The Denver Broncos are set to play the Carolina Panthers today, but they won’t be doing so with their standard offensive line.
For starters, right guard and free-agent acquisition Graham Glasgow will be out for today’s game with a foot injury, but rather than turning to oft-used backup Austin Schlottman, the Broncos will be starting rookie guard Netane Muti instead.
Muti was drafted in the sixth-round by the Denver Broncos this season, but his talent was much better than that. As a true freshman he started for Fresno State and even performed well against Bama, but then suffered seaon-ending injuries early into his sophomore and junior campaigns.
Entering the draft, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah said Muti had the talent level of a first or second-round guard, but injury concerns in a year when team visits weren’t allowed pushed him to the sixth round.
Unfortunately, along with Glasgow, the Broncos will have to replace star tackle Garett Bolles as he woke up this morning with an illness, though that illness is not expected to be COVID-19.
Oddly enough, rather than turning to Demar Dotson, who has been a servicable tackle for the Broncos all season, Denver will trot out Calvin Anderson at left tackle and Elijah Wilkinson at right tackle for today’s game.
That’s a surprising choice, considering Dotson has earned a grade of 70.8 over the eight games he’s appeared in, has allowed 1.38 pressures per game and has yet to allow a sack.
Meanwhile, Calvin Anderson has earned a grade of 51.7 and is allowing five pressures per game. Elijah Wilkinson has earned a grade of 58.1, is allowing 1.75 pressures per game, and is the only tackle for the Broncos this season to have allowed a sack.
