Ben

Powers

It’s possible the Broncos are just easing him back from a torn triceps that took most of this year. But Kosmider believes there’s a chance that Denver simply moves forward with Alex Palczewski at left guard and releases Powers ahead of the season if they think Palczewski is their best option at the position. Sean Payton told reporters that Powers “is right on schedule to where we thought he’d be at this point.”

Klis adds that the Broncos are not going to trade or release their starting left guard. Powers, 29, missed time on injured reserve due to a torn biceps suffered in early October. Powers is a reliable pass protector and run blocker, but has never been named to a Pro Bowl or All-Pro roster.

He names Jenkins and Denver G Ben Powers as another lineman with a large cap hit and potential value. Jenkins finished last year on IR with a fractured leg, but has made two Pro Bowls and is a reasonable fallback plan. We’d be surprised if the Packers or Broncos recouped a lot of draft capital for these players given their ages and cap hits, but stranger things have happened.

The team now has 21 days to observe Powers in practice before officially activating him. Today, he promisingly “stretched with the team during the viewing period.” Powers is a proficient run blocker and pass protector. His return would be a boon to QB Bo Nix and the Broncos’ running backs.

Powers is a massive loss on the interior offensive line for an offense that derives its identity from the unit. The veteran guard is expected to miss the better part of the next two months as he heals from a torn bicep. The team said they hope to get him back for the stretch run in late December.

Per 9News’s Mike Klis, the deal is in the work but not official yet. Expect the contract to be finalized and cap numbers revealed in the coming days. Powers was drafted by the Ravens in 2019 and has been a full-time starter in each of the past two years. He put his best work on tape last year, allowing 12 pressures and zero sacks across 597 pass-blocking reps.

The Ravens are entering the offseason without much cap space, though some of that could be alleviated via an extension for Lamar Jackson as he’s currently carrying a $23 million cap hit. Villanueva will turn 34 in September and was not the spot starter the Ravens hoped they were getting. Tavon Young (currently on a $9.18 million cap hit), Ben Powers, and Miles Boykin are other Ravens players that Zrbiec could see becoming cap casualties, trade targets, or restructure candidates.

Powers started 35 games the last three seasons, earning All-American honors as a senior. He took the JUCO route to Oklahoma and is also a former wrestler. A pedestrian athlete, Powers competes with a physicality and nastiness. Powers is going to have to win at the NFL level with power, strength, and good technique to overcome his athleticism downfalls. It’s a good fit in Baltimore’s run-heavy attack.

A three-year starter at Oklahoma, Powers started 35 games the last three seasons, earning All-American honors as a senior. He took the JUCO route to Oklahoma and is also a former wrestler. A pedestrian athlete, Powers competes with a physicality and nastiness. Powers is going to have to win at the NFL level with power, strength, and good technique to overcome his athleticism downfalls. It’s a good fit in Baltimore’s run-heavy attack.

Powers (6'4/313) was an Outland Trophy semifinalist this season -- the award is given to the best interior defensive or offensive lineman of the campaign -- though he did not ultimately end up making the last cut of finalists. He still has up to two games remaining in his collegiate career depending on whether Oklahoma can topple Alabama in their Playoff semifinal showdown. Then it will be on to draft prep proper. Draft Analyst’s Tony Pauline tags him with a fifth-round grade for the spring.