Denver Broncos left tackle Ryan Clady, the esteemed guardian of Peyton Manning’s blind side, is out for the season with a torn ACL. And so the immobile Manning and the Broncos are screwed. Or so goes the narrative.
But some in the Broncos organization last season felt that a recent history of injuries had already caught up to the 28-year-old Clady. Sure, he’s still better than penciled-in replacement Ryan Harris, but the gap between the two isn’t as gargantuan as it would have been three years ago. More concerning are the downgrades on the inside of Denver’s offensive line: in place of departed left guard Orlando Franklin is journeyman Shelley Smith; at center is Gino Gradkowski, who started 16 games for the Ravens in 2013 and zero in his other two pro seasons; and at right guard is Louis Vasquez.