Reeling off 10 straight victories, the Broncos have used a strong offensive line to help assemble this win streak. They have missed one member of that front for most of the season, but the unit appears close to being at full strength again.
Denver designated Ben Powers for return Wednesday, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. Powers has been the team’s left guard starter since his 2023 free agent signing. He is the only Denver regular up front to miss notable time this season.
A biceps injury sidelined Powers following the Broncos’ Week 5 win in Philadelphia. The team has used two replacement options. Matt Peart went down after one game in Powers’ place, with that injury giving way to Alex Palczewski. The former UDFA has started seven games at LG, shifting away from his role as the Broncos’ sixth O-lineman. Denver could restore its preferred six-OL package once Powers returns.
The Broncos made Powers a priority as a 2023 free agent, giving him a four-year deal worth $52MM. That contract, agreed to shortly before the Broncos signed right tackle Mike McGlinchey, included $27MM guaranteed at signing. The former Raven has validated the Broncos’ faith, starting 34 games from 2023-24.
ESPN’s run block win rate metric graded Powers as league’s best interior run blocker — after placing him seventh among guards and centers in 2023 — and he helped J.K. Dobbins to a hot start this season. The Broncos, though, have been forced to get by without Powers and Dobbins as of late. However, the team has continued to motor along — albeit with questions about its offense — in running its record to 11-2.
Powers’ status beyond this season is worth following, as the Broncos recently extended center Luke Wattenberg on a four-year deal worth $48MM. This gives Denver’s O-line five starters earning at least $12MM per year. O-lines are almost never constructed this way, inviting speculation about Powers’ future due to the cap savings that would come in a contract-year release. The Broncos would save $8.65MM by cutting Powers in 2026 ($13MM with a post-June 1 designation), and considering teams’ need for quality O-linemen, a trade would not be out of the question. Powers’ $18.4MM cap number trails only McGlinchey’s $23.8MM number on the Broncos’ 2026 payroll.
Then again, Pro Football Focus ranks Palczewski 63rd out of 80 qualified guards this season. The team also has Russell Wilson‘s dead money coming off the books, at long last, after this season. Next year represents a pivotal opportunity as a result, with Bo Nix tied to his rookie deal for at least one more season. Denver keeping Powers in an ultra-rare setup featuring five eight-figure-AAV O-linemen would be interesting. For now, it appears the 29-year-old blocker is on his way back to help a Denver Super Bowl push — one that could become an audition for guard-needy teams.