Why the Broncos drafted OL Kage Casey

Casey is a tough, veteran blocker who relies on technical savvy and play recognition to keep defenders occupied. Despite some drifting and stiffness in his lower half, he is athletic enough to stay square in pass protection and has strong hands to combat what rushers throw at him. He doesn’t overwhelm targets in the run game but works himself in position to wall off and seal lanes. With a potential move inside to guard or center looming, he will need to learn how to fire his feet quicker to combat immediate contact in his face. Casey is a determined, assignment-sound blocker and plays to his strengths to work around some of his physical shortcomings. He projects best on the interior and should compete for meaningful snaps during his rookie season. You should always add to the trenches, and the Broncos have now spent two of their three selections on offensive and defensive line players. They’re the important parts of your roster, and you need to keep these two strengths strong if you want to have success in the NFL. That’s why the Broncos took Kasey here in the 4th round. Veteran is a free agent next season, so Kasey, along with Palczewski, could be viewed as potential in-house replacements for him. In the short-term, Casey can join Palcho as another versatile lineman who can play guard, tackle, and even center if needed. That versatility is needed as injuries happen throughout the year, and Casey could be a valuable player off the bench for the Broncos. He was announced as a guard, but we need to hear how the Broncos plan on using him to fully get an idea of how he’ll be used moving forward. For now, I am viewing him as a guard first player who can play tackle and center if needed, and could push for a starting job down the road. Protecting is important and Kage Casey helps with that.