Locked On Broncos - Daily Podcast On The Denver Broncos - Denver Broncos MUST DECIDE Ben Powers' Future Or Pursue Cost Effective Options

Starting point is 00:00:00 With NFL free agency hitting next week, the Denver Broncos might have a tough decision with Ben Powers that could come here very shortly. You are Locked on Broncos, your daily Denver Broncos podcast. Part of the Locked on podcast network, your team every day. What's up, Broncos country? I'm Cody Rourke. Welcome into another episode, Lockdown Broncos, your daily Denver Broncos podcast. Part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day, the number of sports podcast network in the country. Today's bonus episode of show, we're talking about Ben Powers.

Starting point is 00:00:35 as NFL free agency approaches, will he stay, will he go? Well, the Broncos embrace the youth movement. We'll talk about how the Broncos might be nearing their decision here on Ben Powers and why that could be coming sooner rather than later, especially with the cost of that. And whether or not Denver will look at the cost effective approach at left guard, considering they've paid Garrett Bowles, Luke Wattenberg, Quinn Miners, and Mike McGlinchie's cap hit being where it is could cost effective be the way here

Starting point is 00:01:01 as the Broncos look to maximize all things for their offense and why that cost-effective approach could be Alex Powell-Chesky. So let's get into this here. I see with NFL free-ncy beginning on March 11th, ideally as the Broncos go into that day, and if they want to be aggressive like they say they do, they're going to have to make some changes between now and then. We're talking about restructures.

Starting point is 00:01:21 We're talking about potential roster cuts, so to speak. So what do the Broncos do here when it comes to Ben Powers, who in my opinion last year at Left Guard, he ended up becoming a very valuable asset to the offense. and specifically the Broncos run game. And as many shows as we have done here, talking about how frustrating the Broncos' inconsistency in the run game is, that didn't have as much to do with the offensive line more so than I think it did

Starting point is 00:01:46 with play calling, flow of game development based on how the defense was playing. But let's look at the first five weeks of the season here for Denver. Specifically, one thing you saw on film when it came to Ben Powers, and the Philadelphia Eagles game was a great example. You look back as well as the Monday night football game the week prior. against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Broncos, they love pulling Ben Powers from left to right to be able to create open holes there for their running back. And that's where J.K. Dobbins and his patience as a runner really came into play here.

Starting point is 00:02:16 You saw that in Monday night football. You saw that in week five. And unfortunately, after week five, he suffered that bicep injury. He had surgery on that. And he missed a large portion of the season, didn't return until probably mid-December, just a few weeks before the Broncos had their playoff run against the Buffalo Bill. And for Ben Powers, the reason why the Broncos are facing this decision right now, as it stands here today on Tuesday, he's going to cost $18.1 million towards the salary cap next season, which is the third highest on the team right now.

Starting point is 00:02:49 And he's on the last year of his deal, right? If there were two or three more years remaining on his deal, we would be talking about a simple restructure. And in theory, the Broncos could restructure this deal here. But it doesn't seem like the likely path that they take. Now things could change. But the Broncos, if they maybe want to go with the cost-effective approach here at left guard, let's look at the big picture here. Luke Wattenberg just got a four-year extension.

Starting point is 00:03:14 If they view him as the center and they don't view him as a guy, they want to kick to left guard, okay, that makes sense. But the Broncos at this point could either extend Ben Powers, which, in my opinion, you want to keep continuity. I think you do that. He's a proven guy. He's a vet. Get him to that second contract.

Starting point is 00:03:28 He has been durable minus the bicep injury, which was something that was beyond his control there. but he has been a durable lineman for you. So I think that kind of plays into the favor of what you want to do here. However, this is all aimed at. Maybe the Broncos making a decision. Now, the Broncos cap space right now is around 20.9 million according to SpotTrack. You get different models from things like over the cap as well.

Starting point is 00:03:50 If they were to release him, so to speak, and not do a post-June 1st designation, that would free up space. That would jump them to about $28.4 million in cap space. they would incur a dead cap hit of $9.7 million, right? Obviously, they want to be away from the dead money narrative because they just came off the Russell Wilson dead cap. You don't want to add 9.7 to that. You want to be as in the green as possible in that category.

Starting point is 00:04:16 So I can see that. But I talk about his value there as an offensive lineman and what it meant to Denver's run game early on. And certainly, I think the loss of J.K. Dobbins, the rotation, so to speak, of what we saw with Ben Powers and Alex Paucheski, when Powers initially returned from his injury. You know, it messed with the continuity on the offensive line a little bit. Dobbins injury impacted things where R.J. Harvey had a little bit more of a workload on there.

