The Denver Broncos and New Orleans Saints pipeline continues to grow as the team signed a former offensive lineman who has previous ties to Sean Payton. What might the overall vision be for this player and the team’s depth at OL?
Denver Broncos sign Calvin Throckmorton to one-year deal
Calvin Throckmorton is the newest member of the Denver Broncos roster as they build toward 90 players this offseason as the NFL Draft inches closer and closer.
Throckmorton, an unrestricted free agent, signed a one-year deal on Monday afternoon. He’s appeared in 46 career games in four seasons as a member of the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, and Tennessee Titans.
When he played for Payton in New Orleans in 2021, he played 17 games and started 14 of them as a member of the Saints. The following season, Throckmorton appeared in 14 games for the Saints and started six of them.
In 2023, he played for the Panthers and Titans, where he appeared in 15 total games, starting seven games total for Carolina.
He’s 27 years old and will join a position group where he may be able to offer versatility across the offensive line. In the NFL, he’s played primarily at guard, but he’s got the ability to play guard, center, and offensive tackle dating back to his days at the University of Oregon.
As it stands today, the Broncos’ offensive line appears solidified for the most part, with Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Quinn Meinerz, and Mike McGlinchey all returning as starters. Center is the only position right now that is up in the air.
Alex Forsyth and Luke Watteberg are two players who are internally viewed as the top candidates to compete for the job, but Throckmorton’s addition could also indicate his name potentially being thrown in the mix for a training camp competition.
The NFL Draft will occur at the end of this month, and the Broncos could very well draft a younger offensive lineman, but it appears that Payton and offensive line coach Zach Strief are adding depth that features previous starting experience. Throckmorton is the latest addition to the offensive line after the team signed offensive tackle Matt Peart in NFL free agency two weeks ago.
Denver’s voluntary offseason program begins on April 15th, and Payton and general manager George Paton will address the media as the NFL Draft gets closer, where they might be able to address what Throckmorton’s vision is for the team going into 2024.
