Still, criticism persists. Some believe there is a better chance AI drives humanity into extinction than J.K. stays healthy.

My money is on Dobbins. I am more into Phish the band than Phish the scam. And who is ready to call it quits on earth anyway?

Dobbins, in so many ways, symbolizes the Broncos’ hopes and flaws. If he plays, there is no reason they cannot win Monday and defend their AFC West title.

But on another steamy September Thursday at practice, the truth remains. The Broncos’ Super Bowl dreams will last as long as Dobbins does. They need him.

He is the Splenda in the tea, the B-vitamins in the Red Bull.

The running back room is better — “We have more depth behind him now,” said center Luke Wattenberg of R.J. Harvey and rookie Jonah Coleman — but if Dobbins is gone, the Broncos will be gone again too soon in the playoffs.

Let’s be honest, had Dobbins played in the AFC Championship Game, the Broncos would have knocked out the Patriots.

There is just no one like him on the roster. In the huddle. Or in the locker room.

Teammates talk about him like they are discussing skydiving or white-water rafting.

“Just having him on the field jolts the energy of everybody,” right tackle Mike McGlinchey said. “His attitude is infectious.”

The easy narrative is that the Broncos will go as far as Bo Nix takes them. And if his surgically repaired ankle is fine, the Broncos will stand up to every challenge.

The truth is more complicated, the reality more sobering. For Nix to reach his potential, he needs a consistent run game. For Davis Webb to help Nix approach his ceiling, he needs to be able to call play-action.

The problem? The Broncos ground attack is built around a fragile star, a 27-year-old whose medical file could meet any deductible.

During camp, Dobbins pinky promised that he would log 17 regular-season games and win the rushing title. If he does, the Broncos offense will give the entire league a middle finger.

“When he gets rolling,” left guard Ben Powers said, “it is something.”

The Broncos have talked for months about the importance of starting fast. In September, when coach Sean Payton owns a 4-7 record with the Broncos. And in the first and second quarters, when their early down efficiency ranked near the bottom last season.

Dobbins provides a solution. But tweaks are necessary. The Broncos would be well-served to focus on one or two blocking techniques rather than a litany of schemes that feel like raffle tickets picked out of a cap.

They must simplify upfront. And use Dobbins in a variety of ways.

Last season, the former Ohio State star averaged nine carries per game on first down, the ninth-highest in the league, according to Inside Edge. Cut that number to six. Make Dobbins less predictable, especially with Coleman ready to work.

And give Dobbins a few third downs, despite the receiving prowess of Harvey.

The Broncos are motivated to “Go The Distance,” to reach the franchise’s first Super Bowl since the 2015 season.

For that to happen, they are betting on Dobbins after flirting with signing free agent Travis Etienne Jr. In fact, had the Broncos landed Etienne — he cashed in with the Saints for well over what Denver wanted to pay him — Dobbins was heading to Jacksonville to replace him.

But if you believe Payton, he only had eyes for Dobbins. He thinks he can stay on the field. Views him as a “multiplier” with everything he brings to the team.

“I don’t try to be anything. I am just me. Me being me, that’s what comes with it. They trust me. They trust me to lead the way for the young guys and whoever needs help, to bring them along. I appreciate that from them,” Dobbins said. “It is why I say I was born to be a Bronco because everything this organization stands for I stand for.”

Can Dobbins reward Payton’s faith?

Those who watch practice every day, long after the prying eyes of the press have been dispatched following stretching, insist Dobbins looks like he did last season when he rushed for 772 yards and four touchdowns.

Actually, some believe he is poised for a better performance because of his comfort level with the offense. A year ago, he signed at the end of mandatory mini-camp, so the Broncos were unsure of what they had.

That is no longer the case. Dobbins has shown them burst and features a mean jump cut. He didn’t need exhibition snaps to show it or regain confidence in his foot.

“Do you know what happened to me my second year (in 2021)? The very last preseason game I blew my entire knee out. So I have really never been a big fan of preseason games. That injury was a nightmare, one of the hardest things I have been through,” Dobbins said. “We practice hard every single day. I go against the best defense, and I think I can get enough work that can prepare me.”

It is not a stretch to say that Monday’s outcome will be determined by who plays better between Dobbins and Chiefs’ marquee offseason addition Kenneth Walker III. Walker set the running back market with a three-year, $43 million contract after winning Super Bowl MVP honors.

He represents a huge upgrade for the Chiefs. No one was better running up the middle last season, even though questions persist on whether his patient style is a fit for the Chiefs’ scheme. And he excels as a receiver out of the backfield.

The Chiefs paid for him to be better than Dobbins. Dobbins is capable of topping him, though he refused to take the bait.

“I have love for all the running backs in the NFL. I want Walker to do well, just not this week,” Dobbins said. “My job is to run the ball well. Listen, I love to compete. I love to bring out the best in my teammates. You will see it on Monday. I am a passionate guy. You can’t cheat the game. It’s going to be good. We are going to be ready to go.”

Dobbins speaks with such enthusiasm that you want to believe him. But the question lingers.

Will he get injured? Or become a healed savior?

The answer will determine the success of the Broncos’ season. No pressure.

