Every NFL team’s most surprising cut candidate

Denver Broncos — Garett Bolles

One of the biggest reasons for star players finding themselves on the chopping block is the dreaded return from injury. The NFL is a brutal business. There is no emotion when it comes to keeping one of those 53 jobs on an NFL roster. For every player on the roster, there are 100 at the same position trying to take it. So when a player gets injured, he has to show the next season that he is the same player.

Garett Bolles has been very vocal this offseason. He’s talked about Russell Wilson’s bounceback possibilities. He talks about his issues watching the offensive line fall apart while he was gone. Bolles has a lot to say. The Broncos’ left tackle wants to jump back into the offense.

However, this is a completely different offense. Sean Payton is the new coach, and he’s bringing a no-nonsense approach to the team. If Bolles is trying to prove he’s a leader here, he needs to do that on the field. The Broncos need everything to go well to show they can bounce back.

It might seem unlikely on paper that Bolles is going anywhere. However, that injury was pretty extensive. A broken leg is not like a torn ACL. It definitely heals differently for everyone. When someone weighs 300 pounds, it adds more stress on said injury recovery. If Bolles can’t be the guy he was prior to the broken leg, Payton has no issue cutting him and saving close to $12 million.