The Broncos had a glaring hole to fill and had a target in mind. Sitting at No. 20 in the 2017 NFL Draft, they were sorely in need of a starting left tackle — someone who could start immediately, develop and remain a reliable player for years to come — and the Broncos were convinced Garett Bolles could be that guy.



Broncos general manager John Elway lauded Bolles’ maturity as an older rookie who overcame personal trials of the past and said Bolles had the mindset and physical skill to be a long-term staple of the Broncos’ line.



“We just really thought that athletically, the way he plays the game, the mentality he brings to the game, he was in our mind the best left tackle in the draft,” Elway said moments after selecting Bolles. “If Garett turns out to be what we think he is, he solves a big problem for us for a long time, and that’s that left tackle.”



When asked that day about Bolles’ penalties at...