Matt Paradis, who has been the Broncos’ starting center when healthy since 2015, plans to sign a three-year, $27 million contract with the Panthers when NFL free agency officially begins Wednesday.
That means Denver will have to find a new starting center. Connor McGovern is probably the front-runner.
McGovern (6-4, 306 pounds) entered the league as a fifth-round pick out of Missouri with the Broncos in 2016. He practiced at center during the 2017 offseason and anchored the team’s offensive line after Paradis suffered a season-ending injury in 2018.
From left-to-right, the team’s new starting offensive line could be Garett Bolles, Ron Leary, Connor McGovern, [unknown] and Ja’Wuan James. It’s up for debate if that will be an upgrade from last year’s squad.
McGovern started 20 games over the last two years, splitting time at guard and center. He will earn a base salary $2.025 million this season, which is much less than the $9 million-per-year average that Paradis will earn with the Panthers.
McGovern appears poised to start this year but he is set to become a free agent in 2020, so Denver will have to find yet another replacement if they don’t re-sign him.
