Most of the Broncos\u2019 starters took to the Empower Field turf Friday night.<\/p>\n
They just did so more than three hours before Denver kicked off its preseason finale against Minnesota<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sean Payton held out not only quarterback Bo Nix<\/a> but nearly every expected front-line player for the last of three preseason contests. The only ones who played: Those who have either missed extended periods of time due to injury in training camp and also outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper, who may well not be available to Denver early in the season<\/a> if he is suspended or placed on the commissioner\u2019s exempt list after a pair of June arrests.<\/p>\n Otherwise, Denver\u2019s lineups were full of reserves and players fighting for roster and practice squad spots.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s hard to go into this game and just say, \u2018Hey, these 40 aren\u2019t (playing),\u2019\u201d Payton said earlier this week. \u201cThe stress level then on everyone else kicks up. So it\u2019s a challenge whenever you get into this last game, and we\u2019ll have a good plan.\u201d<\/p>\n Denver\u2019s plan wasn\u2019t to have 40 guys out of uniform, but 30.<\/p>\n Payton had 26 expected contributors, one conspicuous special teamer and three injured players out of uniform for the club\u2019s final tune-up before it opens the regular season on Monday Night Football Sept. 14 at Kansas City.<\/p>\n Among the notables who did and didn\u2019t play:<\/p>\n Cooper got playing time and it\u2019s unclear when he\u2019ll be next on the field. He\u2019s slated to be arraigned in Douglas County on Monday morning, the day after Denver\u2019s roster must be set. That means the Broncos will be hoping to get clarity from the league ahead of Sunday\u2019s cutdown deadline. If no ruling comes from the league office, he\u2019ll be on the roster. If he is suspended or placed on the exempt list by Roger Goodell, he will not count against Denver\u2019s 53-man roster.<\/p>\n Center Luke Wattenberg has missed most of camp after a shoulder injury on the first day in full pads nearly four weeks ago. He got in there for one series and saw live action for the first time this preseason.<\/p>\n Wide receiver Marvin Mims has similarly missed multiple weeks with a groin injury. He was out there to start with Denver\u2019s offense, but turned his ankle coming down after a Jarrett Stidham overthrow and saw his night end right there. He at first appeared to be in pain but was able to jog off the field and, reluctantly, to the blue medical tent once he was back to the home sideline.<\/p>\n One not entirely surprising development but a notable one nonetheless: Both Mims and Franklin were in uniform, but second-year man Pat Bryant was not. Bryant has emerged as the de facto third wide receiver for Denver behind Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle. Franklin and Mims, assuming neither is traded in the next couple of days, will factor into the equation. So, too, likely, will Lil\u2019Jordan Humphrey. But they were all out there playing Friday night. Bryant was on the sideline with the players Payton and company decided needed no more snaps before the regular season.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s smart, he\u2019s sudden, he\u2019s big,\u201d Payton said earlier this week about Bryant. \u201cHe\u2019s having a heck of a camp. You guys have seen it. And it\u2019s been consistent. He\u2019s super intelligent, it\u2019s really important to him and I like his size.\u201d<\/p>\n At quarterback, Jarrett Stidham started and played two series before giving way to Sam Ehlinger. Both are candidates to be in Denver\u2019s plans for the season behind Nix, though it\u2019s not clear if both will start out on the 53-man roster. Ehlinger\u2019s first drive of the night ended in an ugly interception when he was undercut trying to throw an out-breaking route to undrafted rookie wide receiver Dane Key.<\/p>\n One interesting player who was not in uniform: Special teamer Tycen Anderson. He was Denver\u2019s lone external free agent signing this spring, though it was a one-year deal at the minimum with $450,000 guaranteed. He\u2019s hardly been used defensively in camp and is essentially a special teamer only. Did Denver see enough to keep him out Friday, or does the team perhaps already know he will not make the roster?<\/p>\n By Saturday morning, the Broncos staff will be well into finalizing their 53-man roster. By Sunday afternoon, the initial rendition will be set. Then the practice squad follows Monday.<\/p>\n From there: Two weeks to Kansas City.<\/p>\n