As the Denver Broncos prepare for NFL Free Agency, they could kick things off with a splash move — potentially looking to offset Garett Bolles who is rumored to be on the trade block. How might this impact the Broncos plans on the offensive line?

Garett Bolles on Denver Broncos trade block?

Going into the March 15 new league year, the Denver Broncos will have an estimated $12M in cap space to maneuver throughout free agency. Before free agency, the Broncos might ask or may already have asked several players to restructure their contracts to give them more cap flexibility.

Garett Bolles is one of the players the Broncos will likely approach about restructuring if they haven’t done so already. Bolles will carry a $17.8M cap hit in 2023. Last year, Bolles suffered a major leg injury that required him to have surgery, ending his season and forcing him to miss Denver’s final 12 games.

After the Broncos season-finale against the Los Angeles Chargers, the former All-Pro offensive tackle was seen maneuvering around the locker room without crutches which is a positive sign as he continues to progress in his recovery.

If Denver were to cut or trade Bolles prior to June 1st, they’d save around $9.8M while incurring a dead cap hit of $8M. The biggest question that needs to be asked is whether or not the Broncos’ intent is to actually move on from Bolles considering their pre-existing issues on the offensive line. The main appeal for Denver would be to free up cap space and receive draft capital in any potential deal — considering the Broncos do not possess a first or second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Broncos general manager George Paton will evaluate his options alongside new head coach Sean Payton. Surely, new offensive line coach Zach Strief should have his input factored into consideration.

Broncos options at left tackle if they trade Garett Bolles

If the Denver Broncos trade Garett Bolles, they’ll face an uphill battle as they approach a potential rebuild of the offensive line. Considering their investment in quarterback Russell Wilson, how might the Broncos left tackle position be addressed if they move on from Bolles?

Calvin Anderson should be the answer to this question. Anderson has been on Denver’s roster since 2019 and has stepped up countless times throughout the last four seasons. He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent but should be Denver’s primary move at left tackle if Bolles is traded.

The athletic offensive tackle has looked more comfortable and stable at left tackle in comparison to right tackle, where he saw a majority of the reps last off-season. Not only has Anderson shown he can play at a high level at left tackle, but he’s also the Broncos’ best option to insert at that position if they do in fact go into next season without Bolles.

Considering other options in free agency, there aren’t any players who will give Denver a more immediate boost at left tackle.