\u201cIf it were up to him, it\u2019d be earlier,\u201d Payton said May 9. \u201cBut we\u2019re going to be smart.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nix fractured his ankle in January<\/a> late in a postseason win against Buffalo and had surgery shortly after. Payton and others originally indicated that Nix would be full speed at the start of Denver\u2019s offseason program, which started in early May, but a second procedure on the ankle in late April pushed that timeline back.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ll see him (in June),\u201d Payton said. \u201cI\u2019m sure you\u2019ll see him in, probably minicamp maybe, but he\u2019ll be full speed throwing everything in July before we even get back here (for training camp).\u201d<\/p>\n The Broncos have expressed confidence in Nix\u2019s rehab both after the initial surgery and after the second. The coming weeks will give a bit more clarity on where the 26-year-old is in that process.<\/p>\n Who will win playing time in the Broncos\u2019 revamped wide receiver room?<\/p>\n Aside from Nix, the single biggest item of interest when reporters are allowed into OTA practice Thursday will be seeing Jaylen Waddle on the field for Denver for the first time.<\/p>\n The star wide receiver, acquired in March from Miami<\/a>, will likely have to wait a bit longer to start building rapport with his starting quarterback, but his impact is sure to be felt right away in the receiver room.<\/p>\n Not only does he make a dynamic pairing atop the room with Courtland Sutton, but his arrival and sure-to-be-heavy workload have an impact on the rest of the room.<\/p>\n Exact roles and playing time will be up for grabs through the summer, but that competition is already on.<\/p>\n The list of contenders is long but starts with Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant and Marvin Mims Jr. The Broncos have used all three in different ways over the years and each has his strong suits. Franklin can fly and his production jumped last fall from 28 catches, 265 yards and a pair of touchdowns as a 2024 rookie to 65, 729 and six, respectively. Bryant is tough over the middle and in traffic<\/a>, has run-after-catch ability and is the group\u2019s best blocker. Mims is explosive<\/a> and has shown he can play any of the spots or out of the backfield in addition to being a terrific returner.<\/p>\n Maybe by September it\u2019s as simple as rotating those three guys in with Waddle and Sutton depending on game situation. Maybe somebody grabs control of the No. 3 spot. It\u2019ll be one of the best summer battles on the roster.<\/p>\n There\u2019s no substitute for actually playing full speed and, eventually, tackling, so this will be an ongoing process. The staff has confidence, though, that Elliss can play in the middle of the field and he can begin to show signs of that \u2014 or plant the seed for question marks \u2014 depending on how the next few weeks go.<\/p>\n One player who\u2019s confident Elliss can make the move smoothly: Veteran inside linebacker Alex Singleton, who will be part of the group trying to help get the 2024 third-round pick up to speed.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s fun. Anytime a guy can learn more, all the better,\u201d Singleton said Friday of welcoming Elliss into the inside linebacker room. \u201cI actually played inside backer with his brother (Christian), too, so I know, kind of, the mindset he\u2019s going to have about it.<\/p>\n Several players this offseason have noted Elliss\u2019 overall talent and concluded that he needs to be on the field some way, somehow. If him moving inside helps create playing time for young edge rushers like Que Robinson, all the better.<\/p>\n The first steps: Learning the responsibilities and communications in the middle of the field. That\u2019ll be Elliss\u2019 challenge this summer before attempting to show he can play regularly inside during training camp.<\/p>\n Is Jahdae Barron headed for a similar role in Year 2?<\/p>\n The personnel in Denver\u2019s loaded secondary has not changed. Pat Surtain II is the premier cornerback in football and has a new, $5 million raise, too<\/a>. Riley Moss and nickel Ja\u2019Quan McMillian are both valued players and are both entering contract years, too<\/a>.<\/p>\n So, where does that leave Barron, Denver\u2019s 2025 first-round pick? He played a modest 30% of defensive snaps as a rookie \u2014 and less than that outside of the stretch Surtain missed due to injury.<\/p>\n Will he again compete with McMillian for the nickel job in camp? Will he compete for a starting job outside against Moss and Kris Abrams-Draine? Is he perhaps the third option behind starters Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones at safety after P.J. Locke\u2019s departure this spring? All of the above?<\/p>\n Barron\u2019s time is likely coming with McMillian and Moss both in line for big paydays after the 2026 season, but what does the shorter-term future have in store for him?<\/p>\n![\"Jonah](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/TDP-L-BRONCOS-TITANSAO2_5386x.jpg\")
Jonah Elliss (52) of the Denver Broncos celebrates with Jordan Jackson (94) after sacking Cam Ward (1) of the Tennessee Titans during the fourth quarter of the Broncos\u2019 20-12 win at Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz\/The Denver Post)
\nCan Jonah Elliss make the ILB transition stick?<\/p>\n