Broncos roster: OL Mike McGlinchey (No. 69) is one of Bo Nix's top protectors
Before the Broncos: McGlinchey (6-8, 315 pounds) was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers with the ninth overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft out of Notre Dame. Under head coach Kyle Shanahan, McGlinchey immediately started all 16 games his rookie season and was named to the Pro Football Writers Association's All-Rookie Team. In 2019, McGlinchey appeared in and started 12 regular season games and all playoff games, helping San Francisco to Super Bowl LIV. In 2020, McGlinchey was again a constant on the offensive line, starting all 16 games he played in.
In 2021, McGlinchey began the year with eight starts in eight games, before suffering a quad injury that necessitated him being placed on injured reserve and shut down for the rest of the season in November. McGlinchey rebounded in 2022 starting all 17 games and three playoff games for the 49ers, helping them earn a berth in the NFC championship game. McGlinchey earned San Francisco's Ed Block Courage Award in that season as well.
Broncos tenure: In 2023, McGlinchey was brought in on a five-year contract worth $87.5 million by head coach Sean Payton as part of a revamp of the offensive line to try and protect then-quarterback Russell Wilson, who had suffered through a league-worst 55 sacks in 2022. McGlinchey helped Wilson to improve, but not much in 2023, to have 45 sacks.
In 2024, it was expected that the Broncos would see the same type of offensive quagmire that Wilson had brought, especially with a rookie quarterback at the helm. Instead, McGlinchey and the rest of the Broncos' offensive line helped Bo Nix only have 24 sacks last fall. McGlinchey missed nearly a month with an MCL sprain, but while he was in the lineup, McGlinchey started all 13 games he appeared in, along with Denver's playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Chances to make the 53-man roster: 100 percent. McGlinchey recently spoke about the offensive line's continuity, which will hopefully help Nix have an even better year in 2025. The unit also hopes to jumpstart one of the NFL's worst rushing attacks from 2024 into a more elite unit in 2025. McGlinchey is locked into the starting right tackle job, and he's a lock to make the active roster.
Related: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Steelers announce 2025 Hall of Honor class headlined by Ben Roethlisberger
Few NFL franchises can boast the sheer volume of talent over the decades that the Pittsburgh Steelers can. The Pro Football Hall of Fame is filled with former Steelers and the franchise has six Super Bowl championships. The team also has their own Ring of Honor and each year a select few former Steelers legends get their names added. On Saturday, the Steelers announced the three former Steelers who will be a part of the 2025 class. This class is headlined by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He is joined by center Maurkice Pouncey and outside linebacker Joey Porter. To be considered for the Hall of Honor, a player must be retired for at least three seasons, have spent at least three seasons with the Steelers, and obviously have had a significant impact on the team during their tenure. Other members of the Hall of Honor include Terry Bradshaw, Joe Greene, Franco Harris, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, Mel Blount, Mike Webster, Dermontti Dawson, John Stallworth, Rod Woodson, Troy Polamalu, Donnie Shell, Ernie Stautner, Jerome Bettis, and Alan Faneca. According to the team's press release, the Steelers will welcome the 2025 Hall of Honor Class when the team takes on the Miami Dolphins on Monday, Dec. 15. This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers announce 2025 Hall of Honor class headlined by Ben Roethlisberger
USA Today
11 minutes ago
- USA Today
Panthers 2025 training camp tracker: Top takeaways and observations from Day 4
After cooling down in a walkthrough on Friday, the Carolina Panthers got back to some real on-field action this morning. Here are the top takeaways and observations from Saturday's session of training camp . . . Derrick Brown is getting there Defensive lineman Derrick Brown was absent from the few first days of camp due to personal reasons. Turns out, the personal reason was the birth of his fourth child. Now that he's back, Brown is ready to take on new life for 2025 after sustaining a season-ending knee injury in 2024. He was asked if he's close to 100 percent yet. "I feel like it. Gimme a few weeks, I feel like it," Brown replied. "Right now, they got a great plan in place, just gettin' back in shape. Being able to transition back into being able to play the plays I've played before and be there for the team. I expressed my opinion to them and they've been nothing but compliant on when it came to that." Head coach Dave Canales also offered an outlook on Brown. "We're gonna just kinda ramp him up each day and just kinda give him a little bit more, dose him a little bit higher," Canales told reporters. "He's gotta be ready to play Week 1, so we'll continue to grow the capacity in practice as we go." Hunting down a spot Canales also talked about veteran wideout Hunter Renfrow, who had himself quite a day on the practice field. He said that the former Pro Bowler has looked "great," then explained why. "It's just the Hunter Renfrow I remember," Canales stated. "He looks healthy. I think everyone who's watched football over the last four or five years remembers what he looks like, and he's really playing in top form right now. I'm really excited to have him here and to have his family, which is right down the road here after this practice, just to be able to connect with him. And it's a great story that's unfolding right before our eyes." Renfrow missed the 2024 season due to ulcerative colitis. He signed with Carolina shortly following the 2025 NFL draft. A bigger role for a slimmer Sanders Tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders said he's feeling more confident as a pro, both on and off the field, entering Year No. 2. Part of that confidence stems from some newfound speed, thanks to his offseason weight loss. "I was probably like 255 [pounds] last year, like 238 right now," Sanders stated. "So definitely moving faster. Being able to get in and out my breaks better as well." Sanders will have to step up this summer in the absence of starter Tommy Tremble, who is currently on the active/physically unable to perform list as he recovers from back surgery. Top observations Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
