Broncos' Ryan Clady suffers torn ACL, likely out for season

Denver Broncos left tackle Ryan Clady will likely miss the entire 2015 season after suffering a torn ACL in practice Wednesday.

A four-time Pro-Bowler, Clady is easily the most talented player on the Broncos' offensive front, and may have been in line for a strong season in transitioning back to a zone-blocking scheme under new head coach Gary Kubiak.

With the second season-ending injury of Clady's eight-year pro career, the Broncos will be forced to look elsewhere for Peyton Manning's all-important blindside protector.

Among the options to take over on the left side are sixth-year veteran Chris Clark, who started in place of the injured Clady in 2013, and this year's second-round draft selection, Ty Sambrailo.

Kubiak stated that Sambrailo's learning curve would be sped up due to Clady's torn ACL.

"He's not a rookie any more," Kubiak said to ESPN's Jeff Legwold. "As of today, he's about a four-year player. We've got to get him going."

Veteran guard Louis Vasquez took it upon himself to become the offensive line's leader with Clady out.

"I'm kind of the only man left standing who's been in the line the past three years," Vasquez said. "With a leader like Clady going down, I put it upon myself to kind of carry the group."

Losing Clady at this point in the offseason is a massive setback for the Broncos' offense heading into 2015. Coming off a year in which Manning's MVP-caliber play fell off due in large part to injuries down the stretch, better protection for the quarterback is imperative going forward.