Mike McGlinchey Opens Up on Broncos' Lackluster History at RT
The stubborn economics of supply and demand drives NFL free agency. Entering into the league's yearly explosion of dollar bills, the Denver Broncos addressing their major offensive line issues was an open secret.
Head coach Sean Payton wasn't going to miss out on locking down a competent right tackle. Enter long-time San Francisco 49ers tackle Mike McGlinchey — a former top-10 pick in the NFL draft —on a four-year, $87.5 million deal, as the Broncos attempt to plug a constantly rupturing hole.
Few can argue with filling the obvious need, but some critics tend to split hairs on how much money gets thrown into the pot. Bitter memories of Ja’Wuan James still linger like a bad smell in Broncos Country, after all.
McGlinchey might not have been fully aware of the revolving door that existed at his position in Denver, but he intends to put all the issues to bed once and for all.
“Only aware of it over the last week or so,” McGlinchey told 9NEWS' Mike Klis on Wednesday. “I’ve seen a lot of information on that. I hope to put a nice little plug in that hole.”
McGlinchey’s own down-to-earth take on the deals Denver paid out to himself and guard Ben Powers should reassure Broncos fans that he knows what it takes to win.
“It hit me a few years ago when I was watching the draft,” McGlinchey said via 9NEWS. “And draft day or free agency, when you get an offensive lineman or two offensive linemen like we did in Denver, it’s like getting socks and underwear for Christmas. You know you need them. But they’re not exactly the sexiest gift.”
The Broncos currently top the NFL's list of free agency spenders, but that could easily be attributed to the vast wealth of the team's Walton/Penner ownership group. Payton has pushed for immediate reinforcements along both the offensive and defensive line, which appealed greatly to McGlinchey.
“That’s one of the first things he and I spoke of, “ McGlinchey said of Payton. “I think he’s proven it through his track record over the sixteen years he was in New Orleans is he invested big time in his offensive line, and obviously, it’s the most important thing to him. I think for all of time, football has been won, lost, and controlled at the line of scrimmage and dominating the line of scrimmage. He understands that, and it is shown in the way he addressed the team in the first couple of weeks of free agency. I’m a believer in that. I think in order to win games and control games and to have a good game plan, you need to be able to block people. And you need to be able to block people well and have no doubt about what’s going on up front. I think that’s what he’s trying to build in Denver.”
Having gone a career 2-7 all-time against quarterback Russell Wilson while he was in San Francisco, McGlinchey has huge levels of respect for Wilson and that always helps the trusted bodyguard dynamic.
“He’s a Hall of Famer. And he’s capable of doing great things and winning a lot of games in this league like he did for a decade in Seattle,” McGlinchey told 9NEWS. “And I think Coach Payton and the situation we are going into is going to elevate his game even more.”
To a huge extent, turning Wilson's career path back onto an upward trajectory will happen over time, but it will depend greatly on how well McGlinchey and his fellow trenchmen play.
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