Losing starting guard Orlando Franklin to the San Diego Chargers was a major hit for the Denver Broncos back in March. As one of the team's two-best offensive linemen, some had to figure the Broncos offensive line might struggle this year. Add in the loss of Ryan Clady to a torn ACL during the Broncos off-season activities, and this unit had disaster written all over it. Not necessarily a good sign with an immobile Peyton Manning under center and in a new run-first offensive scheme that first-year head coach Gary Kubiak brought with him from Baltimore.
Then, in one fell swoop, it appears that the Broncos have indeed solved one of their offensive line issues. Multiple media reports indicated Tuesday evening that the team signed two-time Pro Bowl guard Evan Mathis to a one-year contract:
Mathis, 33, has been among the best guards in the NFL over the past several years. He earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2014 despite playing in just nine games. Back in 2013, the Alabama product graded out as the top overall guard in the NFL. In fact, his run-blocking grade was on a completely different planet than his counterparts.
It's this type of addition that teams simply don't usually make this last in the summer. Mathis was released by the Philadelphia Eagles during the spring after a lengthy contract stalemate between the two sides. Somewhat of an enigma, Mathis will bring previous success to an interior of the Broncos offensive line that was sorely missing veteran experience prior to the signing.
From a fantasy standpoint, this is huge news for those of you have plan on (or have already) invested in C.J. Anderson as a RB1 option. Running behind someone of Mathis' caliber in the Broncos new zone-blocking scheme could make Anderson a major force moving forward.
And now that Ronnie Hillman appears to be etched in stone as the team's primary backup, he might be worth a late-round add as a handcuff option. Remember, even with Manning under center, the Broncos are planning on going with a run-first scheme in 2015. Mathis' addition only leads us to believe that they will be successful in this endeavour.