The Broncos have lost a 53-man contender on their offensive line for the rest of the season.
After guard Nick Gargiulo suffered what appeared to be a gruesome leg injury in the second half of the Broncos’ preseason tilt with the Arizona Cardinals Saturday night, the team announced Sunday he’ll be placed on injured reserve, ending Gargiulo’s season. It’s a small blow at an important spot for depth, as the 25-year-old Gargiulo was pushing for a possible roster spot with a strong camp.
The Broncos took the 6-foot-5 Gargiulo in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of the University of South Carolina. With Gargiulo down, Denver’s top backup guards at the moment are veterans Calvin Throckmorton and Will Sherman, both of whom started against Arizona.
In a corresponding move, meanwhile, the Broncos turned to the free-agent market for an old familiar amid a rash of injuries. They’ve signed fullback Adam Prentice, the team confirmed Sunday.
Starting fullback Michael Burton missed Saturday’s preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals with a hamstring injury, head coach Sean Payton said, and TE/FB hybrid Nate Adkins recently underwent a procedure for an ankle sprain. Even as tight end Caden Prieskorn took a few snaps at fullback on run plays against Arizona, Prentice offers a more proven body at that spot if Burton’s still unavailable this week through a trip to New Orleans.
Prentice is well-known in Colorado, after spending five years at Colorado State from 2016-20. He was used primarily as a blocker with the Rams, finishing with 193 yards in his tenure at CSU. Prentice has longstanding ties to both Payton and general manager George Paton, too; after beginning his career with the Broncos in 2021 as an undrafted free agent, Prentice was cut and promptly signed by Payton’s Saints, where he spent four years. He started seven games in 2024 for New Orleans.
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