Here’s a look at the Broncos’ probable offensive two-deep come the fall, with some by-committee approaches at running back and receiver.

Quarterback

Bo Nix | 10
6-foot-2, 217 pounds, 26 years old, 3rd season, Oregon

The ankle not-initially-heard ’round the world ended what was an inconsistent but promising second season for Nix, who has ended the year better than he’s started in two NFL campaigns. He hit a visible new level as a decision-maker from Week 11 on, with just three interceptions in 262 attempts in that span. Now, can he improve his efficiency under pressure and more consistently stretch the field between the hashes?

Jarrett Stidham | 8
6-foot-3, 215 pounds, 29 years old, 7th season, Auburn

Stiddy’s back for a fourth — and potentially final — season in Denver. His AFC Championship fill-in performance for Nix left little to be desired, but Stidham remains a solid if flawed backup.

Running back

J.K. Dobbins | 27
5-10, 212, 27, 7th season, Ohio State

Dobbins was one of the NFL’s most productive running backs before suffering a season-ending broken foot in Week 10 in 2025. After re-signing in Denver on a two-year deal this offseason, Dobbins will again bring his feisty personality to lead the Broncos’ rushing attack — if he can only stay healthy.

RJ Harvey | 37
5-8, 205, 25, 2nd season, UCF

Harvey had a mixed rookie season, averaging just 3.7 yards per carry but scoring an NFL-rookie-leading 12 touchdowns. Another year in Sean Payton’s system should benefit him as a runner, and Harvey is only continuing to grow as a route-running weapon out of the backfield.

Jonah Coleman | 20
5-8, 220, 22, Rookie, Washington

Coleman checks almost every box Denver could want in an instant-impact mid-round running back: not prone to fumbling, not prone to drops, smart, tough between the tackles, and terrific in pass protection. He could take rotational snaps right away.

Wide Receiver

Courtland Sutton | 14
6-4, 216, 30, 9th season, Southern Methodist

The Broncos’ ol’ reliable racked up a second straight 1,000-yard season as Bo Nix’s favorite target in 2025, and made his second Pro Bowl. Sutton could see slightly less volume with the addition of Waddle, but will still be the go-to guy on late downs.

Pat Bryant | 13
6-2, 204, 23, 2nd season, Illinois

Bryant became an instant fan favorite for his blocking and timely playmaking in the second half of Denver’s season, but his growing role was marred by a string of injuries. He’s a breakout candidate if he can stay healthy.

Wide Receiver

Jaylen Waddle | 17
5-10, 185, 27, 6th season, Alabama

The Broncos’ blue-chip addition of the offseason, Waddle racked up 5,039 receiving yards over the course of five seasons in Miami. His explosiveness in and out of breaks and after-the-catch burst have been on full display in training camp, and he could provide several doses of rocket fuel to Denver’s offense.

Troy Franklin | 11
6-3, 180, 23, 3rd season, Oregon

This spot could well fall to Marvin Mims Jr., too, as Denver really has five receivers. Franklin could find himself as the odd man out in a crowded room, but still enters the 2026 season as the Broncos’ second-leading receiver from last season.

Tight End

Evan Engram | 1
6-3, 240, 31, 10th season, Ole Miss

The “Joker” that was promised never materialized in 2025, as Engram often went invisible for long stretches of games during his first season in Denver. The Broncos chose to keep the veteran tight end rather than cut ties, though, and Engram still was easily the most productive receiving TE on the roster last season.

Adam Trautman | 82
6-5, 253, 29, 7th season, Dayton

Have blocking, will not travel. Trautman is now set to play his sixth out of seven NFL seasons for Payton dating back to New Orleans, and signed a new three-year deal this offseason as a blocking-forward TE.

Left Tackle

Garett Bolles | 72
6-5, 300, 34, 10th season, Utah

The Broncos’ eldest statesman continues to only get better with age, putting together the first Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro season of his career in 2025. Bolles has now played 51 straight regular-season games in Denver.

Frank Crum | 73
6-7, 315, 26, 3rd season, Wyoming

Frank the Tank made a splash with a trick-play touchdown in the Broncos’ AFC wild-card win over Buffalo last season, and continues to earn considerable trust and buzz in the Broncos’ offensive-line developmental pipeline.

Left Guard

Ben Powers | 74
6-4, 310, 29, 8th season, Oklahoma

Get this: Powers missed much of the 2025 season with a torn bicep, returned later in the year, broke his foot, played the entire rest of the season on that broken foot, and then took a pay cut after the year. He’s still an integral part of Denver’s run-blocking efforts.

Kage Casey | 78
6-5, 310, 22, Rookie, Boise State

The Broncos loved Casey’s versatility enough to snag him in the fourth round of April’s NFL Draft, and Casey has worked throughout the summer and training camp at left guard in an obvious succession plan for Powers.

Center

Luke Wattenberg | 60
6-5, 300, 28, 5th season, Washington

Payton has praised Wattenberg’s intelligence on multiple occasions, and the Broncos handed the starting center a four-year, $48 million extension last year.

Alex Forsyth | 54
6-4, 312, 27, 4th season, Oregon

Forsyth has stepped in seamlessly over the past two seasons when Wattenberg has missed time with injury, and continues to play a valuable depth role in the Broncos’ offensive line plans.

