What Broncos' Latest Signing Really Says About the Center Crisis

This week was a great reminder that, in the NFL, it's not what coaches say, but what they do.

After third-teamer-turned-first-teamer Michael Deiter was carted off the practice field on Tuesday, Sean Payton played down the seriousness of the Denver Broncos' center situation, only to sign a veteran two days later.

“We’ll work through it," Payton said. "We have guys that are flexible. We’ll be fine.”

Cut to Thursday, and the Broncos signed veteran center Lecitus Smith after placing Deiter on injured reserve, as first reported by 9NEWS' Mike Klis, which gives them a little buffer with starter Luke Wattenberg and backup Alex Forsyth still sidelined with injuries. Smith is unlikely to play in the Broncos' preseason opener against the Atlanta Falcons on Friday, though, considering the timetable.

The demand to get some center help was intensified this week when Deiter went down with a season-ending quad injury. With the injuries to Wattenberg and Forsyth ahead of him, Deiter had been running with the first-team offense.

Following Deiter's injury, the Broncos had no choice but to turn to backup left guard Calvin Throckmorton as the first-team center. That's who fans can likely expect to see with the Broncos' ones and twos against the Falcons, while undrafted rookie Gavin Ortega runs with the threes.

Smith's Background

Lecitus Smith and Aaron Donald — Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald (99) tries to slip past Arizona Cardinals guard Lecitus Smith (54) to get to quarterback Colt McCoy (12). | USA TODAY Sports

The quad injury is a big bummer for Deiter, but it could be a great opportunity for Smith. Drafted in the sixth round by the Arizona Cardinals in 2022, Smith brings 19 NFL games and four career starts to the table in Denver.

At 28 years old, Smith has spent this offseason languishing as an unsigned veteran. Smith spent last season bouncing back and forth between the Green Bay Packers' practice squad and active roster. After the season ended, though, he was not re-signed.

Beyond the Cardinals and Packers, Smith has also spent time with the Houston Texans, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots, and Pittsburgh Steelers, since entering the league in 2022. He's had a rough go of it, spending most of the past three seasons as a bubble player in the offseason and a practice squad player during the season.

At 6-foot-3 and 314 pounds, Smith's scouting report coming out of Virginia Tech praised his measurables, but questioned whether he had the technical refinement to become a starter-level center in the NFL.

"An athletic, three-year starter at guard with a decent frame, Smith lacks the desired measurables for the position. He is capable of working as a move blocker and out in space. However, he really struggles with hand placement and staying under control at the point of attack and on work-up blocks," NFL Media's Lance Zierlein wrote.

"His lack of consistency as a run blocker is balanced by surprising technique and success in pass protection. Some of Smith's issues are correctable through coaching and discipline, but he might not rise above the level of average backup with the ability to step in and start from time to time."

Smith has been give the opportunity to start games with the Cardinals, Patriots, and Packers, but he's yet to show enough to retain such a role. In Denver, he'll at least get the chance to make the practice squad, but there could be an opportunity for more if the injury bug continues to ravage the team's center position.

The Outlook at Center

Alex Forsyth, Bo Nix, and Luke Wattenberg — Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) and center Alex Forsyth (54) and center Luke Wattenberg (60) during training camp. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The Broncos enter their first preseason game with a worst-case scenario at center. None of the three guys they entered camp with are healthy. The Broncos will get by this week, but if they're going to play Bo Nix in Game 2, they'll need health on their side at center.

Nix will not play in Atlanta, and while Sean Payton claims the decision was made a month ago, something tells me that the increasingly alarming situation at center may have factored in much more than the head coach is willing to admit. Whatever the impetus for the decision, it was the right one, regardless.

Hopefully, the Broncos have reason to believe that Wattenberg and/or Forsyth will be back on the field next week, though Payton is always mum on injuries and timetables. Wattenberg went down on Day 3 of camp, the first padded practice, while Forsyth followed later that week. It's been more than a week since either practiced with the team.

On the bright side, the past week-plus of camp has given Ortega a much bigger seat at the table than he would have otherwise gotten as an undrafted rookie. If he plays his cards right in the preseason, there's a chance he could win a job — if not on the 53-man roster, then perhaps on the practice squad.

The Takeaway

We'll find out on Monday which way the arrow is pointing on that subject, but if it's still slow going on the health front, Smith could go from the couch to snapping to Nix within a matter of days.

Throckmorton's emergency contribution is admirable, but center is not his forte. And with Nix coming back from a serious ankle injury, the Broncos need better options at center.

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