The bright spot on an embattled Broncos offensive line, Matt Paradis played through hip injuries this season. Enough so he will undergo surgery on both hips during the offseason, Cameron Wolfe of the Denver Post reports.
These injuries limited the ascending center to one practice per week for most of the season, per Wolfe, but the second-year player has not missed a snap since the Broncos made him their starting snapper at the 2015 season’s outset. The defending Super Bowl champions will consider resting injured starters and making IR moves this week, Gary Kubiak said, but Paradis will start against the Raiders in a game that means plenty for Oakland but little for now-eliminated Denver.
A third-year sixth-rounder out of Boise State, Paradis became the anchor of a Broncos front that has struggled this season after parting with several veterans during the offseason. He was the only player to return as a starter in the same position he played during the ’15 season. Paradis ranks as Pro Football Focus’ No. 2 center this season, marking a significant improvement from his initial NFL campaign. The 27-year-old blocker spent 2014 on the Broncos’ practice squad.
Paradis will be an exclusive-rights free agent in March, but the Broncos will almost certainly retain him. The remainder of Denver’s starting line is under contract, although a decision to trigger the second part of Russell Okung‘s two-pronged deal is forthcoming, but changes are likely on the way after the team struggled mightily to run the ball or protect quarterbacks down the stretch.
Minor note: Paradis was a 6th round pick in 2014, not an UDFA. He looks like he’s blocking on roller skates against most interior D-Lineman, but there is something to be said for his durability and toughness.