Right Guard

Quinn Meinerz | 77
6-3, 320, 27, 6th season, Wisconsin-Whitewater

Meinerz said that during this training camp, he was dealing with personal issues throughout 2025, but the star guard still earned his second straight first-team All-Pro nod. He wasn’t quite as consistent in pass protection as he was in 2024, and he struggled in the Broncos’ AFC Championship Game loss, but Meinerz remains a top-tier offensive-line talent in the NFL.

Right Tackle

Mike McGlinchey | 69
6-8, 315, 31, 9th season, Notre Dame

Like his tackle partner, McGlinchey continues to improve with age. The veteran turned in arguably the most consistent end-to-end season of his career in 2025, and has rounded into a leader on Denver’s front.

Alex Palczewski | 63
6-6, 314, 27, 4th season, Illinois

Palczewski slid all the way across the line last season to fill the injured Powers’ spot admirably for 10 games, and earned himself a nice two-year offseason extension in the process. He could be the first man up both at tackle and at guard in any case of injury.

Kicker

Wil Lutz | 3
5-11, 32, 11th season, Georgia State

Lutz continues to knock on the door of the NFL’s highest kicking tier, putting home 28 of 32 field goals (87.5%) in 2025. He fell back to earth from 40-plus yards last year, though, with a 7-of-11 success rate from that distance.

As if the Broncos needed any reminder of how close they came last year, the NFL season kicks off Wednesday night with a Super Bowl rematch between New England and Seattle. Then, San Francisco and the Los Angeles Rams square off in Australia on Thursday night.

Denver plays all four of those teams this season and three of them by Week 6, but the Broncos have a long wait until Monday night, Sept. 14, before finally kicking off at Kansas City.

Tuesday marks six weeks since Broncos veterans reported for training camp. In that time, we’ve learned quite a bit about Sean Payton’s team. There also remain a handful of outstanding questions as prep for the Chiefs is set to kick into gear Monday and then really ramp up midweek.

Let����ap set the table as we head into the final week of the year without games that count on the menu.

What we’ve learned

Bo Nix has passed every test so far and looks primed for Week 1

When camp began in late July, Nix hadn’t opened up and ran in a practice setting since before he broke his ankle in January and had a follow-up procedure in April. It didn’t take long, though, for the third-year quarterback to show he felt good. Nix took every rep in training camp and he ran and cut hard off the right ankle. He showed no signs of any kind of rehab plan or workload moderation, outside of Payton mentioning that he likely still had scar tissue. The staff held him out of the preseason opener, but otherwise it����ap been full throttle for Nix heading into Week 1. And his teammates say he “is playing out of his mind.” The physically taxing part for all players is just beginning, but the summer has gone as well as it could have so far for Nix and the Broncos.

This should be the best collection of skill talent the Broncos have had in years

Camp featured glimpses of Denver’s offensive potential in 2026, but the whole No. 1 group has only played together in practice so far. Running back J.K. Dobbins didn’t play a preseason game snap and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle played six.

When this group hits the field for the first time against the Chiefs, though, it should be the most dangerous since Peyton Manning retired. Waddle’s arrival and Pat Bryant����ap ascension will certainly impact — and maybe transform — the wide receiver room. Payton and company have invested in the running back room and it finally appears to be in a good spot with Dobbins, RJ Harvey and rookie Jonah Coleman. The tight end room didn’t change much, but Evan Engram sees growth for himself, and the group could see residual benefit from the uptick in skill at the other positions. Bottom line: Nix and new play-caller Davis Webb have a lot to work with at their disposal.

The questions on defense are not where we thought they’d be when camp opened

The Broncos appear poised to cover the free-agency departure of John Franklin-Myers with players on the rise. Eyioma Uwazurike had one of the most impressive camps on the roster, Malcolm Roach continues to improve each year, and they pair with Zach Allen and D.J. Jones to make a high-quality top four. They’ll need Jordan Jackson to handle some snaps and rookie Tyler Onyedim to progress over the season, but this group looks ready to hit the ground running. When JFM got $21 million a year, it would have been a bit strange to think that safety P.J. Locke and inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw would be the departures that left more lingering questions, but that����ap how it feels heading into Week 1.

Questions remaining

Will anybody get a contract extension before the opener?

Each of the past two seasons, the Broncos have inked a major contract extension with a defensive stalwart during Week 1 preparations. In 2024, it was cornerback Pat Surtain II. Last year, outside linebacker Nik Bonitto.

The Broncos don’t have the kind of obvious to-do list they did last year when Courtland Sutton and Zach Allen both also got extensions during camp, but they do have a big group of key players entering contract seasons. These things can change fast, but it����ap been quiet on the contract front so far. There’s been no solid indication that an extension is on the immediate horizon for Ja’Quan McMillian, Riley Moss, Uwazurike, Bandon Jones, Marvin Mims Jr., Ben Powers or anybody else. Deadlines spur actions, of course, and Payton has expressed interest in having multiple players on that list around long-term, but nothing has materialized.

