Will the real Broncos offensive line please stand up?
Not for a few weeks, it won’t.
Less than a month before the regular-season opener, the Broncos don’t know who’ll be on the line, much less how it will play.
Take center, for instance. The position has been the personal domain of Tom Nalen for well over a decade, but he has barely practiced during training camp because of a painful left knee.
Nalen doesn’t figure to play in the preseason, but could be ready for the season opener. Which means, of course, he may not be ready. If not, veteran Casey Wiegmann would get the call.
Then there’s right guard. Montrae Holland, who missed the first two weeks of camp after reporting overweight, is expected to begin practicing today. Will he move in as the starter or will Chris Kuper stay at the top of the depth chart?
And if Holland rejoins the No. 1 unit, where would that leave Ryan Harris? Would Kuper take over as the starter at right tackle or would Harris keep his current niche on the depth chart?
Meanwhile, across the line, rookie Ryan Clady is starting at left tackle next to left guard Ben Hamilton, who missed the entire 2007 season with concussion issues. How will those two work together?
So many questions, so little time. For all we don’t know about the Broncos’ offensive line, this much we can be sure of: Given its work-in-progress status, it figures to be better later in the season than at the beginning of the season.
Jim Armstrong: 303-95-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com
