starting center.”

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Since joining the team as a third-round pick, Cushenberry has started 40 games at the pivot. He logged every offensive snap in 2020 and 2021 before a groin injury limited him to only eight appearances last season.

Cushenberry was far from effective when on the field, earning Pro Football Focus' No. 32 center ranking among 36 qualifiers, and the fourth-worst run-blocking grade (52.7). The 25-year-old was also charged with four penalties; two holding infractions and two false starts.

The Broncos hedged against Cushenberry last offseason, drafting fifth-round interior lineman Luke Wattenberg, and again this offseason, signing former Seahawks starting C Kyle Fuller. Without adding another body, there could be a three-way competition for the right to snap Russell Wilson's footballs.

But, at face value, it's evident Payton is hopeful of Cushenberry realizing his potential under new OL coach Zach Strief, playing along an upgraded front-five, in an offense that figures to improve on its toothless 2022 iteration.

Whether that's merely coachspeak ... time will tell.

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