Payton and owner Greg Penner have downplayed the impact that Nix’s impending extension eligibility, which begins next offseason, has on Denver’s contract decision-making from here forward. It����ap also true that the Broncos have spent a ton to lock up their core over the past two years. Still, if nothing comes over the next 10 days, Denver will enter the season looking like a team that could well be entering its last season with such extensive continuity.

When will Jonathon Cooper’s criminal case be resolved?

When veterans reported on July 29, Payton said the Broncos stood firmly behind Cooper and that he thought resolution could come “sooner than later.” Six weeks later, Cooper’s been arraigned on felony assault for strangulation and other lesser charges stemming from a pair of domestic violence-related arrests in June. He is not on the Broncos’ 53-man roster and is instead on the commissioner’s exempt list, which is essentially paid leave. His trial date is slated for mid-November, after nine Broncos regular-season games. The league could conclude its review of Cooper’s case for potential violations of its personal conduct policy before a trial starts, but neither the league office nor the 23rd Judicial District Attorney’s Office appears to have much incentive to rush to a conclusion. Cooper’s in line to miss the opening portion of the season, but beyond that, there’s still uncertainty about what resolution looks like and if and when Denver’s starting outside linebacker might be back on the field.

How will Payton handle his new game-day role when they actually count?

The biggest outstanding question for the Broncos, really, is how Davis Webb will fare as a first-time play-caller. Particularly against a run of top-flight opponents out of the gate. Players and coaches are confident. So, too, is Webb. The interesting undercard is how Payton himself handles game days. He swears he’s not going to be like his mentor, Bill Parcells, who he said sighed or questioned many of his calls as games unfolded. He’s adamant this is going to work swimmingly and he won’t be tempted to take play-calling duties back. He’ll have “some suggestions, some mandates,” he said with a smile. New-look Gameday Sean in the preseason is one thing. How it looks in the regular season will be fascinating. There will undoubtedly be plenty of camera shots along the way to help tell the story.

NFL teams must reduce their rosters from 90 players to 53 by 4 p.m. Sunday, which means as soon as Friday night’s preseason finale ends, the process of finalizing the first version of an active roster kicks into high gear.

So many of Denver’s starters and key role players return from past years and little doubt exists about their roles.

Still, there are several spots up for grabs and, perhaps more pertinently, there are several levers the Broncos can pull to get as many players back into their building as possible.

The job isn’t to pick the best 53 players, necessarily. Head coach Sean Payton always uses the term “the right 53.”

That means some players who are going to be part of Denver’s equation this season could start on the practice squad, be cut and re-signed to the 53-man roster a day later, start the season on injured reserve or any number of other machinations.

Having a deep roster means added risk of losing players between Sunday afternoon and the 11 a.m. claiming deadline, after which teams can begin assembling their practice squads.

“I think that gets weighed in a lot,” Payton said of who’s most at risk of getting claimed. “I’ll turn to the analytics and a lot of it is what kind of tape the opponents seeing. That gets weighed in a lot. Who do we feel like is more likely to get claimed? Certain positions are more likely to get claimed.

“So that����ap always a challenge.”

A challenge, but one we’re taking on one final time. Here’s a last stab at a 53-man roster.

Changes from last week’s projection are italicized.

OFFENSE (24)

QUARTERBACKS (3)

Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, Sam Ehlinger

Final call: Taking three quarterbacks is going to cost Denver a player somewhere else, but in the end, that����ap the call here. Ehlinger didn’t sound earlier this week like a player who planned on packing his bags any time soon, then he authored a terrific preseason finale. Plus, there aren’t any good Payton-experienced quarterbacks out there as practice squad options.

If they take two to start, it����ap most likely because they swung a deal with Ehlinger or found a trade option they liked. Ehlinger is a veteran, so he can sign anywhere if he’s cut. Depending on how much injured reserve activity the Broncos have, they could cut Ehlinger with a promise he’s back on the 53-man roster in a day. Or they could ask him to start the season on the practice squad. The real curveball would be a two-man Nix/Ehlinger room to start.

RUNNING BACK (3)

J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Jonah Coleman

Final call: The Broncos will press all the buttons to squeeze extra spots out of the roster. In this projection, that means cutting Adam Prentice with the agreement that he’ll be signed to the practice squad, elevated three times and/or added back to the 53 when a spot becomes available. Prentice has had a good camp and will be in the mix one way or another.

If Jaleel McLaughlin and/or Tyler Badie clear waivers and return to the practice squad, all the better. Historic odds on players claimed suggest at least one will. Cody Schrader could be a practice squad option, too.

TIGHT END (4)

Adam Trautman, Evan Engram, Nate Adkins and Justin Joly

Final call: Joly hasn’t had a big training camp, but he finished with a bang on a wide-open 88-yard touchdown Friday night. Caleb Lohner hasn’t practiced at all and seems like a candidate to begin the season on injured reserve. They could wait a day and thus save a return designation for now to ensure that Lohner actually does recover and get fully healthy. Can’t rule out Dallen Bentley or Lucas Krull nabbing a spot, but they feel like the most likely to get through waivers.

