As Drew Lock enters his second season under center for the Denver Broncos, protecting his blind side will be a priority.
That responsibility will mainly fall to Garrett Bolles—one of the few incumbent starters on a revamped offensive line. The former first-round pick has underwhelmed through his first three seasons in the NFL, and he understands why Denver fans have been displeased with his performance.
“Listen, our fans are some of the best fans in the country,” Bolles told the team's official website. “They deserve the best football. Here in Denver we have a tradition of winning. It's unacceptable the way that I played. I take full responsibility of that.”
Bolles knows he has to improve to help Lock succeed. Bolles' pass and run blocking have been inconsistent since he debuted for the Broncos, and he has been called for 45 flags in his career—including 17 last season, per Pro Football Focus.
“Nobody likes to get booed, so I took that upon myself to get better,” Bolles said. “I did whatever I can. I took [steps]. I worked out hard. I put on 20 extra pounds. I did whatever I can to make myself better, the best version of me moving forward, because I know this is a very important season not just for me but for my family. This organization is counting on me to be the best version of myself.”
“I can't dictate what Mr. Elway or those guys up front do. What I can dictate is how I play on the football field,” Bolles said. “That's exactly what I can dictate…I can focus on Drew and I can focus on everything else.”
The offensive line will be one the biggest question marks for the Broncos heading into 2020. As it stands, the team will start a rookie, Lloyd Cushenberry, at center, Graham Glawsgow and Dalton Risner at guard, and recently signed 34-year old Demar Dotson at right tackle.
The Broncos still believe in Bolles' talent, but the franchise declined his fifth-year option, making Bolles eligible for free agency in 2021.
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