(Photo by: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Where in the world is Chris Kuper?
Thankfully for the Broncos, the fourth year guard missing from the photo is not the subject of this article.
However, this article will reveal a statistic that could possibly surprise even the most die-hard of all Bronco fans.
Quickly glancing over the Denver Broncos' current roster, there is not a single player who has a longer tenure with the team than left guard Ben Hamilton.
Hamilton was drafted out of Minnesota in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft, and has started every game he has participated in at this level, which including the playoffs is a whopping 100 contests.
From 2002-2006 Hamilton did not even miss a single snap, participating in 5,407 consecutive plays in that time frame. Due to concussion symptoms early in the 2007 offseason, Hamilton was held out of that entire campaign, and his streak was broken.
The former NCAA First Team All-American came back to form in 2008, starting all 16 games and helping lead the Broncos to the second ranked offense in the NFL in terms of yardage.
He also helped the Broncos rank fifth in the NFL in rushing to the left side of the field, where Hamilton and rookie Ryan Clady were arguably the best duo in the league last year in terms of pass protection and run blocking.
Hamilton heads into the 2009 season as the unquestioned starter at left guard, and the Broncos have little depth behind him in terms of players with significant experience at left guard.
Last off-season, the team picked up Mitch Erickson out of South Dakota State as an undrafted free agent, and he ended up making the practice squad.
There is little information about Erickson, other than the fact that he was completely dominant in his college days at SDSU. He played both tackle and guard in college, but his best chance to play at this level is to earn a spot at guard.
The Broncos also have third year veteran Matt McChesney competing at guard, but he also appears to be a longshot to make the final roster.
McChesney got his start in the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent with the St. Louis Rams, then bounced around to the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins. He is a former defensive tackle from Colorado who could be a practice squad addition.
The Broncos have some young players who are primarily right guards who could fill in at left guard if needed, but that is a different story for a different day.
Stay tuned for more Broncos fans.
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