Starting point is 00:04:42 I do feel like, though, Jilil McLaughlin had several big runs against the Chiefs. I liked what we saw from him. I liked some of the stuff we saw in space from R.J. Harvey. And that was when Ben Powers got a little bit more run back into the starting lineup. And then obviously in the playoffs, Denver's got to find a way to run the ball more. And if you want to go younger, I understand that. I mean that you're going to lead to more run game success. It doesn't necessarily guarantee that.

Starting point is 00:05:05 And that's where the dilemma is here, Broncos country. So the ideal option, I think from my perspective would be extend Ben Powers. Give them a two to three year contract extension that lowers the cap hit, obviously, for you. Keeps your offensive line continuity intact. But if they release him, as I mentioned, it frees up around $7 to $8 million in Casp base, $9.7 million in dead cap.

Starting point is 00:05:27 But let's talk about cost effective approach. That's what we're going to dive into here next on lockdown. Broncos, including why Alex Paucheski might be the best option for that. You're going to get that here on today's episode of the show. Today's episode, Lockdown Broncos is brought friends over there at Indeed, whether it's workplace chaos, deadline, stacking up, the inbox overflowing in the one position you have to fill, it's still sitting open. When the pressure is on and you need the right hire, this is a job for sponsored jobs.

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Starting point is 00:08:39 We're talking about this. Alex Pauceschi is in fact a restricted free agent here for the Broncos. I would expect him to place a tender on Pau Chesky because of what he's proven since coming in the NFL. Obviously, when he signed as an undrafted rookie free agent, they gave him one of the larger signing bonuses. He's got so much experience in terms of playing games at the college level where he's near Bo Nix in that category of college games played, but also I think the most college starts by an offensive tackle in NCAA history, something along those lines. So he goes through his rookie season in the NFL and doesn't see much playing time with Denver, right? He who spent

Starting point is 00:09:14 a majority of the year on injured reserve, even though he necessarily wasn't injured. He suffered injury in the preseason. But in 2024, we saw him play a little bit more, have some roles you know, here and then where he has to fill in, especially after Mike McGlunchy went down with an ankle injury, and they missed him for some time, four weeks on IR. He did a really good job, held his own against some really good pass horses as the right tackle. John Payton classified him specifically as he's a right side guy only.

Starting point is 00:09:41 That changed in 2025 after Ben Powers injury. Now it wasn't necessarily Pauchesky being the first man up after the injury there to Ben Powers. It was Matt Parrott. Matt Parrott in his first game suffered an injury that ended his season. against the New York Jets and then it forced the Broncos with their offensive line depth as is to move Paucheschi from a right side player to having to play left guard. And I would say he impressed the Broncos coaching staff in that category.

Starting point is 00:10:07 And if you watch him on film, there are a lot of things to like about Paucheski and the growth and the step that he took having to play a position. He never even got time at realistically on the left side during the preseason. He saw some time at right guard, but it's just being able to translate that over to the left side position. You have all these different rules inside of Zach Streets blocking scheme here, which could change this upcoming season for the Broncos. But Paucheschi proved to be more than serviceable at that point. Even when Ben Powers was ready, they were giving a majority of the reps,

Starting point is 00:10:36 even though they were rotating to Pauchesky. He is, in my opinion, if the Broncos want to go cost effective while you have Bonix on a rookie deal. And if you want to go out there in free agency this year and spend money on running back, linebacker, tight in, or even wide receiver, this is the move to make here where you're going all in with Paucheski. hoping that maybe Nick Garjulo can be ready to play at some point this season, be a depth option for you here.

Starting point is 00:11:00 And that allows Frank Crum to stay in that tackle eligible role where he's reporting as eligible. And obviously we saw him catch a touchdown in the playoffs. But Paucheschi was that guy before Perk got injured. And then because of that, had to slide over. And then he ended up losing that spot to Frank Crum once Ben Powers came back because Frank Crum was getting a majority of the reps there, even though Poucho knew what that role was. In my opinion, I like what I saw.

Starting point is 00:11:24 from Pau Chesky in the sample size that we saw last season at left guard. And I think one specific game, granted, it was against the Dallas Cowboys defense, but all Broncos country to go back to that. I encourage you, please get NFL pro and go to watch the film where you can see the all 22. You can see the different angles. The Dallas Cowboys matchup where we saw R.J. Harvey bounce off for a touchdown off the left side.

