Estime\u2019s got thump that the rest of the group doesn\u2019t possess, so he\u2019s a natural partner if he can protect the ball.<\/p>\n
That would leave the other three to battle for complementary roles and special teams work. Of course, it could unfold differently, too. An interesting summer ahead.<\/p>\n
![\"Jonah](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/TDP-L-BRONCOS-CHIEFSA03_4786xxx.jpg\")
Audric Estime (23) of the Denver Broncos punches in a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs during the fourth quarter of the Broncos’ 38-0 win at Empower Field at Mile High on Jan. 5. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz\/The Denver Post)
\nWide receiver<\/p>\n
Starters: Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr.<\/p>\n
Likely in the rotation: Troy Franklin, Devaughn Vele, Pat Bryant<\/p>\n
Wild card: A.T. Perry<\/p>\n
Also: Trent Sherfield, Michael Bandy and a host of undrafted rookies<\/p>\n
Current status: Pretty straightforward, unless\u2026<\/p>\n
Payton has been bullish on his receiving corps dating back to last year. That didn\u2019t stop Denver from adding Bryant in the third round last month, however<\/a>.<\/p>\n It\u2019s far too early to start projecting whether the Broncos keep five receivers, six or some other number. Health and production will help determine all that through training camp.<\/p>\n On the surface, though, Denver does appear to have a tough room to crack. Perry is a promising young player who didn\u2019t get a look on Sundays last year, but has ability. Sherfield was signed to be a special-teams ace, and he can hold down some reps on offense if needed, too.<\/p>\n So, can Bryant or Perry be a wild card? Among the more solidified options, can Mims carry his late-season surge into 2025 and become a real, consistent game-changer? The Broncos would welcome that, a Year 2 breakout from Franklin, or both.<\/p>\n Tight end<\/p>\n Joker: Evan Engram<\/p>\n Ol\u2019 reliable: Adam Trautman<\/p>\n Fighting for spots and reps: Nate Adkins, Lucas Krull, Cole Fotheringham, Caleb Lohner<\/p>\n Current status: Sneaky overhaul potential<\/p>\n Engram figures to be a staple of the Broncos offense<\/a> and a fast favorite for Nix. He may not approach his 2023 total of 143 targets, but if he finished first or second on the team this fall, nobody would blink.<\/p>\n Beyond that, though, this group is wide open. Trautman doesn\u2019t wow in any department, but Payton has full trust in him, and he\u2019s been the voice of the room the past two years. Adkins is the next-most likely to make it among the returning guys due to his versatility.<\/p>\n Still, an outside chance exists that perhaps only one returning player makes the initial 53. Two feels more likely \u2014 Trautman and either Adkins or Krull \u2014 but isn\u2019t a guarantee. Fotheringham is a good blocker, and Lohner is a lottery ticket.<\/p>\n The thing with Engram: He not only brings juice to the passing game, but he might also cause Payton to reimagine how the rest of the room fills in around him.<\/p>\n Offensive line<\/p>\n Starters: LT Garett Bolles, LG Ben Powers, C Luke Wattenberg, RG Quinn Meinerz, RT Mike McGlinchey<\/p>\n Returning reserves: Matt Peart, Alex Palczewski, Alex Forsyth, Calvin Throckmorton<\/p>\n Young guys: Frank Crum, Nick Gargiulo, Xavier Truss, Clay Webb<\/p>\n Current status: Talented, deep and open to a surprise or two<\/p>\n The Broncos boasted one of the NFL\u2019s best quintets last year, and they return the entire group<\/a> as well as every reserve who took an offensive snap. Basically, it\u2019s not going to be easy for any non-starter to crack the roster. Peart can play left tackle, filled jumbo TE duties last year and got a two-year deal this offseason, while Palczewski and Forsyth appeared to be the next two options last fall.<\/p>\n Tackle depth around the league is in rough shape. The only player the Broncos lost on waivers at last year\u2019s roster cutdown was tackle Demontrey Jacobs, and they didn\u2019t think they could get Crum through despite his rawness. That will play a factor in eventual decisions. In the meantime, it will be interesting to see if Truss or Webb can push for a spot on the 53.<\/p>\n Starters: Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, John Franklin-Myers<\/p>\n Early down regular: Malcolm Roach<\/p>\n Rotation candidates: Sai\u2019Vion Jones, Jordan Jackson, Eyioma Uwazurike<\/p>\n Bubble\/practice squad candidates: Matt Henningsen, Jordan Miller, Kristian Williams<\/p>\n Current status: Band\u2019s back together<\/p>\n Every contributor from last year\u2019s disruptive group is back for 2025. It\u2019s a stacked room that adds Jones as a high-upside third-round pick. Questions abound beyond this fall \u2014 Allen, at least, is likely to get an extension at some point, but Franklin-Myers and Roach are also entering the final years of their contracts \u2014 but that\u2019s not of immediate concern for defensive line coach Jamar Cain and his guys.<\/p>\n One of the best qualities a defense can have in the NFL is the ability to rush with four and pressure quarterbacks. Allen and JFM lead the charge up front in making that possible.<\/p>\n The Broncos set this group up to run it back when they re-signed D.J. Jones on the eve of free agency and should have one of the most potent rotations in football.<\/p>\n Outside linebacker<\/p>\n Starters: Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper<\/p>\n Next up: Jonah Elliss and Dondrea Tillman<\/p>\n Special teams\/bubble watch: Que Robinson, Andrew Farmer, Johnny Walker Jr.<\/p>\n Current status: Looking for another leap<\/p>\n Bonitto had a breakout season and Cooper got a lucrative extension at the trade deadline last year, giving the Broncos as much certainty as they\u2019ve had on the edge since the Von Miller\/Bradley Chubb days. The key to taking another step forward this fall is Tillman and Elliss growing in each of their second NFL seasons.