With the help of a veteran teammate, Garett Bolles is ready to take the next step

Garett Bolles’ rookie season can be seen in many ways, both good and bad. 

On the positive side, he was consistent, starting every game, something his fellow rookie classmates were unable to do in 2017. To boot, he started at left tackle, one of the most taxing positions in football, and was forced to improve each and every week, playing his best in Week 17 against the Kansas City Chiefs.

On the flip side, the former Ute was penalized far too often, conceded too many pressures and was outplayed by the New Orleans Saints Ryan Ramczyk who many analysts saw as the better prospect coming into the draft — Ramczyk was selected 12 spots after Bolles in the 2017 draft.

In the greater picture of an NFL career, rookie seasons matter very little, taking those lessons when thrown into the fire and succeeding in the long term is much more important, and by all accounts, Bolles’ second season promises to be much better than his first.

“Lots of improvement,” assessed guard Ronald Leary, who’s now playing next to Bolles on the left side. “Just being out there with him, I’m forcing him to talk more, because I’m a big communicator out there and that’s something I don’t think he did a lot last year. I’m making him talk, even if I know what’s going on I still want him to say it, so I know that he knows it. He’s done a great job with it so far, and he’s going to continue to get better.”

Having Leary next to him isn’t the only difference in Bolles’ sophomore season in Denver, but it might be one of the most important. The veteran guard can take the former first rounder under his wing and get him up to speed. 

“It’s about a million times better (laughing). It’s great,” explained the left tackle of his second camp. “In year one, it’s such a long year. Everyone says it’s a long year being a rookie, and not only that, but being married and having a family also, coming to a new city and knowing that I’ve got to take care of them and I have to go away. It was just a lot and so much happened so fast, going from junior college to Utah, straight to being drafted to this great organization, and being part of such tradition here. Now, it’s so much slower. I see things better, and I’ve matured a lot. That’s what it takes to play my position and play in the NFL.”

It’s not just the guys on the line who are seeing a difference, either, as Derek Wolfe’s been impressed as well with the progress of the O-line playing across from them in the trenches. On Sunday, Wolfe admitted that “last year it was kind of like we’d get by them at will,” but this year “you’re not going to get a clean win in one-on-ones.”

With a new linemate in Leary, a new veteran quarterback in Case Keenum, and new coaches on the offensive line, Bolles has a lot more help. However, he’ll be tested a lot more during this camp, as the Broncos rotation on the edge is vicious and won’t give him any breaks.

One of the issues Bolles was having last season stemmed from his technique, showing off how raw he still was, as he reached too much or showed too much youthful exuberance in almost tackling instead of blocking defenders leading to a lot of holding calls. 

As Wolfe explained and Bolles echoed, the coaching seems to be helping with that technique, which should help the young tackle most of all.  

Getting better in year two is a must for No. 72 if the offense is to take the next step, left tackle is that important.

While it should’ve been expected that a raw and extremely talented player like Bolles might’ve struggled in his first season, it might just pay off in 2018 after having to go through baptism-by-fire as a rookie.

The real test won’t begin until Tuesday when pads come on, and Bolles will be able to do a little more run blocking, an area in which his athleticism and nasty streak should allow him to show how much he’s improved. 

For now, it’s nice to know his head isn’t swimming anymore and that he seems to be settled into life in the NFL, because if Bolles can play up to his full potential, watch out, this offense could be scary.