WIDE RECEIVER (5)

Courtland Sutton, Jaylen Waddle, Pat Bryant, Marvin Mims Jr., Troy Franklin

Final call: The same five it����ap been all of camp. The sticking point here: Lil’Jordan Humphrey is almost certainly going to be part of the plan. In this case, he either starts on the practice squad or is a one-day cut until the Broncos place someone else on injured reserve. Denver will feel fortunate if all of its undrafted rookie receivers get through to the practice squad. There are a ton of receivers out there around the league, but Cam Ross and/or Kolbe Katsis could factor on special teams at some point in the not-so-distant future and could draw attention from other teams.

OFFENSIVE LINE (9)

Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Luke Wattenberg, Quinn Meinerz, Mike McGlinchey, Alex Palczewski, Kage Casey, Alex Forsyth, Tyler Miller 

Final call: Let����ap get a little bit wild. In this projection, Frank Crum is placed on injured reserve Sunday with a designation to return. Then, there’s the Tyler Miller conversation. The Broncos have lost a developmental tackle each of the past two years at the cutdown. They know the value of such players. If they can get Calvin Throckmorton and Matt Peart to agree to start the year on the practice squad, this becomes possible. The end goal here: Keep as many of this group as possible for as long as possible.

DEFENSE (26)

DEFENSIVE LINE (7)

Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, Malcolm Roach, Eyioma Uwazurike, Tyler Onyedim, Jordan Jackson, Sai’Vion Jones

Final call: Maybe the Broncos ultimately feel like they have to choose between Jackson and Sai’Vion Jones, but this coaching staff and front office have prided themselves on building depth in both trenches. If there are ways around cutting somebody up front, they’ll find them. Jackson is too reliable and Jones too young to part ways with just yet, though the latter has had a relatively quiet camp.

“Every year is different and you really never know,” said Jackson, whose made the 53 each of the past two years. “Five weeks to put in the work I’ve put in. We’ll see how it all comes out.”

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER (5)

Nik Bonitto, Jonah Elliss, Que Robinson, Dondrea Tillman, Ron Stone, Jr.

Final call: Time is ticking quickly, but in this version, the projection is that the Broncos will have clarity on Jonathon Cooper’s status — a suspension levied by the NFL or (perhaps more likely at the moment) a placement on the commissioner’s exempt list — by the time the roster cutdown arrives. Stone makes it as a depth piece, at least to start. The tough call here is what to do with Drew Sanders. Is it injured reserve? They have to use one of eight return designations to put him there Sunday but if they carry him for one day, they can stash him and decide later whether to bring him back. Still, Sanders has played four games in the past two seasons. It may be time for a fresh start. If there’s no decision on Cooper at 4 p.m. Sunday, he’ll be on the roster.

INSIDE LINEBACKER (5)

Alex Singleton, Justin Strnad, Red Murdock, Jordan Turner, Karene Reid 

Final call: The Broncos had a curveball thrown this week when Taylor Rapp left after just one practice. Reid, Turner and Murdock are all special teams staples and it����ap easy to see any of them getting time on defense if either Singleton or Strnad miss time. Murdock has been calling the defense in practice, the type of investment that makes it easy to think Denver wants to keep him around for a while. The question: Are Reid and Turner worthy of among the last spots on the roster. Their special teams work last year and preseason playing time so far this summer suggest yes.

CORNERBACK (5)

Pat Surtain II, Riley Moss, Ja’Quan McMillian, Jahdae Barron, Kris Abrams-Draine

Final call: One of the toughest calls to leave off the roster is Reese Taylor. The Broncos are just fortunate to have high-quality depth across the cornerback group, which works against Taylor despite his special teams ability and ability to play in the slot on defense. He’s a player who will likely feel like a little bit of a risk trying to get through waivers. He also sustained a concussion Friday night against the Vikings.

SAFETY (4)

Talanoa Hufanga, Brandon Jones, Devon Key, JL Skinner

Final call: Miles Scott is a nice developmental player, but based on his role and playing time so far in camp, perhaps Denver is hoping they can get that redshirt year done on the practice squad. Tycen Anderson was one of the most conspicuous players not to dress Friday night vs. Minnesota. Those guys are either already on the roster or definitely not making it. The guess here is the latter.

SPECIAL TEAMS (3)

Wil Lutz (PK), Jeremy Crawshaw (P), Mitchell Fraboni (LS)

Final call: Easy. They’ve got Luke Basso’s number if they need a long-snapper at any point during the season.

Most of Oct. 5, 2025 has evaporated from our minds. But the lingering memories in Philadelphia always capture a critical scene. On the final drive, as the Broncos marched for a field goal to seal an improbable victory, they were hanging on as Powers’ arm hung motionless from his body.

He tore his left biceps. It was actually more gross.

“Well, it popped off the forearm and rolled up on me,” Powers said Wednesday.

They said Powers was a brute when he signed four years ago. And he is, standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 310 pounds. They said Powers was willing to drop the gloves. He provided a reminder at training camp this summer, on occasion taking a swing at defenders after a miscarriage of justice.

They said he would protect the quarterback like his ATM PIN, and he allowed zero sacks across 465 snaps last season.

What they didn’t know — and neither did we — was his staggering pain tolerance. It is a defining characteristic.

When his limb became useless against the Eagles, he refused to exit, blocking with his right shoulder.

