Jake Long to visit with Broncos, could help offensive line

Jake Long was the first overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft over Atlanta’s franchise QB Matt Ryan who fell to the Dirty Birds at three.

After visiting with the Falcons and Giants and leaving both teams without signing a contract, free agent left tackle Jake Long is a candidate to sign with the Broncos soon.

If the Broncos aren’t completely confident with the o-line candidates available, Long could provide competition and instantly become the front-runner to win the starting left tackle job, allowing the team to place Sambrailo, Harris, or someone else at right tackle.

Long first paid a visit to the Giants two months ago after Will Beatty tore a pectoral muscle while lifting weights, an injury that will keep Beatty out of action for the first half of the season.

Long, 30, is a four-time Pro Bowler. Fearing one of their few remaining options could end up elsewhere, the team has now decided to bring Long in for a second visit – a visit that will occur at some point this week.

The Broncos have question marks at the tackle position after the season-ending knee injury to Ryan Clady in the offseason. If he was healthy, the Dolphins would not have let him go, but he signed in 2012 with the Rams on a four year deal.

The team has also mixed in some other potential combination along the offensive line, but if the season were to start today, that’s likely how things would shake out. But Jake Long has had decreasingly productive years since 2011, including last year’s campaign with the Rams where he only played 7 games before an ACL tear. The Rams cut him in order to avoid the $10 million cap hit.