New York Times
12 minutes ago
- New York Times
Bears camp observations: Colston Loveland gets involved, Caleb Williams leads TD drive
LAKE FOREST, Ill. — On his second throw in a seven-on-seven period, Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams looked to his left and hit rookie tight end Colston Loveland on an out route. It was Loveland's debut in the drill, and the first time we've gotten to see the No. 10 pick in competitive drills. Advertisement He looked smooth. He caught the balls thrown his way. And he gave his quarterbacks a new target. 'Great hands, very agile, can block. He's got everything you desire in a tight end,' wide receiver Rome Odunze said. 'So, really looking forward to his development in the years ahead.' The offense had its best practice thus far, sending the team into its first off day of camp on a positive note. Starting near midfield with 1:08 on the clock, Williams began a hurry-up drill with a swing pass to D'Andre Swift. He found Swift again as he backed away from pressure. Following a delay of game, Williams connected with Olamide Zaccheaus, then with tight end Cole Kmet, who made a diving catch on the right sideline. Putting a punctuation mark on the drill, Williams floated a short fade to Odunze for a touchdown. The second-year wideout came down with it over cornerback Nahshon Wright. 'It was just an up-and-down play, kind of quick, one-on-one man out there,' Odunze said. 'Caleb gave me a shot, I was able to execute (on) the ball. Obviously, need to continue to build that and have that as a weapon in our offense, something that I did a lot in college as well. So, just building that connection, which I think we'll show this year.' The play came together quickly, but in those split seconds before Williams threw the ball, Odunze had to keep Wright from knowing what was coming. 'There's a lot to it — just having the savviness, because obviously it's red zone, so you don't want to release too quick,' he said. 'You don't want to get to the spot too often. You kind of want to meet the ball exactly at the point where you want to catch it and have late hands with it. So, it's all of that. Not giving the DB any sort of tips that I may be doing a fade.' The Bears gave right tackle Darnell Wright a rest day, something that came about after taking a look at his GPS readings — the team tracks a variety of metrics after each practice. Head coach Ben Johnson said it wasn't an injury. Theo Benedet, an undrafted rookie signing out of Canada in 2024, took Wright's place. That's an impressive depth chart climb for Benedet, who spent all of last season on the practice squad. Advertisement Kiran Amegadjie got the first-team snaps at left tackle but exited the field with head trainer Andre Tucker. Braxton Jones was taking the second-team reps, but rookie Ozzy Trapilo handled the left tackle spot with the starters for the two-minute drill. Center Doug Kramer also had to leave practice with an apparent injury. One thing Johnson noted when recapping Friday's practice is how the offense finished strong. And it did, which seemed to carry into Saturday's session. There's a difference between the offense having a rough day and concern levels for the regular season rising. It hadn't been very smooth for Williams and company for three days, but Johnson wasn't fazed. 'We're not frustrated at all. We're right where we need to be,' he said. 'In fact, I told the unit last night — to see where they came from, the springtime, to where we've been for three days, we're not having to coach alignment, we're not having to coach finish, we're not having to coach 'the standard,' as you say. 'Now we're coaching football. Now we're reading coverage and we're able to accumulate reps. Like I alluded to before, the beautiful thing about it is, our guys, man, they're learning. We're not making the same mistake twice. That goes for the guy that's getting the rep and that goes for the guys not getting the rep. They're learning from everything. We're not frustrated whatsoever.' Defensive end Montez Sweat doesn't always participate in voluntary spring practices. He did this year, however, and that wasn't lost on his head coach. 'He was very disappointed with how the season went last year — as a lot of the guys in the locker room were, both individually and as a team — and felt such a way, so compelled, that he was here throughout the springtime, which is not something that he's done in the past,' Johnson said. 'He's committed to this team. He's committed to getting better.' Advertisement Sweat had 5.5 sacks last season after posting 12.5 in 2023, a year he split between Washington and Chicago. He was not fully healthy last season. In five games against the Lions with Johnson calling plays, Sweat had eight QB hits and three sacks, including four QB hits when the Bears upset the Lions in 2023. 'When he turns that thing on, he is hard in the pass-rush game,' Johnson said. 'It's hard to block him. You have to account for him. You move him around, right side, left side, (it) makes it even more difficult because you're looking to help your tackles out with some chips and some nudges — and if you don't know where he's going to be, then that makes it that much harder.' Sweat said that Dennis Allen's 'complex' scheme 'keeps you on your toes,' and that he's been watching some tape of Cameron Jordan, who went to seven Pro Bowls with Allen running the Saints' defense. 'Cam Jordan has always kind of been one of those premier pass rushers in the league. It's kind of hard not to watch him when you play my position,' Sweat said. 'I have gone back and looked at some of the film of how he's excelled in this defense under Dennis Allen.' • Rookies Luther Burden III, Shemar Turner and Zah Frazier remained out. Johnson said he's hopeful that Burden will return soon. • Nickel cornerback Kyler Gordon's blitz helped force an incomplete pass during team drills. • The Bears will be putting on the pads for practice when they return to Halas Hall early next week. (Top photo of Colston Loveland and Cole Kmet: Kamil Krzaczynski / Imagn Images)