<\/p>\n On paper, if that quartet is healthy, there likely aren\u2019t many defensive snaps to go around. But Robinson, a fourth-round pick, and Walker (undrafted but signed to a nice guarantee) will have a chance to crack the roster as rookies if they can be core special teamers. Remember, undrafted guys getting guaranteed money doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019ll make the 53, necessarily, but it does mean they\u2019ve got a clear path to the practice squad at the least.<\/p>\n Starters: Dre Greenlaw and Alex Singleton<\/p>\n Trusted reserve: Justin Strnad<\/p>\n What is he? Drew Sanders<\/p>\n Young guys trying to make it: Levelle Bailey, JB Brown, Jordan Turner, Karene Reid<\/p>\n Current status: Hurting at the moment, but come September\u2026<\/p>\n Singleton is seven months post-ACL surgery<\/a>, and Greenlaw injured his quad earlier in the offseason<\/a>, so it remains to be seen whether they\u2019ll play much together before training camp. Either way, they can be a dynamic pairing in the middle of the field \u2014 Greenlaw with sideline-to-sideline range and three-down coverage ability and Singleton as a tackling machine \u2014 when and if they\u2019re both healthy.<\/p>\n Strnad played the most defense of his career last year after Singleton went down and is a special-teams weapon. Sanders is the wild card. Can he become a trusted middle-of-the-field player? Is he a situational pass-rusher? His second pro season was marred by a torn Achilles tendon last spring. Now he\u2019s got a chance to learn from several veterans and make a push. If an undrafted free agent is going to make this roster, one of Brown, Turner or Reid would be a decent bet.<\/p>\n Cornerback<\/p>\n Outside starters: Pat Surtain II and Riley Moss<\/p>\n Nickel: Ja\u2019Quan McMillian vs. Jahdae Barron<\/p>\n Under the radar: Kris Abrams-Draine<\/p>\n Potential cap casualty: Damarri Mathis<\/p>\n Also: Reese Taylor, Quinton Newsome, Jaden Robinson and Joshua Pickett<\/p>\n Current status: Best in the business?<\/p>\n There are many Broncos defensive players who will say they think they\u2019ve got the best set of corners in the NFL. Surtain is the reigning defensive player of the year, and Moss put together a terrific season until a knee injury hampered him down the stretch. Now add in what might be the single best battle of training camp: Barron, the No. 20 overall pick, vs. McMillian for the starting nickel job.<\/p>\n Barron, of course, has the versatility to play other spots<\/a> as well and could end up doing so. Either way, though, the first-rounder spices up what was already a quality group.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget about Abrams-Draine, who performed well when thrown into the fire late in his rookie season. Mathis is talented and ably filled a role \u2014 albeit a small one \u2014 last year. But he also counts $3.6 million against the cap in the final year of his rookie deal. Corners are hard to find, so he could make it, but he\u2019ll have to battle his way to the roster.<\/p>\n Safety<\/p>\n Starters: Brandon Jones and Talanoa Hufanga<\/p>\n Critical depth: P.J. Locke<\/p>\n Mess of depth\/ST candidates: Sam Franklin Jr., JL Skinner, Devon Key, Keidron Smith, Tanner McCalister, Delarrin Turner-Yell<\/p>\n Current status: Really good, but a bit thin<\/p>\n Jones blossomed last year, his first with the Broncos under the guidance of defensive coordinator Vance Joseph and secondary coach Jim Leonhard. Now the Broncos add Hufanga, who\u2019s had injury issues but was an All-Pro in 2022<\/a>. If they stay healthy, they\u2019ve got a chance to be a dynamic starting duo. Locke adds quality veteran depth, though he\u2019ll have to hold off younger players like Skinner.<\/p>\n We\u2019ll see how new special team coordinator Darren Rizzi prioritizes body types, but any of the six guys behind the top trio can be high-quality, core-four type of players in the third phase.<\/p>\n Specialists<\/p>\n Starters: Wil Lutz (PK), Jeremy Crawshaw (P) and Mitchell Fraboni (LS)<\/p>\n Offseason depth: Zach Triner (LS)<\/p>\n Current status: Seemingly settled<\/p>\n Can a long snapper get Wally Pipp\u2019d? Probably not, especially considering Fraboni got $1.7 million in guarantees from Denver this offseason. But he\u2019s out for most of the offseason with an injury, meaning Triner gets a shot to impress.<\/p>\n Lutz has been one of the league\u2019s most consistent place kickers the past two years, and the Broncos considered Crawshaw the best punter in this year\u2019s draft.<\/p>\n![\"Jonah](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/TDP-L-BRONCOS-PANTHERSAO1_6617xx.jpg\")
Alex Forsyth of the Denver Broncos prepares to snap the ball during the second quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Empower Field at Mile High on Oct. 27. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz\/The Denver Post)
\nDefensive line<\/p>\n![\"Jonah](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/TDP-L-BRONCOS-FALCONS-EL1363X.jpg\")
Jonah Elliss of the Denver Broncos comes in for a sack on Kirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons during the third quarter at Empower Field at Mile High on Nov. 17. (Photo by Eric Lutzens\/The Denver Post)
\nInside linebacker<\/p>\n![\"Wil](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/TDP-L-BRONCOS-CHIEFSAO1_9542xxx.jpg\")
Wil Lutz of the Denver Broncos kicks off to the Kansas City Chiefs during the first quarter at Empower Field at Mile High on Jan. 5. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz\/The Denver Post)<\/p>\n