Starting point is 00:11:46 Watch Pau Chesky. Look, Quinn Miners are doing damage from the right guard spot, but Paucheski did a really great job of attacking the double team there initially working up to the playside linebacker, getting up to that second level, and then burying a guy deep into the third level in terms of blocking that sprung RJ Harvey open for a touchdown. I think Paucheski's knowledge of this offense, him having time on task at a position he previously never played and excelling at it is a gamble here for Sean Payton, Davis Webb, and the Broncos.

Starting point is 00:12:15 But I also think it's a worthwhile gamble for them to potentially take a look at. And then obviously in this year's NFL draft, if Denver wants to look at that position long term, you have the opportunity to draft guys. Heck, in free agency, if you wanted to sign a veteran late in that third wave, that can come in and be that solidified support depth or a guy who could potentially compete to start with Paucheschi at this position, go ahead and do that.

Starting point is 00:12:38 But I'm saying if the Broncos want to make big splashes elsewhere, they either have to extend Ben Powers, which is not necessarily on Powers timeline. Both sides have to be an agreement on that. Maybe this is the way where you go to the Paucheschi approach by tendering him, and then you go out and you sign a veteran guy, you have some competition, but then you kind of go to the cost-effective approach of addressing that left guard position

Starting point is 00:12:59 on your offensive line. And does that mean that, hey, just because you take the cost-effective approach, it means that your offensive line is going to take a step back? No, not necessarily. I mean, it's a gamble and it's a risk that I think is worthwhile for the Broncos to at least look at and see what it can do for them. This doesn't even take you away from going out as well in the NFL draft and adding guys at this position where you think a lot of the interior offensive linemen

Starting point is 00:13:22 this year could be a little bit more of a premium position as the Broncos look to keep this unit as they believe as they look and George Peyton and Sean Payton have openly said going back to the NFL Combine, we always have to take a look at our offensive line and our defensive line. It always starts in the trenches. And with obviously Garrett Bulls being at his age, even though he just got a contract extension, Mike McGlinchie, him there in the end of his contract in the next couple of years, you just extended Quinn, you just extended Luke. Okay, you have continuity there, but you need to address the depth.

Starting point is 00:13:52 There you need to address beyond maybe if these guys go elsewhere or if someone decides to suddenly retire, you have to at least have a plan in place and let a guy maybe build and develop in your system. Then when that happens, they can step in and you're not having as much, I would say, turnover, so to speak. And you have guys that know the offense, that know the system that can execute it. And maybe that transition plan isn't as scary that I think as we all think about in theory. Like what happens if the Broncos were to move on from Mike McGlensie?

Starting point is 00:14:21 what happens if Garrett Bowles or them suddenly decide to retire? Though I don't think that's going to be the case with Garrett. He's indicated he wants to play at least another five or seven years. Maybe he can't. But the Broncos, the smart business move here would be to say, hey, you know what? We need to address really good depth. But we also maybe need to look at an in-house transition plan that maybe a couple

Starting point is 00:14:39 years down the road, this guy's going to be ready to step into this role and play. Maybe that is already the approach. Maybe that's the thought they have with Paucheski. And that's just based on conversations I've had with people looking at what we saw from Paucheski last season. This doesn't hurt the Broncos to take a chance at something like this. Now, Broncos Country, I want to hear from you here on today's episode of the show. Let me know your thoughts on Alex Paucesque as a potential cost-effective approach. Or not, they should add a veteran if they, in fact, do decide to make a decision to move on from Ben Powers.

Starting point is 00:15:09 But that will wrap up today's bonus episode of the show. Broncos Country, appreciate you for staying locked in every single day all year long. Make sure, hey, if you want an ad-free version of the show, you join the Every Dayer Club. and for the month of March through the 15th, we are giving a free month away of the Everydayer Club. All you got to do is go to lockdownbroncos.com, and you can sign up, enter the promo code, free agency in caps, in one word, no spaces, free agency,

Starting point is 00:15:34 and you'll get a free month at the Everydayer Club where when the Broncos signed free agents, we'll have film breakdowns on them, bonus content, and so much more. Thanks for rocking with us. We'll see you tomorrow for a brand new episode of the show.

Locked On Broncos - Daily Podcast On The Denver Broncos - Denver Broncos MUST DECIDE Ben Powers' Future Or Pursue Cost Effective Options

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