Garafolo notes the sprain is “significant,” and McGlinchey thus appears to be set to miss roughly one month. Further testing will be needed to determine an exact recovery timeline. Nonetheless, his absence will deal a blow to a Denver offense which has struggled on offense in general and on the ground in particular.
The 0-2 Broncos currently rank 19th in passing yardage per game, but only 27th with an average of 81.5 rushing yards per contest. The team has invested heavily under head coach Sean Payton along the O-line, with McGlinchey and left guard Ben Powers landing big-ticket free agent deals in 2023. Right guard Quinn Meinerz secured a lucrative extension this offseason, but the unit has not performed as hoped so far.
McGlinchey, 30, played his first four seasons with the 49ers, starting each of his 75 regular and postseason appearances. The former No. 9 pick drew consistent PFF evaluations based on his run blocking in particular, although his pass protection was a point of contention. As expected, San Francisco allowed him to depart on the open market and he signed a five-year, $87.5M deal with the Broncos. The Notre Dame product ranked 39th amongst tackles in terms of PFF grades last season, roughly in line with his past evaluations.
While McGlinchey is sidelined for a notable stretch (placing him on injured reserve would guarantee a four-week absence), Denver will have the option of using Alex Palczewski in his place. The former UDFA took over at right tackle at the end of the contest after McGlinchey was injured. The Broncos also have veteran Matt Peart in place as a candidate to fill in along the first-team offensive line.
