Broncos offensive lineman Matt Peart could find himself in a roster squeeze

It’s easy to forget about Broncos offensive lineman Matt Peart.

After all, his chance to stake a claim to a starting spot last year evaporated almost as soon as it formulated. He stepped in for Ben Powers last year in Week 6 against the New York Jets in London after the veteran starting left guard suffered a torn biiceps muscle, but then tore the medial collateral ligament in a knee during the course of that single start.

Somehow, Peart played through it and said nary a word to his fellow offensive linemen.

“I had no idea. [Peart] didn’t say a word about it,” right tackle Mike McGlinchey said three days after Peart’s lone 2025 start. “I think all he did was go and grab a brace, and then he got back in the game.

“That’s tough as nails, man. That’s really tough.”

It evoked memories of inside linebacker Alex Singleton playing nearly an entire 2024 game at Tampa on a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

“I don’t know how you can play with either of those, to be honest,” said tight end Adam Trautman last October. “I know I sprained my MCL. I had, a high-grade [sprain], but not too bad, and I remember how bad that hurt. And I was out for three weeks, I think, my second year, so respect to him for doing that.”

But the unfortunate part of NFL life is that the season train kept on rolling. Peart’s injury opened the door for Alex Palczewski, and he played so well on the left side — his first work on that flank since high school — that the Illinois product earned a three-year contract extension.

Meanwhile, Peart had to take a contract adjustment to stick around — a $1.5 million pay cut, to be exact.

BRONCOS’ DRAFTING OF KAGE CASEY ALSO CHANGES THINGS FOR PEART

Palczewski looks poised for a significant depth role within the offensive line. Frank Crum is still well-regarded after showing steady practice-field improvement last year and then becoming the Broncos’ extra offensive tackle.

And to that mix, the Broncos added Boise State rookie Kage Casey in the fourth round. Casey noted in May that his first on-field work was on the left side, and that’s significant given that Peart was the primary left-side backup early in the season at both guard and tackle.

Now, Casey could be coming for that job.

Peart has the advantage of a contract that became even more affordable after last season. But it also places him squarely on the Broncos’ roster bubble; as he possesses a cap number that is easy to excise if, for example, Casey beats him out for an extensive role.

Timing is everything, and for Peart, it was awful in 2025.