July 2, 2026, 1:00 p.m. MT
Broncos Wire‘s 91-man offseason roster series continues today with a look at sixth-year guard Quinn Meinerz, No. 77.
Before the Broncos: Meinerz (6-3, 320 pounds) played college football at Wisconsin-Whitewater, a Division III program. Despite playing at a small school, Meinerz caught the attention of NFL teams with his impressive film. A two-time All-WIAC guard, Meinerz stood out at the Senior Bowl ahead of the 2021 NFL draft. He also went viral after posting videos of his unique outdoor workouts on his Instagram page.
Broncos tenure: Meinerz’s impressive stats and film caught the eye of Denver’s staff, who swooped in and selected him in the third round (98th overall) in the 2021 NFL draft. Meinerz played in 15 games (nine starts), playing both at left guard and right guard, quickly becoming an entrenched part of the Denver offensive line as a rookie. In 2022, Meinerz started and played in 13 games. According to the Broncos, Meinerz only allowed three sacks on 479 pass-blocking snaps that season.
In 2023, Meinerz started all 17 games, playing 96.7 percent of offensive snaps. In 2024, Meinerz was voted an offensive captain for the Broncos. Meinerz rewarded his teammates’ faith in him, starting all 17 regular season games, as well as the Broncos’ lone playoff game against the Buffalo Bills. Meinerz became the fifth Broncos offensive lineman — and first offensive lineman since guard Louis Vasquez in 2013 — to be named AP first-team All-Pro in 2024.
In 2025, Meinerz retained his captaincy and went on to have a very successful season. Meinerz started all 17 games, and both of the team’s playoff games. Meinerz was voted to his first Pro Bowl, had his second first-team All-Pro nod. He was also PFF’s highest-graded guard in the NFL. Meinerz was also a finalist for the NFL’s newest award, the Protector of the Year, along with left tackle Garett Bolles. Although he did not win, Meinerz was an extremely worthy candidate.
Chances to make the 53-man roster: As good as it gets. Fans love Meinerz, who has been affectionately dubbed “The Belly.” Meinerz has proven to be a durable, ferocious blocker in both the pass and run. With his contract running through the 2028 season, Meinerz is the face of the future on the offensive line. Look for Meinerz to again be in the mix for the second awarding of the Protector of the Year award at the end of the 2026 season.
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