You could make the argument that Mike McGlinchey is coming off his best season with the Denver Broncos.
The nine-year right tackle is reliable and steady. He’s not on the level of Garett Bolles or the best tackles in the NFL, but McGlinchey doesn’t need to be. And that’s especially true on the Broncos offensive line and with Bo Nix at quarterback.
Player Profile
Age: 31 | Experience: 9th Year | College: Notre Dame | Height: 6’8” | Weight: 315 pounds
At this point, Sean Payton, George Paton, and Denver know what they’re
going to get with McGlinchey at right tackle.
Given the black hole the Broncos had at right tackle prior to signing McGlinchey in 2023, that’s a positive at this point.
Mike McGlinchey’s 2026 outlook with the Broncos
If you were going to grade McGlinchey last season, Mile High Report offensive line expert Ross Allen would give him a B.
As Allen said in his review of McGlinchey:
“For the third year in a row, McGlinchey had a good season of play. There was nothing that noteworthy or remarkable, but he also didn’t make big mistakes often. He would give up a sack here or there, maybe a pressure or two, but was rarely assessed a penalty and didn’t give up many TFLs. The flip-side of this coin is that when there was a pressure, sack, or TFL given up, there was a good chance you could point the finger at McGlinchey, and his performances don’t elevate this offense much, but he is solidly in the category of ‘good to pretty good.’”
So nothing great, but not terrible either, and the Broncos don’t need anything else from McGlinchey. He’s also one of the key leaders along the offensive line and the team. That fact cannot be overlooked when talking about McGlinchey.
Yes, there are ongoing discussions about the value of McGlinchey and his contract. He has two years remaining on his deal, with a void option coming in 2028. His base salary is $16.9 million, with a cap hit in 2026 and ’27 of a whopping $23.775 million. That’s a lot of cheddar.
Here’s the rub: Who will replace McGlinchey? There’s currently not a viable replacement option on the roster, so McGlinchey is likely to finish out this deal. Could a restructure happen? Absolutely. It might be in both sides’ interests to do so. Since the Broncos are a contender, McGlinchey might not want to go anywhere else. He’s also 31.
Denver currently has one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. The Broncos also seem to have all the pieces on offense.
McGlinchey will play a key role in ensuring expectations are met in 2026.
Final thoughts
Based on his contract and play, McGlinchey is one of the most scruitinized members of the Broncos.
However, he is coming off his best season in Denver and will look to build off that in 2026. He’s reliable and steady. He’s also a great leader in the huddle, along the offensive line, and in the locker room.
As Denver looks to take the next step as an offense and a team, McGlinchey will play a pivotal role at right tackle.
And as Allen said in his write-up of McGlinchey after the Green Bay Packers game, holds true for the 2026 season:
“I might be making a weird analogy, but Denver’s offensive tackles feel like their cornerbacks. There’s one who is just the best in the league at what he does, but the guy on the other side of the field would be the best player at that position if he was on another team. And that guy is almost always reliable and serves as a great tandem player.”
