DENVER (AP) — The Denver Broncos strengthened their offensive line on Monday, agreeing to deals with right tackle Mike McGlinchey and left guard Ben Powers, a person familiar with the moves told The Associated Press.
The Broncos later fortified their defensive line, agreeing to a deal with Zach Allen, and they also agreed to a deal with quarterback Jarrett Stidham to be Russell Wilson’s backup, according to the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deals can’t be announced until Wednesday.
McGlinchey is getting an $87.5 million, five-year contract with $50 million guaranteed, one person familiar with the terms told The AP. McGlinchey was the ninth overall pick in the 2018 draft. He started 69 games in five seasons for the San Francisco 49ers, helping pave the way for one of the league’s top rushing units over the past several years.
Powers receives a $52 million, four-year contract with $28.5 million guaranteed, according to a person familiar with those terms. Powers started 36 games in four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.
Allen’s deal is for three years and $45.75 million with $32.5 million guaranteed, a person familiar with the terms said. Allen started 35 games in four seasons in Arizona. He had 9 1/2 sacks in 2021-22.
Stidham’s deal is worth $10 million over two years, per a person familiar with the terms. Stidham started two games for the Las Vegas Raiders last season.
Amid all the additions on the first day of the negotiating period, the Broncos also made a point to keep one of their core defensive players when they agreed to re-sign inside linebacker Alex Singleton. Their leading tackler in 2022 gets a three-year deal worth up to $18 million, about half of which is guaranteed.
And they agreed to a two-year, $6 million deal with blocking tight end Chris Manhertz, a ninth-year pro who played the last two seasons in Jacksonville and is reuniting with Denver’s new coach, Sean Payton. Manhertz had a short stint with the Saints in 2016 after playing on New Orleans’ practice squad the previous season.
The Broncos are hoping to rebound from a 5-12 season in which they fired rookie head coach Nathaniel Hackett just after Christmas, and they’ll need Wilson to bounce back after the worst season of his career.
That begins with fortifying the offensive line. They’ve had a different starting right tackle every season since winning Super Bowl 50: Donald Stephenson, Menelik Watson, Jared Veldheer, Elijah Wilkinson, Demar Dotson, Bobby Massie and Cam Fleming.
“Obviously, we need to upgrade the offensive line,” general manager George Paton said at the NFL combine in Indianapolis two weeks ago.
On Monday, he did just that.