Quinn

Meinerz

Meinerz, nicknamed “The Belly”, is a 2021 third-rounder who is now one of the top-five paid guards in the NFL. The extension includes $45 million guaranteed with $24 million in the first year of the deal. At 25-years-old, Meinerz has started every game he has played each of the last two seasons. Last season, he allowed just two sacks and posted an 83.7 PFF grade, ranking as one of the top run blockers in the league. Meinerz is now locked in for the future of the Broncos offensive line at right guard.

Meinerz was hospitalized less than a week ago after leaving Week 14’s contest against the Rams with an elevated heart rate. Despite the scare, the third-year guard is expected to return in Week 15 and will return to his role as the team’s starting right guard.

Meinerz exited in the first half of Sunday’s game and didn’t return to the field. According to an article on ESPN by Jeff Legwold, Meinerz “told team trainers late in the first half that he was experiencing chest tightness and felt like he had an elevated heart rate.” The medical staff opted to transport him to a local hospital, where he stayed overnight out of precaution. Meinerz is reportedly “feeling better” and will return to Denver on Monday if he does not experience any additional symptoms.

He was reportedly poked in the eye to the point that he saw a specialist off-site. Meinerz could very well be sidelined for a bit. Having already lost time on IR to a hamstring, he was starting his 10th game of the season. Tom Compton replaced him.

Hamler was ruled out on Friday and didn’t look particularly close to playing, but Nathaniel Hackett said the team was trying to avoid a setback in comments later that day. Tyrie Cleveland projects as Denver’s No. 3 wideout, but it should just serve to narrow the passing game options for Russell Wilson against the Texans. Also inactive for Denver are WR Jalen Virgil, OLB Nik Bonitto, LB Josey Jewell, OT Billy Turner, G Quinn Meinerz, and DL Eyioma Uwazurike. Randy Gregory (shoulder/knee) is active.

He’s a candidate for the injured reserve list. Graham Glasgow is as decent a backup as you could hope for in this spot. Meinerz had a 92 PFF blocking grade in 18 snaps before leaving against the Seahawks in Week 1. He had a 67.4 grade as a rookie in 2021.

The second-year pro was ruled out at halftime. Veteran Graham Glasgow came in at right guard between C Lloyd Cushenberry and RT Cameron Fleming, who is already filling in for injured RT Billy Turner.

Meinerz (6’3/320) was a two-year starter at UW-Whitewater and a first-team D-III All-American in 2019 before his 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns. He went on to have one of the most dominant pre-draft processes of any prospect in the 2021 draft. Meinerz won the Senior Bowl’s offensive lineman of the week award for his squad in Mobile. And then, at his pro day, Meinerz tested as the second-most athletic center in the RAS system since 1987. Only Creed Humphrey tested better. Meinerz’s showings in the forty (4.99), 20-yard split (2.88), vertical (32 inches), and broad jump (9-foot-3) were all top-35 all-time size-adjusted finishes at his position. Meinerz is a low-firing, explosive, downhill run-blocker that hits targets flush and moves bodies with powerful leg drive. Meinerz has all the tools to deal with both power and speed in pass-pro, but he must work on his footwork, which can lead to balance issues when it gets sloppy. At guard, his game evokes 2019 third-rounder Nate Davis, likewise a 6-foot-3 mauler in the run game from a small school. Meinerz was announced as a center, and Lloyd Cushenberry was one of the few weak spots on the Denver offensive line last year. Meinerz will compete with Cushenberry for the starting role, but jumping from D-III opponents to the NFL will require an adjustment period. It’s possible that Meinerz overtakes Cushenberry during the season.

Meinerz (6’3/320) was a two-year starter at UW-Whitewater and a first-team D-III All-American in 2019 before his 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns. He went on to have one the most dominant pre-draft processes of any prospect in the 2021 NFL Draft. Meinerz won the Senior Bowl’s offensive lineman of the week award for his squad in Mobile. And then, at his pro day, Meinerz tested as the second-most athletic center in the RAS system since 1987 (only Creed Humphrey tested better). Meinerz’s showings in the 40 (4.99), 20-yard split (2.88), vertical (32 inches) and broad jump (9-feet-3-inches) were all top-35 all-time size-adjusted finishes at his position. Meinerz is a low-firing, explosive, downhill run-blocker that hits targets flush and moves bodies with powerful leg drive. Meinerz has all the tools to deal with both power and speed in pass-pro, but he must work on his footwork, which can lead to balance issues when it gets sloppy. At guard, his game evokes 2019 third-rounder Nate Davis, likewise a 6-foot-3 mauler in the run game from a small school. Meinerz was announced as a center and Lloyd Cushenberry was one of the few weak spots on the Denver offensive line last year. Meinerz will compete with Cushenberry for the starting role but jumping from D-III opponents to the NFL will require an adjustment period. It’s possible that Meinerz overtakes Cushenberry during the season.