The huge hole on the Denver Broncos’ roster could be filled with one free agent

The Denver Broncos offensive line was quite good during the 2023 NFL season, but a huge hole was left after Lloyd Cushenberry left in free agency. The Broncos probably expected Cushenberry to leave in free agency because the team had other issues to deal with offensively, so he signed a $50 million contract with the Tennessee Titans.

I just can’t believe they even expected to keep him. However, they addressed the issue after his departure by signing veteran teammate Sam Mustipher, who is a low-end starter but could be a top-end back-up option. Alex Forsyth and Luke Wattenberg are already in the middle of the room. Forsyth was a teammate of Bo Nix when they were both at Oregon, so that could be something.

The Broncos selected another center, Nick Gargiulo, in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft, so the position has some real strengths. Having more players competing for the starting job gives the team a better chance of finding a long-term solution. However, there is still a free agent who had every intention of cashing in this offseason before an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear late in the 2023 season derailed his plans.

I am once again asking the Denver Broncos to bring back free agent Connor Williams. He was selected in the second round of the draft in 2018 and played the first four years of his career with the Dallas Cowboys as a linebacker. He then signed a two-year contract with the Miami Dolphins, played his best football in 2022, and still performed quite well in 2023, but appeared in just nine games.

According to Pro Football Reference, Williams played 1,554 offensive snaps for the Dolphins in 2022 and 2023 and was called for 11 penalties in 26 games. PFF gave him an elite grade of 86.5 in 2023 and a strong grade of 78.2 in 2022. Overall, while Williams may not be ready for the first week of the 2024 NFL season, his contract would still give the Broncos a huge upgrade at the position .

The team needs to focus on working with Bo Nix, so continuing to invest in the offensive line is a smart move. Williams entering the free agency period with an injury and still being unsigned means he won’t cost a ton. The Broncos could acquire him quite cheaply and allow him to fully recover and gain some momentum before putting him on the roster.

It’s a logical move and honestly, it’s crazy that the team hasn’t done it yet.