“Given the chemistry we have developed, I think it is pretty selfish to just kind of bow out because something is bothering you,” Powers explained. “It was the drive that won the game. I think we can all fairly say, looking back, that it was the turning point of our season. Beating the reigning Super Bowl champs in Philadelphia, down 15, that is where our team grew closer and gained a bunch of confidence.”

Powers is the thunderstorm that you hope doesn’t arrive at your doorstep. And if you think this was a one-off, you don’t know Ben.

After what is believed to be the fastest return on record from a torn biceps, Powers suffered a Lisfranc injury on the last snap of his first game back on Dec. 21 against Jacksonville. He thought he sprained his foot. As the trainer removed the ankle tape, Powers winced.

Getting an MRI was floated. Powers dunked the suggestion.

“I said, ‘I can’t do it.’ I had just missed all those games, and that exam could be a death sentence. It bothered me during the week,” Powers said. “Normally, it swells up like a football. My foot was an anomaly. The doctors could not give me a good answer why. So I was able to get through it with the adrenaline of the games.”

Powers played well over the remainder of the season. He sacrificed his health and assumed the risk for the greater good.

Why not consider his contract status? Or how putting out poor tape could affect his future with the team?

“Simple,” Powers said, “because we are in this together.”

This answer rattled in my ears as we stood inside the Pat Bowlen Fieldhouse. It made me think of the Denver Nuggets. Peyton Watson, suspicions confirmed by his representatives, staged Operation Shutdown last April, declining to attempt to play in the postseason because of a hamstring injury.

Truth is, some players are agents for change. And some players are pawns for their agents.

Powers could not stomach the idea of missing a snap. That is how he thinks. He is not worried about the next game or the next drive, but the next play.

This type of mentality is threaded throughout the Broncos roster — and why they can win a Super Bowl. Longtime team employees talk about the character of this team like coaches did during the back-to-back Super Bowl titles in 1997 and 1998.

Coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton have been intentional in how they built this locker room. Of course, a baseline of talent is required. But Payton demands players who are smart, love the game and demonstrate “we-over-me” toughness.

Dudes like Powers.

“There’s a unique part to the offense and defensive lines where they play for each other. It����ap those traits that are hard to measure when you’re doing the college evaluation,” Payton said. “And then when you kind of hit on those type, they’re special and Ben would definitely fall into that category.”

What makes Powers different is that he doesn’t consider himself unique.

Not in the Broncos locker room. Linebacker Alex Singleton missed 23 days and one game after undergoing surgery for testicular cancer. Safety JL Skinner played last season with a torn labrum. Brandon Jones planned to play in the Super Bowl — “thug it out,” as he put it — with a still-mending pectoral muscle if the Broncos had advanced. Same goes for running back J.K. Dobbins with his aching foot.

“It is not just me,” Powers pointed out multiple times, “it is 100 percent a culture of instilled physical and mental toughness.”

In a time where athletes obsess over their personal brand, social media followers and getting paid, the Broncos take us on a quantum leap back in time.

When the team mattered more than a witty tweet. This is why they can win a title.

Don’t confuse this as advocating playing with a concussion, as a new CTE study raises concerns about long-term risks for NFL players.

But in a sport that must continue to do more to protect brains, brawn still matters.

Powers, whose bicep is healed and foot strong after screws were removed a few months ago, is admittedly “old-school” in his approach and mindset. He punches his time card. Tapes every inch of his arms and hands. And goes to work.

Ask those who know him, and stories of grit began following him in college. Remember the Baker Mayfield flag plant game at Ohio State? Oklahoma’s team doctor ruled Powers out with a high ankle sprain. His replacement suffered a head injury in the first half.

At halftime, Powers said he could go. He helped lead the Sooners to a victory.

Moments like this create a sense of pride for Powers.

As he enters his eighth NFL season, there is one goal left for him to accomplish in Denver, something he refuses to let pain prevent.

“There is a standard that this regime has built over the past four years that you can’t let your brother down next to you,” Powers said. “The closer you get to that goal of a Super Bowl, you understand the significance of winning it all. You look back at the AFC Championship Game, and we were one drive away from playing in the Super Bowl. And that sucks. It sucks to think that, and now we have to look in the mirror and see how we can get over the hump. But we are in this together. At the end of the day, all that matters is the team and getting the win.”

The NFL’s deadline for trimming rosters from 90 players down to 53 is now just a week away.

By the time Sean Payton’s team finishes its preseason finale against Minnesota on Friday, those decisions will be right in front of the coaching staff and front office.

Denver is widely regarded as having one of the deepest rosters in football. Even though losing players to waiver claims from other teams is relatively rare — there were 29 total waiver claims at the cut down last year and 27 the year before — the Broncos are the kind of team others around the league will be paying extra close attention to.

A year ago, they saw two players claimed — offensive lineman Xavier Truss and cornerback Damari Mathis — and a repeat performance this year would not be surprising.

So, that����ap the cat-and-mouse game for Payton, general manager George Paton and company. It����ap about putting together a high-quality 53-man roster but also about protecting as many players as possible while getting as many as you can through waivers and to the practice squad.

