6:29pm: A source described the Broncos’ workout/meeting with Incognito as “exploratory” to Ed Werder of ESPN (on Twitter). As Klis and Glazer said, there’s nothing imminent between the two sides.
3:40pm: The Broncos haven’t closed the door on Incognito, but won’t be signing him for now, tweets Mike Klis of the Denver Post. Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (Twitter link) suggests the club may revisit the possibility after its games against the Rams and Dolphins.
11:00am: Seeking a potential upgrade on the offensive line, the Broncos brought in free agent guard Richie Incognito for a workout and visit recently, reports Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (via Twitter). According to Glazer (via Twitter), the Broncos are “doing their full diligence” on Incognito, though multiple coaches already know him from coaching him at the Pro Bowl.
Incognito, of course, has been on the open market since last season, following his involvement of the Dolphins’ bullying scandal that resulted in Jonathan Martin leaving the team. While Incognito’s play on the field has remained solid, questions about his character, locker room presence, and potential off-field issues have prevented him from finding a new home.
If there’s any locker room in the league that could handle bringing in a player like Incognito, the Broncos would seem to fit the bill. With a handful of strong veteran leaders in place, including Peyton Manning and DeMarcus Ware, it’s hard to imagine Incognito falling back on the same sort of behavior that got him into trouble in Miami.
While Manning is having another superb season in Denver, the team hasn’t been happy with its running game. The Broncos currently rank 27th in the league in rushing yards, and offensive coordinator Adam Gase expressed frustration with the club’s ground attack before Sunday’s game against the Raiders. The team shuffled around its offensive line a little for that contest, moving right guard Louis Vasquez to right tackle and having backup Manuel Ramirez play at right guard. If the Broncos were to seriously consider signing Incognito, presumably they’d have that right guard spot in mind for him.