Denver Broncos: Is Mitchell Schwartz on top of the wishlist?

Although the Denver Broncos are in a salary cap bind and won’t be able to keep all of their top impending free agents, the departures of key players like Malik Jackson and Danny Trevathan could allow Denver to have enough money left over to pursue an upgrade on their weakest unit.

Even though the Denver Broncos won the Super Bowl and had the NFL’s most dominant defense, they did have some holes on the offensive side of the ball that the defense was able to overcome. If Jackson and Trevathan do end up walking, then the Broncos will be under increased pressure to shore up those holes. At quarterback, they’ll likely stick with Brock Osweiler and spend money there, in the hopes that he’ll be the answer, but that still leaves uncertainty on the offensive line, especially with top OL Evan Mathis set to join another franchise.

Today, Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole reports that the “strongest rumor” on the Jackson front is that the Jacksonville Jaguars will sign him, and the fit makes perfect sense on paper. The Jaguars need difference-makers on defense, and nobody is better in free agency than Jackson, who can make plays against the pass and run both as a defensive tackle or defensive end, even in a 4-3 scheme; that’s how versatile he is.

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However, the more interesting nugget came in the second part of Cole’s tweet, because the veteran NFL insider relays that we should expect the Broncos to go after a “serious offensive lineman”.

There are many interpretations of the word “serious” in this sense, because there are different levels of seriousness. Is Donald Penn serious enough? Alex Boone?

But who could be more serious than Cleveland Browns right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, who was the best pass protector on the right side in the NFL last season?

Schwartz is coming off of the two best seasons of his career, and he could make more money than any other offensive player, even fellow impending free agent offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele. After all, Schwartz is a battle-tested right tackle, and he’ll only be 27 when the 2016 season opens up, which is a ripe age for the position. He has the tools to hang with speedy pass rushers, and that alone makes him incredibly valuable.

I don’t know how much money the Broncos will have available or just how interested they would be in going with the best-available offensive line upgrade, but if “serious” equates to “all-in”, then I wonder if Schwartz could be the guy. Sure, there are others like Alex Mack and Osemele worth monitoring, but if the Broncos want to add an offensive lineman, I could see them going for an offensive tackle. Why not upgrade at one of the league’s most important positions, especially when you aren’t particularly good there?

Dec 13, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Oakland Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack (52) attempts to sack Denver Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler (17) in the third quarter at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /

The potential for Schwartz to join the Broncos could be dictate by paycut talks between the team and Ryan Clady, who should be open to taking less money. He’s had major health issues, and while that will reduce his price tag, is he even worth keeping around as a franchise left tackle? Even if we assume he’s still a solid starting left tackle, can the Broncos trust him to stay healthy? And are they OK with the strides Michael Schofield seemed to make after Melvin Ingram and Khalil Mack embarrassed him at the end of the regular season?

I’m skeptical, and even though the Broncos aren’t one of the teams rumored to have interest in Schwartz, as per the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot, I think they could emerge as a darkhorse suitor. Money won’t be an issue if the Broncos lose their mainstays on defense, and, if that happens, it follows that they would replace a difference-maker on that side of the ball with a difference-maker on the offensive line.

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By that logic, Schwartz is the guy to bet on, because he’s in his prime, plays a premier position, and has put himself into the “elite” realm at the right tackle position. I’m sure he can play left tackle, too, but the Broncos could even end up keeping Clady in addition to signing Schwartz

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Denver Broncos: Is Mitchell Schwartz on the top of the wishlist?

By Kevin Parvizi | Mar 7, 2016

Although the Denver Broncos are in a salary cap bind and won’t be able to keep all of their top impending free agents, the departures of key players like Malik Jackson and Danny Trevathan could allow Denver to have enough money left over to pursue an upgrade on their weakest unit.

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