ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos had a severe case of the ‘Sunday Scaries’ this week, after starting left tackle Garett Bolles went down and had to leave the game on a cart. With initial reports hinting it could have been a significant injury to his Achilles tendon or a high ankle sprain, the diagnosis seemed flat out scary.
On Monday, however, those ‘Sunday Scaries’ seemed all for nothing as the Broncos “dodged a bullet” with Bolles only suffering a lower leg bruise, according to Vance Joseph.
“It’s a lower leg bruise. He is week-to-week,” the coach said, relieved. “We are very lucky that it wasn’t serious.”
Although week-to-week is much better than month-to-month or season ending—like the other diagnosis could have been—the fact is the Broncos will be without their prized rookie first-round pick for at least a week, if not more.
Much like a magician never reveals his secrets, Joseph wanted to give no indication on how the Broncos will replace Bolles, perhaps a show of gamesmanship to the Buffalo Bills, Denver’s Week 3 opponent.
“We have lots of options that I won’t share today, but we have lots of options there that we can insert guys and take guys out of certain spots that put someone in the left tackle position,” Joseph said Monday afternoon. “We will cross that bridge when we have to.”
While Joseph wouldn’t verbally say Denver’s replacement plan, the team has already encountered and crossed the proverbial bridge Joseph mentioned. Bolles left the game 13 plays into Denver’s 15 play touchdown drive to start the second half. In the final two plays of that series, backup swing tackle Donald Stephenson filled in at left tackle in a pinch.
However, the very next series Allen Barbre took over at left tackle and played the final 17 plays of the game.
“[Stephenson] went in and played—I don’t know how many snaps he played—but he played initially then we thought putting Barbre in would help us run the football better,” Joseph explained why they swapped Stephenson for Barbre after the first drive. “We just thought yesterday, with the game where it was to play Barbre, being a better run blocker for us in the game there.”
With a 17-2 snap count advantage for Barbre over Stephenson, Joseph’s actions this past Sunday would suggest that the 10-year vet would be the next man up next Sunday.
“He did fine. He hadn’t played left tackle since training camp. He did fine. He held his own. He blocked his guy,” he said, evaluating Barbre’s game in front of the media. “He had one issue with a cross stunt. But he’s an experienced player, and that’s why he’s here with us. He can play right tackle, left tackle, left guard or right guard. He’s a guy that’s very valuable to our offensive line.”
Additionally, Joseph pointed to the run game as the offensive lines strength so far this season—an area the head coach gave the nod to Barbre. After performances of 24 and 35 points by the offense, the Broncos could look to stick with a philosophy that has worked for them at the beginning of the season.
“We fixed the offensive line. Now it hasn’t been perfect, but the running game is there,” Joseph said. “Our passing protection is not there yet; we are still working some kinks out there. But the running game is there.”
As for Stephenson, Joseph merely said, “He’s our swing tackle, so he plays left and right.” When pressed if Barbre could be the option moving forward at left tackle, Joseph again didn’t tip his cap, only saying, “He could be. Again, we’ve got a number of guys we can play there. We haven’t nailed it yet.”
Outside of Stephenson and Barbre, Denver’s only other option on the active roster would be guard Billy Turner. Turner has played a few spot starts at tackle with the Miami Dolphins, but since he signed with the Broncos last October he has been purely a guard.
With one of the most important positions on the team up in the air, Joseph’s actions, not words, hint at who Bolles’ replacement will be moving forward.