With that, here’s the Denver Post����ap penultimate roster projection. The last will come following Denver’s preseason finale.

OFFENSE (24)

QUARTERBACKS (3)

Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, Sam Ehlinger

Current picture: Nix has been healthy, and Stidham has taken the lion’s share of the No. 2 reps in practice and in games. He wasn’t sharp in 30 snaps Friday night against the Packers. Can Ehlinger make a last-minute run at the job? And the bigger question for roster purposes is if they keep all three from the outset. The argument against is easy: It����ap a deep roster, and Denver has worthy options at other positions. The argument for, though, is compelling: At the game’s most important position, the Broncos have three players who have started and also been in the system for more than a year. Plus, there is no clear alternative at this point — no young practice squad candidate or somebody who’s been here in the Payton era — meaning if they lose Stidham or Ehlinger and at some point need to play the other, then the backup is someone off the street. Why take that risk with a Super Bowl contender?

Bubble player of interest: The rest of the field at roster cutdown time. Maybe there’s a young player out there the Broncos are hoping gets cut.

RUNNING BACK (3)

J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Jonah Coleman

Current picture: The top three are locked in and have the makings of the best Broncos backfield in a while. In this iteration, the Broncos approach veteran Adam Prentice and ask him to start the season on the practice squad. He then gets added to the 53-man roster after three elevations, if not before based on the team’s injury picture. Prentice, though, has been really good since he arrived at the end of camp last year. It’d be a real surprise if he wasn’t squarely involved from the outset. This is just a creative way of making it happen.

Bubble players of interest: Badie and McLaughlin. If Denver can get one or both through to the practice squad, they’ve got themselves nice depth. If not, there will be a ton of backs out there to sort through on the waiver wire.

TIGHT END (4)

Adam Trautman, Evan Engram, Nate Adkins and Justin Joly

Current picture: Fairly wide open after the top two. You can put together several iterations, squint and see it being the way the 53-man shakes out to start the year. This quartet gives Denver a little bit of everything: The top two that are sure to make the roster, a player in Adkins who can play F and also fullback in a pinch and the fifth-round pick in Joly. It����ap contingent on Adkins getting healthy. He’s been in and out this summer. Dallen Bentley isn’t flashy, but he does the dirty work in-line. It may come down to who’s the player Denver feels best about sneaking through the waiver wire between Adkins, Joly and Bentley. Lucas Krull just keeps hanging around the picture, too.

Bubble player of interest: Caleb Lohner. The second-year man is in a bit of a tricky spot now. Maybe Payton’s spring praise was real enough that he gets back soon and makes the roster from the outset. Otherwise, from a roster perspective, could he be an IR candidate to start the year with a return designation? You only get so many, so they’d have to be counting on him playing at some point.

WIDE RECEIVER (5)

Courtland Sutton, Jaylen Waddle, Pat Bryant, Marvin Mims Jr., Troy Franklin

Current picture: Pretty much set… unless. Outside of a Devaughn Vele-esque trade from depth, this looks like a darn good quintet for the Broncos. We’ve all become accustomed to Lil’Jordan Humphrey starting the year on the practice squad and then playing a lot, but he legitimately deserves a roster spot the way he’s played this summer. Will it be there for him? Regardless, the role will be. As is, there’s a world in which Humphrey’s elevated from the practice squad early in the year and Franklin is a gameday inactive if everyone is healthy. Enviable depth in this room.

Bubble player of interest: Cam Ross. He got to run with the top group in the first preseason game. Then Friday night vs. Green Bay it was fellow undrafted rookie Dane Key. Kolbe Katsis has come on strong, too. Denver’s got options for the practice squad. There are a ton of receivers out there, but the Broncos could lose one of these guys at the roster cutdown.

OFFENSIVE LINE (9)

Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Luke Wattenberg, Quinn Meinerz, Mike McGlinchey, Alex Palczewski, Frank Crum, Kage Casey, Calvin Throckmorton

Current picture: What has looked like a rock-solid nine for the active roster has its first major question: Is Alex Forsyth going to get enough healthy time to make the roster and, even if he does, has Throckmorton just flat-out outplayed him for the No. 2 center job in camp? For now, we’re leaning yes to the second question regardless of the first. Forsyth has capital built up in the building, though. Payton calls him one of the smartest centers he’s been around. Throckmorton, though, can also play both guard spots, and that flex is valuable. Could be one of the tougher calls on the roster next week.

Bubble player of interest: Tyler Miller. They aren’t exactly household names, but each of the past two years the Broncos have lost a developmental tackle on the waiver wire at the roster cutdown. Last year it was Truss. In 2024, they lost Demontrey Jacobs but had to try to get him to the practice squad because they knew Frank Crum wouldn’t make it through if they waived him. Players are scarce at the position, and Denver knows how to develop them. The bet here is they’ll be quite happy to keep Miller if he makes it through.

