Offensive tackle Matt Peart is scheduled to hit free agency. Should the Denver Broncos bring him back or explore other options to upgrade their running backs table for 2025?
The Denver Broncos offensive line is finally at a place where they have a solidified starting five (four, at least) and are able to build up a solid second string up front. In fact, depending on the draft, they might not have a roster spot for all of the backups at the end of training camp.
What a time to be alive.
One of two Denver offensive linemen who is set to hit free agency is Matt Peart, the offensive tackle out of Kingston, Jamaica. He is coming off of what I would deem a successful year of being the extra linemen up front and serving as a back up for a few games. Let’s see if Denver should consider re-signing him.
Matt Peart — Offensive lineman
Age: 27 | Experience: 5th | Height: 6’7” | Weight: 318 pounds
If re-signed, Matt Peart would likely be fighting for a spot on the roster.
He signed with the Broncos as a free agent in March of 2024. This came after a string of unfortunate injuries lead to him not being re-signed by the Giants, the team that drafted him in the 3rd round of the 2020 draft. In 2021 Peart suffered a torn ACL. In 2022 he was on the PUP list to start the year due to the ACL injury. In 2023 he would spend a couple of months on the IR with a shoulder injury.
And while he was able to start five games in 2021, his career never was able to gain any traction, starting just one game over the next two seasons in New York.
But now he got his chance as the 6th man for the Broncos offensive line this year (thanks in part to a Quinn Bailey injury) and has been able to put some real film together.
Why re-signing Matt Peart makes sense
With Quinn Bailey suffering a season-ending injury in training camp, the Broncos needed someone to turn to to serve as their extra lineman that they like to include on about 15% of their offensive snaps. Matt Peart stepped up and did a good job in that role. He also was able to be more than serviceable when filling in for Garett Bolles on occasion.
Peart has proved to be what you need in a good backup offensive lineman. The drop off between him and Bolles is not a sheer cliffside. You can plug him in at tackle and still execute the intended game plan. That’s most of what you can ask for.
Why the Broncos could move on from Matt Peart
If the Broncos decide to re-sign Quinn Bailey and go back to him as the extra offensive lineman, then that would be stepping on the toes of Peart and lower the need to have him on the roster. Especially if they end up drafting another offensive lineman and feel comfortable about where Alex Palczewski is in his development (which I do).
I think the Broncos have a choice to make between a couple of guys this offseason. I’m not sure they keep both Bailey and Peart.