Injured Denver Broncos offensive tackle Ryan Clady and former Philadelphia Eagle and current free agent Evan Mathis don't play the same position, but Clady's ACL tear has left a Broncos team desperate to protect aging quarterback Peyton Manning as he chases one final Super Bowl, very thin up front.
Mathis, released by the Eagles on Thursday after weeks of speculation over his future in midnight green based mostly on his own desire to see his current deal, which was slated to pay him $5.5 million for 2015, upgraded to include more guaranteed money or increased incentives that would push the value of his deal higher.
While Mathis likely won't come cheap - the Eagles reportedly offered to up his salary last year when Howie Roseman was still GM, but Mathis declined, according to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer - if the price tag isn't too exorbitant, John Elway and the rest of the Broncos brass may need to take a look at bringing in the veteran guard.
"Evan Mathis is a large, beefy man now wandering the streets as a free agent. Teams will show interest in the Pro Bowl guard, but it would be wise for the veteran to seek out the right scheme fit. A zone-blocking team like the Broncos makes plenty of sense," writes Marc Sessler of NFL.com.
"Denver currently has former practice-squader Ben Garland penciled in at left guard ahead of underwhelming veteran Shelley Smith and rookie Max Garcia. With left tackle Ryan Clady out for the year, right guard Louis Vasquez looms as the only veteran holdover from last season. Coach Gary Kubiak should give serious consideration to Mathis, who thrived in Philly's zone-based scheme and would help shore up what looms as the worst line Peyton Manning has played behind in ages."
Manning, 39, has seemingly become increasingly brittle in recent years. His health is of the utmost importance to a Denver team desperate to right the disappointing playoff wrongs of the past couple seasons.
With Orlando Franklin off to the San Diego Chargers and Manny Ramirez traded to the Detroit Lions, the depth in front of the future Hall of Famer is now questionable at best.
Mathis, while already 33, has consistently graded out as one of Pro Football Focus' best guards in the league. Despite missing seven games due to a knee sprain last season, Mathis still managed to make his second Pro Bowl. He's also, as Sessler notes, a perfect fit for the zone-blocking scheme preferred by Kubiak - a scheme in which he looked reborn the past couple of years in Philly.
If the Broncos able to add a player like Mathis, it would considerably bolster their talent and depth up front, presumably keeping Manning upright and tossing touchdowns and potentially pushing a playoff-worthy Broncos team into the latter portion of the postseason.
