Denver just cut center Lecitus Smith today, a move that feels wild considering how absolutely hammered their center depth has been for weeks. This isn’t just some roster churn, this is the Broncos making a move when their offensive line is already in absolute chaos, and it makes you scratch your head big time.
When Desperate Times Called, They Signed Him… Then Cut Him?!
Remember when the Broncos were practically begging for help at center? It wasn’t that long ago, on August 13th, when they brought Smith in. Their centers were “dropping like flies,” and they were in desperate need of bodies after third-string guy Michael Deiter went down with a season-ending injury. Smith wasn’t some rookie off the street; he was a 2022 sixth-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals and had 19 NFL games under his belt across three other teams. You’d think that kind of experience, even backing up, would be golden when your roster is bleeding players at a critical spot. But nope, less than three weeks later, he’s out. It’s like they signed him to put a band-aid on a gushing wound, and then ripped off the band-aid before the wound had a chance to close. Talk about a brutal welcome and goodbye.
The Center Catastrophe Just Keeps Rolling
So, is their center situation magically better now that Smith is gone? Hard pass. The source says they’re *still* banged up at center. Starter Luke Wattenberg has been MIA for most of training camp, only just now returned to practice, and get this: he’s likely not even playing in Friday’s preseason opener. Yikes. Then there’s backup Alex Forsyth, who’s been sidelined all week and also looks like he’ll be a no-go for the game. And we can’t forget poor Michael Deiter, whose season-ending injury was the whole reason Smith even got a look. Smith himself ended up backing up guard Calvin Throckmorton on the depth chart in preseason, which tells you everything you need to know about where he stood. This isn’t just a tough spot; it’s a full-blown emergency for that offensive line. How do you go into a preseason game with literally no healthy centers who’ve seen meaningful reps?
What’s Next For Denver’s O-Line Disaster?
For Smith, it sounds like he’s on the outside looking in, maybe hoping for one of those 16 practice squad spots somewhere. For the Broncos, though, this cut just ramps up the pressure cooker even more. They’ve got a preseason opener on Friday, and they need to figure out who’s snapping the ball, like, yesterday. With Wattenberg and Forsyth likely out, and Deiter done for the year, you have to wonder how they’re going to piece together an offensive line that can protect their quarterback. This isn’t a good look, not at all. They’ve got to find answers, and fast, or this O-line mess could derail their entire early season before it even really gets started.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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