The last time the Broncos walked off the Empower Field grass, the weather and the emotions were bitter.
When they take the field Friday night for the 2026 home preseason opener against Green Bay, the mood and stakes will be much lighter than January’s snowglobe, 10-7 loss to New England in the AFC title game.
Bo Nix is set to make his first game appearance of the summer and Sean Payton’s team will take one more step toward the regular season, which inches ever closer.
Denver has roster spots up for grabs, roles still to be solidified and some questions on the injury front. A visit from the Packers will provide the next round of data points on all fronts.
Here are five storylines to watch when the Broncos kick off at 7 p.m. Friday.
Bo Nix back on the field
The biggest and most impactful story of the 2026 offseason reaches a new milestone Friday when quarterback Bo Nix is set to make his first appearance of the preseason. It will be the first live football Nix has played since breaking his ankle in the closing moments of the Broncos’ divisional round overtime win against Buffalo in mid-January.
Nix has taken the full set of reps so far in training camp, but did not play against Atlanta last week.
Needless to say, he’s looking forward to getting back on the field, even for a game that doesn’t count.
“I’m super excited,” Nix said Tuesday. “Itap always a blast to play at home. Itap great to get in front of our fans. It’ll be fun to get out there for the first time this year, put the pads on and go out there and play a game.”
Offensive coordinator Davis Webb said Nix may have a little rust after not playing for so long, but he wants to see a clean operation, but, perhaps most importantly, just to have fun and enjoy being back on the field.
“Just kind of get all the feels back, whether that be pregame warmups, running out with the team, getting your first completion, getting hit for the first time, getting the first down and hopefully a touchdown,” Webb said. “Just feel those emotions, deep breathe it out and then go watch the rest of the guys play.”
Payton said this week the plan for Nix will be about 14 plays, so a couple of drives, depending on how productive the offense is early in the game.
Webb, meanwhile, has called plays in two preseason games over the past two years, but this will be his first time calling plays for Nix in a game.
Payton said the offensive operation ran smoothly with Webb at the controls against Atlanta. Now, Nix for the first time gets to play in a game with Webb as the voice in his helmet. Itap a fascinating dynamic overall and one that will be interesting to watch play out through the rest of the preseason and into the regular season.
Does Jaylen Waddle make his Broncos debut?
Speaking of firsts, might Broncos fans get a first look at No. 17 on Friday? Waddle was nursing a muscle strain and didn’t make the trip to Atlanta this week, but he’s been back in pads and practicing fully this week for Denver.
Still, there’s a chance the Broncos will continue to play it safe and hold him out against the Packers.
He’s certainly looked healthy the past couple of days, though. Waddle creates separation effortlessly in many different areas of the field. Not only does that make him a dangerous player in his own right, but it has also created opportunities and clean looks for teammates in practice.
If Waddle gets time Friday night, it likely won’t be much — almost certainly not more than Nix plays. It would certainly be interesting to see him and Nix get some run together, though.
Centering on a position of interest
As training camp’s gone along, two things have become clear: Starting center Luke Wattenberg has made steady progress toward returning to full action since getting hurt more than two weeks ago. Also, though, depth at the position is a question. Alex Forsyth is widely regarded as one of the smartest players on the team and he’s played well in big spots before. At the same time, he wasn’t having a great camp even before he got hurt and now he’s been in and out of practice. Forsyth didn’t play Friday but returned to practice Monday. Then he wasn’t present on Tuesday and was on hand but not participating on Wednesday.
If Wattenberg and Forsyth each end up healthy by the end of camp, thatap good news for the Broncos. Each, though, has clearly been impacted so far this summer. If Forsyth misses more time or if his performance doesn’t even out, is the door left open for Calvin Throckmorton or perhaps somebody else to make a run at the No. 2 center job?
Young LBs get a chance
Rookie inside linebacker Red Murdock had eight tackles on Friday. His normal running mate, Taurean York, got considerable praise from defensive coordinator Vance Joseph this week. Karene Reid tipped the ball that turned into Jahdae Barron’s pick-six. Jordan Turner just returned to action after a recent activation from the non-football injury list.
So, who’s going to make a run? Murdock also calls Denver’s defense when he’s in the game, so thatap a key piece of the puzzle. Reid and Turner were special teams contributors last year. York is instinctive and fun to watch play, though he’s undersized.
Are there two spots up for grabs? Three would seem the outer limit given Denver’s depth and needs elsewhere. Overall, though, this group is interesting even if itap mostly unproven.
Happy returns for young WRs?
With Marvin Mims, Jr. still recovering from an apparent muscle strain, the Broncos’ first two kick returners up for Friday’s game at Atlanta were undrafted rookie wide receivers Cam Ross and Kolbe Katsis. Former UFL standout Sean Fresch Jr. got the first punt return, and Ross worked in, too.
Ross and Katsis, in particular, are part of a group of young wide receivers who may have trouble cracking the 53-man roster, but who could well form a chunk of Denver’s practice squad.
Ross has had the best camp of the group, though he’s also dropped the ball more this week so far. Katsis struggled to catch the ball cleanly earlier in camp but has come on strong. So, too, has Joseph Manjack IV.
“That group in general has had a good week and a half,” Payton said of the young receivers. “They’re getting reps and they’re getting to play. They’re all looking at not only the (53-man) roster. They’re looking at the practice squad or they’re looking at the unknown of another team that has a vision for them. So I’ve been encouraged.”
