ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — After plowing through defenders in his nine starts as a rookie, Quinn Meinerz was the presumed starting right guard for the Broncos entering 2022.
But not so fast.
“Right now, it’s really early to know what the expectations [of where I’m playing] are just because these first couple phases of OTAs have been really learning everybody and each other so there really is a lot still to happen between who is being named what at what point,” Meinerz said on Thursday as the team wrapped up Phase 2 of offseason workouts. “Right now, my main focus is to be the best player every single day and take the coaching that I’m receiving and apply it.”
With the promise the third-round pick showed as a rookie, Meinerz’ role as a starter isn’t what’s up in the air, it’s where he’ll be playing.
Along the offensive line, only two players are believed to be surefire starters — Garett Bolles at left tackle and Meinerz.
At Wisconsin-Whitewater, Meinerz mainly played at left guard. As a rookie in the NFL, he played a majority of his snaps at right guard. That’s why he’s comfortable playing either spot his second year in Denver.
“I would say I don’t have a preference, I mean maybe right guard because I played it more in the NFL,” he added.
But Meinerz has also taken reps at center, not just in the past, but this offseason too. During the first two phases of Denver’s offseason workout program, Meinerz worked on center exchanges with Russell Wilson, Josh Johnson and Brett Rypien.
As the team enters OTAs, beginning next week, Meinerz believes his work at center will ramp up.
“I know the center thing will be picking up soon just because right now we’re all just trying to get reps for guys like ‘Cush’ with the new stuff that’s going on,” Meinerz added.
It would appear Meinerz is in the running for all three of the interior spots along the offensive line.
“Last year I was able to play center in the preseason, left guard against the Jets and then against Baltimore and then right guard the rest of the year,” Meinerz said. “But my job and focus is to be able to play all three because that’s just the standard you have to have as an interior offensive lineman.”
During the team’s voluntary veteran minicamp days before the draft in April, Justin Outten said Meinerz and veteran Graham Glasgow were “interchangeable at this point” adding both will bounce around.
Meinerz, however, isn’t viewing this as a competition between he and Glasgow.
“I’m not going out to practice everyday going, ‘Alright, I’m competing against Graham today.’ I’m competing everyday against myself. I’m trying to become my best version,” he added. “We’re all competing. There’s tons of great interior offensive lineman in our entire oline room. So everyday it’s a fight. Everyday it’s a challenge. What keeps me motivated is battling myself everyday.”
In order to prepare for Denver’s new outside-zone scheme, the 6-foot-3 lineman dropped 10 pounds — but still kept The Belly he’s known for — and wants to stay at 320 pounds or less in order to play faster.
Despite having his famed belly since he was five years old, Quinn’s chiseled arms were what stuck out of his shirt when he talked to the media on Thursday.
The question for Meinerz isn’t if he’ll start for the Broncos, it’s where The Belly will line up on the offensive line.
