The Broncos were likely a Bo Nix injury away from the Super Bowl, and the addition of Jaylen Waddle is the big change to a very similar core group from a year ago.
Quarterback (2)
Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham
It will be interesting to see whether the Broncos keep three quarterbacks coming out of camp this season, as Sam Ehlinger was signed to the 53-man roster ahead of the playoffs—which came after declining opportunities with other teams when he was on Denver’s practice squad. I’m guessing Ehlinger will understand the numbers game as the de facto No. 3 quarterback while starting on the practice squad again.
Running back (4)
J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Jonah Coleman (R), Adam Prentice
Kenneth Walker III and Travis Etienne Jr. were apparently priced out for the Broncos during free agency, so J.K. Dobbins is back as the lead runner with RJ Harvey and fourth-round rookie Jonah Coleman mixing in. Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie will be hoping four ball-carriers are kept and would be in a battle that could go either way if that’s the case, and Adam Prentice remains the fullback for his second season in Denver.
Wide receiver (6)
Jayden Waddle, Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., Pat Bryant II, Troy Franklin, Lil’Jordan Humphrey
Courtland Sutton has been the No. 1 target for Bo Nix and flashes have been shown from all three of Marvin Mims Jr. (who is an All-Pro returner), Pat Bryant II, and Troy Franklin—but it’s clear the receiving room needed to be upgraded. The addition of Jaylen Waddle gives Denver a tremendous duo atop the depth chart, and the young wideouts can still shine behind them. I have Lil’Jordan Humphrey making it after showing well in his return to Denver late last season following his release from the Giants.
Tight end (4)
Evan Engram, Justin Joly (R), Adam Trautman, Caleb Lohner
There have been some whispers about Evan Engram being a post-June 1 release, but I think he’ll get another chance at being the top receiving target at tight end for the Broncos—and he should have more space underneath with Jaylen Waddle on the field. Adam Trautman is safe as the primary blocking tight end, and fifth-round rookie Justin Joly is almost certainly safe as well. He needs to carry it over into camp, but Caleb Lohner being talked up by Sean Payton last month is notable, so the six-foot-seven tight end makes our projection over seventh-round rookie Dallen Bentley, Lucas Krull, and Nate Adkins.
Offensive tackle (4)
Garett Bolles, Mike McGlinchey, Kage Casey (R), Frank Crum
Kage Casey was announced as a guard when drafted in the fourth round and saw snaps inside during OTAs, but the rookie played left tackle at Boise State—so I’ll label him as such for now after believing he could hold up there at the NFL level. Depending on where Casey settles and how the rest of the backup jobs play out, Frank Crum could potentially be the swing tackle, so he’s in a good spot.
Guard (3)
Ben Powers, Quinn Meinerz, Matt Peart
Matt Peart is firmly on the roster bubble with Calvin Throckmorton and Alex Palczewski among those he will be competing with, but I have liked the veteran since he was at UConn—and last season showed his toughness when he played through a torn MCL suffered early in a win over the Jets. We could easily flip Peart and Kage Casey in terms of their positions, which shows the optionality Denver has up front behind the starters.
Center (2)
Luke Wattenberg, Alex Forsyth
Luke Wattenberg has been the starting center for the Broncos in both seasons since drafting Bo Nix, so that continuity will be good for them with the four-year extension signed in November kicking in. Alex Forsyth—who was college teammates with Nix—is established as the backup at center.
Interior defensive line (6)
Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, Malcolm Roach, Sai’vion Jones, Tyler Onyedim (R), Eyioma Uwazurike
The defensive line for Denver will look a bit different with John Franklin-Myers signing in Tennessee, but 2025 third-round pick Sai’vion Jones profiles as the replacement for him—and the core trio of Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, and Malcolm Roach is still in place. Tyler Onyedim was the team’s first draft selection this year in the early third round, and Eyioma Uwazurike is in great position for the final spot after a miniature breakout in 2025. Overall, the group is as close as you can get to being set.
Edge defender (5)
Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Dondrea Tillman, Que Robinson, Drew Sanders
Jonathon Cooper being arrested over the weekend following a domestic dispute creates uncertainty about his Week 1 status, but the top four is locked in for Denver with Nik Bonitto, Cooper, and Dondrea Tillman, and Que Robinson. The wild card here isn’t currently on the 90-man roster at all with franchise legend Von Miller openly campaigning for a return to close out his career, and there seems to be a realistic chance of it happening with Drew Sanders’ injury history and lack of a consistent position working against him—but I have him making it without projecting for players not on the squad at this point.
Linebacker (4)
Alex Singleton, Justin Strnad, Taurean York (R), Jonah Elliss
If there is a weak spot for the Broncos, it’d probably be at linebacker with Alex Singleton and Justin Strnard being exposed at times. That said, the duo has certainly improved, and weak is a relative term compared to the rest of the roster. Jonah Elliss is a former third-round pick that Denver is trying as an off-ball linebacker, and I have undrafted rookie Taurean York making it over seventh-round rookie Red Murdock, Karene Reid, and others.
Cornerback (5)
Pat Surtain II, Riley Moss, Ja’Quan McMillian, Jahdae Barron, Kris Abrams-Draine
Only having five cornerbacks on the 53-man roster leaves room for someone to surprise with a standout summer, but Denver is so loaded at cornerback that 2025 first-rounder Jahdae Barron projects as a backup once again this year. If a sixth option can crack the roster, Reese Taylor, Jaden Robinson, and a trio of undrafted rookies (Brent Austin, Ahmari Harvey, and Paul Manning) are the contenders.
Safety (5)
Brandon Jones, Talanoa Hufanga, Devon Key, JL Skinner, Tycen Anderson
Brandon Jones and Talanoa Hufanga are obviously safe as the starters on the backend, and Devon Key is as well following an All-Pro selection for his value on special teams. The final spot or two will be determined this summer—so it’s speculation trying to predict out of the returning JL Skinner, Tycen Anderson (signed from the Bengals), and Miles Scott (drafted in the seventh round).
Special teams (3)
Wil Lutz, Jeremy Crawshaw, Mitchell Fraboni
Long snapper is where a change could be made for Denver in the kicking game, but I would give veteran Mitchell Fraboni the advantage over undrafted rookie Luke Basso.