ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- In a season when the Denver Broncos have not opened a game with the same 11 players on offense in back-to-back weeks and have started five different combinations on the offensive line, one player has been on the field for every snap in every game.

A rookie, no less, usually hidden in the sea of humanity up front: center Lloyd Cushenberry III.

Apprised of this fact in recent days, Broncos offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur quickly tapped his knuckles on a table. "Knock wood," he said. "It doesn't shock me. We've had a lot of turnover up front on the offensive line, for various reasons. He's been very steady, and that's his personality. It's a good thing, because he's a really talented player, and if you believe in reps and experience, I think he's getting all of that. At some point here in the offseason, he's just going to shake his head and say, 'What the heck was that?' and be able to kind of assess it and then move forward. He's handled it very, very well."

The Broncos selected Cushenberry in the third round of April's draft after they had worked the glamour aisle during Rounds 1 and 2 by selecting wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler. Cushenberry started in LSU's star-studded, national championship offense, one that already included plenty of NFL concepts then-passing game coordinator Joe Brady (now Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator) had brought with him from the New Orleans Saints.

The Broncos liked Cushenberry's intelligence, his potential and what they considered to be a fairly unflappable demeanor. So much so that they tossed him into the proverbial deep end of the pool right from the start of training camp.

Broncos coach Vic Fangio didn't formally announce Cushenberry would start until the regular season had almost arrived, but Cushenberry worked with the starters for much of camp. When the season began against the Tennessee Titans, Cushenberry was just the second rookie to open at center in franchise history (J.D. Walton started the season opener in 2010) and the 12th rookie offensive lineman in franchise history overall to start the opener.

"I think Cush is a phenomenal center," said Broncos tackle Garett Bolles. "I think we drafted him for a reason, to anchor that middle of the line for many years. ... He's getting better every week, and he takes it seriously."

In a season full of injuries for the Broncos, it hasn't been an entirely smooth ride for Cushenberry. Some personnel evaluators in the league will quickly point to struggles against the more physical interior defensive linemen he has faced -- none more than Kansas City Chiefs Pro Bowler Chris Jones. Getting stronger will have to be at the top of Cushenberry's offseason to-do list so he can prevent getting pushed off his spot.

The Broncos' plan -- like many plans in 2020 -- to have Cushenberry learn on the job between guards Dalton Risner and free-agent signee Graham Glasgow was derailed some when Glasgow tested positive for COVID-19 in November. Glasgow has also missed time with a foot injury, and in the Broncos' Week 14 win over Carolina, it was fellow rookie Netane Muti who started in Gladgow's right guard spot.

But Fangio, Shurmur and Bolles have all pointed to Cushenberry's ability to work through the struggles with a mostly unchanging pulse rate.

"Here's another young player talking about the light coming on a little bit, and it's because he's played more and more and more," Shurmur said. "... You have to be able to know what you're doing well enough where you can just go play and there's no anxiety, there's no hesitation and you roll."

For his part, Cushenberry has said he just wants to be prepared for whatever comes his way and that, "I just try to make as many strides as I can each day, every game. ... I feel like it's my job, my responsibility to be as prepared as possible and to work on things I need to work on. That's what my focus is."