ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Enough’s enough.
One week after dropping a season-low six points against the Kansas City Chiefs on primetime football, the Broncos are looking at a significant change on the offensive line.
“The one thing about Ja’Wuan you have to remember he was out six weeks and because it was a knee injury, he’s not in the best of shape right now,” Vic Fangio said, explaining James’ return to the practice field. “I don’t know that it’s realistic that he can go out there and play 65, 70 plays. We’ll probably play all three of those tackles at some point.”
That’s right, an offensive tackle rotation between Ja’Wuan James, Elijah Wilkinson and Garett Bolles is scheduled to unfold Sunday in Indianapolis.
This change is contingent upon Ja’Wuan James playing, which looks promising, but is certainly not a given. The second-highest-paid right tackle in the league is medically cleared for a second week in a row, but Fangio doesn’t know if he’s “football cleared” after missing six weeks of the season.
“Yesterday was his first real day of practice since he’s been hurt. Obviously, he’s got some rust to knock off and get used to football movements,” Fangio said, explaining what it takes to become football cleared.
In his first practice on Wednesday, James looked “okay,” according to the head coach. His activity level in practice is expected to be ramped up as the week continues to see if he’ll be able to play against the Colts.
Fangio said there isn’t a set timetable for players to become football cleared, but that James will have to convince both he and Mike Munchak that he’s ready to return to the game field.
“In his case, since it was a knee, he couldn’t do anything really conditioning-wise for four or five weeks so, for a big guy, they get out of shape pretty quickly,” Fangio explained. “So for every guy, it’s a little different.”
If the 6-foot-6 tackle becomes “football cleared” he’ll be available to play on Sunday, and thus the offensive tackle rotation will be on. Exactly what that unusual rotation will look like is “TBD,” according to Fangio, dependent on how James looks and feels.
But it won’t just be a rotation on the right side of the line between James and Wilkinson, James’ replacement the last six weeks. Left tackle Garett Bolles “could” come off the field in the rotation as well. If this happens, it would be the first time this season the first-round pick has been benched.
Bolles’ nine penalties that have been called on him are tied for the most in the NFL with Laremy Tunsil. All nine of Bolles’ penalties have been for holding, which leads the league with fellow teammate Ron Leary coming in second with six.
The rotation would be more difficult for the coaching staff to manage than a similar rotation at another position. But Fangio stated changes wouldn’t happen during a series, they would take place in-between series.
After allowing more sacks on Joe Flacco (8) than points they scored (6) in their most recent game, changes are beginning to take place on the Broncos’ offense.
