ENGLEWOOD – The average weight of the six offensive tackles voted to the Pro Bowl last year was 319.3 pounds.
The group ranged from Donald Penn’s 340 pounds to Taylor Lewan’s 309.
Garett Bolles said by the end of his rookie year last season, he was playing at 290 to 295 pounds.
Big as he may seem, Bolles was one of the league’s lighter offensive tackles last season. He said he’s up to 300 to 305 pounds now and can handle getting up to 308.
“I just had to gain a bit more weight, just so I can anchor when I get those bull rushes and things like that,’’ Bolles said following the Broncos’ seventh OTA practice Monday. “I talked with my coaches and the front office and they want me to get a little bit bigger. So, I’ll probably stay around 300-305. That’s sort of my range. I feel more comfortable there — I feel more explosive and powerful.’’
Bolles was the Broncos’ first-round draft pick last season, No. 20 overall, and he started all 16 games. He admitted he had “some rocky moments” in particular with his pass protection. His 10 holding penalties tied Cleveland’s Shon Coleman for most in the NFL.
It probably didn’t help that the Broncos changed quarterbacks six times in 16 games with Trevor Siemian (10), Brock Osweiler (4) and Paxton Lynch (2) all getting multiple starts.
“It was my job to do what I had to do—to protect them. I didn’t do a good job of that. I’ll be the first one to admit that,’’ Bolles said. “It wasn’t the best that I wanted to play. I was learning, I was new. Having all of that stuff on top of my head is no excuse.’’
PHOTOS | Garett Bolles - Denver Broncos
This season, the Broncos' hope is new quarterback Case Keenum is the one and only.
“I’m grateful we have Case here,’’ Bolles said. “I think he brings a demeanor here. That season he had in Minnesota [last year] was not a fluke thing. It was 100 percent who he is. A man that has been benched and moved around multiple times and still fought his way to the top and took his team as far as he did. That’s a big picture in my eyes.
“When we brought him in I had to do my research and understand what kind of man he is. Knowing that he’s been with his wife [Kimberly] for a long time goes to show what type of man he is.
“Knowing that everything he does—he’s collected, he gets in that huddle and he demands. But he showed us in the offseason before we even started OTAs. He’s bringing us along, we’re doing outings together—hockey games and all those things. He’s taking control.
“He does a great job bringing the other wives together, which I think is a big thing. We all get together and understand each other. Because that’s what a team is, understanding each other. If we understand each other then we get on the field, it’s easy.”
Von praises coach Ware
Von Miller was asked about the work former teammate DeMarcus Ware did last week as a Broncos’ pass-rush consultant.
“Whether he likes it or not, it’s his calling,’’ Miller said. “He’s a great teacher, a great mentor.”
Just call them "coach"
Broncos fullback Andy Janovich has laser focus. He’s dedicated his time to lifting weights, getting in shape, learning a tweaked offensive playbook, playing football.
The coaches’ names? He’ll get to that when he has time. At his post-OTA press conference Thursday, Janovich didn’t quite get the names of new special teams coordinator Tom McMahon [Mahomes] and new strength and conditioning coach Loren [Landry] Landow.
Like most players, Janovich probably just calls them "coach.'' Know this: His praise of those two coaches was well understood.
“Yeah, last year was rough, but I think we’re going to have a great year with [McMahon],’’ Janovich said. “Just looking at what he’s done with the Colts, he’s been top-five the last three or four years. I think he’s going to turn this thing around for us. I miss [former special teams coach] Brock [Olivo], but it’s on to the next.’’
As for Landow: “He’s going to be awesome. I feel like I’m getting really strong again. He’s got us kind of like old Nebraska work-out sessions. We’re lifting heavy weights again and he’s got us doing a lot of running and all of this different type of stuff for speed. It’s just like being in Nebraska. I’m excited.”
