On Sunday, the Denver Broncos faced their biggest challenge of this young season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They had to do that without starting right tackle Mike McGlinchey, who was placed on injured reserve last week with a sprained MCL.
One of the strengths of this current Broncos team is the offensive line, so taking out one of the key players threatened to change things. But McGlinchey's replacement, Alex Palczewski, played a great game for the team in its 26-7 Week 3 win that gave the Broncos their first victory of the season.
Palczewski handled his assignments well throughout the game and was hardly mentioned during the telecast, which means he wasn't beaten for a sack or flagged for any penalties. He allowed just one pressure during the game which didn't amount to much as Bo Nix was not sacked one time.
Will take a closer look at the film when it comes out, but at first glance a strong first NFL start for Alex Palczewski. Only one pressure allowed, per TruMedia. Broncos did a good job helping him out, but there were plenty of 1-v-1s where he held his own.
— Nick Kosmider (@NickKosmider) September 22, 2024
This is a big development for the Broncos after having to place McGlinchey, who they gave a massive contract to last offseason, on IR.
Alex Palczewski could push for more playing time
McGlinchey is a solid run blocker for the Broncos, but he has had issues in pass protection and has drawn a few too many penalties. Most Broncos fans would say he hasn't been worth the money.
Palczewski was signed as an undrafted free agent following the 2023 draft. He spent most of last season on injured reserve but he showed enough in training camp last year to create a belief within the coaching staff that he could be a future option.
That will be something to watch, even when McGlinchey returns to the lineup.
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