ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — In some circles, it was a mild upset that the Broncos waited until the fifth round to add an offensive lineman. But it’s also notable that Washington’s Luke Wattenberg is not a tackle — and is someone of whom the Broncos thought enough to trade up eight picks io the No. 171 spot, sacrificing a seventh-round choice to do so.

“We were very lucky to get him,” Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett said.

At 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, Wattenberg has a background at left guard and center. And while he made three starts at left tackle during his redshirt freshman season of 2017, all of his work in the following four years was at left guard — where he started 27 games over the 2018 and 2019 seasons — and center, where he handled all 16 games as starter in 2020 and 2021.

“You always want to have flex on the inside,” Hackett said. “I think his ability to play center is huge. You always want to have a lot of centers on your team any time you go into a season, so I think that’s huge. I think his ability to play guard if we need to definitely helps.”

That versatility is why Wattenberg feels he was on NFL Draft radars.

“I was fortunate to be given that opportunity, and it has been a big weapon for me throughout the process, and it made me the player than I am today,” he said.

Wattenberg’s size is also a better fit for the outside-zone scheme being installed by head coach Nathaniel Hackett and offensive-line coach Butch Barry. The scheme favors lighter, quicker offensive linemen, although there is room for larger-bodied types who have the rare blend of size, fluidity and quick feet.

So, how does Wattenberg make the 53-man roster? This year, it likely means finding a way to establish himself in a crowded room that includes projected first-teamers Lloyd Cushenberry, Quinn Meinerz and Dalton Risner, and veteran backups such as Graham Glasgow — who restructured his contract to return and could push any of those three potential first-teamers out of the starting lineup — the massive Netane Muti and free-agent pickup Tom Compton, who can also work at the tackle spots.

Muti, in particular, is 15 pounds heavier and two inches shorter than Wattenberg, showing that the change in blocking scheme means a change in template. Muti’s solid play in four starts certainly gives him a chance, and the experience of the other afore-mentioned offensive linemen is hard to overlook.
But with a new scheme, new coaches and a new set of eyes, the landscape is wide-open, and if Wattenberg shows enough, he could stick as a swing interior backup.