Alex Palczewski

Denver Broncos

Pos LT

Updated October 9, 2026

Model Score

71.3 MODEL

Resting on limited playing time

How good he is at what he is supposed to be doing, out of 100. Not a projection of what he will do next, and not a read on his contract. Median is about 70, and a 95 is rare. How it is built →

STM Take

First STTM ranking at tier 5 (#37) in year three as a 2023 UDFA is the kind of late-emergence pattern that the Broncos position-specific coaching extracts from undrafted prospects. The Illinois 60-start tackle pedigree plus the position-switch to interior is the unusual path. The 2026 question is whether Palczewski holds tier 5 or better across a full second starter season or whether the role compresses back to depth.

Palczewski came out of Illinois as a 2023 undrafted free agent signed by the Denver Broncos after starting 60 games for the Illini at tackle. He spent two years as Broncos depth, then took over a starter role in 2025 as part of the offensive line stability around Bo Nix. His first STTM appearance comes in 2025 at tier 5 (#37), a solid year-three starter signal for a UDFA.

Strengths

First sustained NFL starter season ending in tier 5 (#37) STTM finish as a 2023 UDFA puts him above his draft-slot expectation.
Illinois 60-start tackle pedigree plus the position-switch to interior gives him the rare swing-tackle-or-guard flexibility profile.

Concerns

Single tier 5 finish without prior STTM history caps the long-term projection certainty.
Denver's broader offensive line investment pattern (Wattenberg center, multiple veteran additions) signals Palczewski may still face a starter-versus-depth competition in 2026.

What to watch: Whether Palczewski holds 10 or more starts in 2026 or whether Denver's draft moves compress his role back to swing depth.