Mile High Report
For last weekend’s game against the San Francisco 49ers, I gave three players to watch. I’ll do the same again for this Saturday when the Denver Broncos host the Arizona Cardinals in their second preseason game of the season.
The Broncos’ first team offensive line didn’t look too great in their initial outing against the 49ers last weekend. However, the depth players flourished and performed well and gave the Broncos’ offense a chance to shine with their second and third-team units.
One in particular that stood out was second-year guard Nick Garguilo. A seventh-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Garguilo was a practice squad player that saw elevation multiple times throughout the season, but didn’t see any regular season snaps.
Against the 49ers, I thought he played admirably and showcased his versatility. Spending time at both left and right guard, he played 28 snaps and earned an 84 overall grade from Pro Football Focus for his performance. I thought he did a good job in pass protection where he had the most reps. There was a play or two I felt he gave up a little bit of pressure for Jarrett Stidham. Even so, overall I was impressed in that regard.
As a run blocker, I felt he held his own at the point of attack. There were a few times he got tripped up moving up field to the second level or didn’t land a great second level block. I’d like to see him be better on the move this weekend against the Cardinals. But for the most part, I thought he was consistent and did a good job of displacing or moving his defender off the ball.
If Gargiulo continues to impress, the Broncos may have a hard time stashing him on the practice squad. Getting experience at both positions and performing well as camp and the preseason continue will go a long way toward earning a spot. Zach Strief and the Broncos coaching staff have done a tremendous job of finding value late in the draft in undrafted free agency, and Gargiulo may just be another diamond in the rough who could potentially earn a starting role in 2026.
With Dre Greenlaw and Alex Singleton out of action against the 49ers, the Broncos’ depth players at inside linebacker earned a lot of reps and meaningful playing time. Fans across Broncos Country are hopeful the two aforementioned can get healthy and make an impact in the regular season, but a significant area of interest is the growth and development of their backups at the position.
A player I felt held his own in his first game was undrafted rookie free agent Jordan Turner. Turner’s 23 defensive snaps were the third most of all inside linebackers and trailed only Karene Reid and Levelle Bailey. Pro Football Focus had the former Badger turned Spartan prospect as one of the Broncos’ highest graded defenders with a 76.8 overall...