DEFENSE (26)

DEFENSIVE LINE (7)

Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, Malcolm Roach, Eyioma Uwazurike, Tyler Onyedim, Jordan Jackson, Sai’Vion Jones

Current picture: Denver looks well-situated to replace John Franklin-Myers and keep on rolling with Eyioma Uwazurike and Malcolm Roach. Those two plus D.J. Jones make for a top-flight run-defending group, and if Uwazurike rushes the passer as he has so far in the preseason, this group is going to be really dangerous. The question is if they take seven again like last year. And who would they leave off? If you’re looking for trade candidates in the next week, Jackson would have the chance to draw something real — like, a Day 3 pick rather than just a pick swap, perhaps — from a team that doesn’t have Denver’s depth. He’s made the roster cleanly the past two years and is having another good camp.

Bubble player of interest: Sai’Vion Jones. If you were going to leave somebody from the above group off the roster, Jackson and Sai’Vion Jones are the only two real options. Jackson’s proven he can handle a rotational role, so he’s got that going for him on a championship-minded team. Jones is bigger and stronger than a year ago. It����ap not yet clear he’s fully ready, but Denver also traded up into the third round to draft him just a year ago. It’d be a surprise to cut bait now, especially when there’s no indication they think he’s a lost cause.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER (5)

Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Jonah Elliss, Que Robinson, Dondrea Tillman

Current picture: Straightforward. This group has top-flight production and depth. There’s really no two ways about it. The major question is if Cooper will actually be on the roster Week 1. We’re keeping him on as a placeholder for now, but the reality is there’s a good chance he’s not. He could be suspended in the next eight days and, if the league is still reviewing at the roster cutdown. then perhaps the commissioner’s exempt list comes into play for the interim. Interestingly, the roster cutdown is Aug. 30, and Cooper is slated to be arraigned on domestic violence-related charges Aug. 31.

Bubble player of interest: Drew Sanders. A healthy training camp for Sanders would have made him a compelling bubble player. Perhaps he’s got one more run at it in him over the next week. But after a sack against the Falcons, he didn’t practice all week or play against Green Bay. On this roster, it����ap just going to be really hard to keep a guy who’s in and out as much as Sanders has been. He’s a scary one to let walk, though. If he ever stays healthy, he’s going to make plays.

INSIDE LINEBACKER (4)

Alex Singleton, Justin Strnad, Red Murdock, Jordan Turner

Current picture: Still up for grabs behind the starters. Murdock is playing his way into a spot, and the Broncos love his smarts. Don’t overthink it and risk losing him. What����ap interesting is Turner has only been back a week or so off of NFI, but he jumped right into camp work with the top two units, and he was next up next to Reid in the game Friday vs. Green Bay. Denver liked his scout team and special teams work as a rookie last year. He’s going to be tough to leave off the roster. But Reid has been available and consistent all summer.

Bubble player of interest: Reid and Taurean York. Even after losing Levelle Bailey to injury, Denver has a bunch of interesting options. Not all of them can make the roster. Whichever two or three the team thinks can make it through waivers are the ones they’ll let go. But this group in general is worth trying to retain and develop through the season.

CORNERBACK (5)

Pat Surtain II, Riley Moss, Ja’Quan McMillian, Jahdae Barron, Kris Abrams-Draine

Current picture: There may not be a better, deeper group out there. As long as they’re healthy. Riley Moss left the game Friday with an injury to his ribs, though Payton said he was doing “good.” If he missed any time, that might change the calculus here. Otherwise, the top trio is top-flight, and Barron pairs with Abrams-Draine to provide capable backup and sub play across the board.

Bubble player of interest: Reese Taylor. He’s not a talked-about player, but Taylor was going to make this 53-man projection until the Broncos signed veteran safety Taylor Rapp on Thursday. He still could, depending on how numbers shake out at other positions. Taylor was on the active roster down the stretch last year, is playing on the top line of several Denver special teams units currently and knows the systems for both Vance Joseph and Darren Rizzi.

SAFETY (5)

Talanoa Hufanga, Brandon Jones, Devon Key, JL Skinner, Taylor Rapp

Current picture: Maybe it����ap as simple as starters, special teamers and Rapp. It����ap hard to imagine Rapp would have signed when he did without some indication Denver planned to carry him on the roster to start the season. He’s played in 93 games in his career but tried to battle through a knee injury early last year, didn’t play great through six games and then was put on injured reserve. Key and Skinner are high-level special teamers, and the staff says it trusts Key to play defense if needed.

Bubble player of interest: Tycen Anderson. In this situation, it comes down to Anderson vs. Skinner for a special teams-dominant role, and Skinner wins out via training camp performance and also the production in years past here.

SPECIAL TEAMS (3)

Wil Lutz (PK), Jeremy Crawshaw (P), Mitchell Fraboni (LS) 

Current picture: Pretty much set in stone outside of injury.

Bubble player of interest: Luke Basso has been in camp as a long-snapper, but STC Darren Rizzi said part of the reason is just to take reps off Fraboni during camp. Perhaps more interesting: Could Ross or another young player challenge for time as a returner?

The Broncos put out their first unofficial depth chart of the preseason — a requirement because they play a game this week — which always makes for interesting reading.

Payton, though, does not like depth chart day.

For one, not everything on the depth chart is how it will actually play out come Sept. 14 when the Broncos kick off their season against Kansas City. He intentionally puts rookies at the back of the line in the preseason depth chart, even if they might contribute.

Keeler: Has Broncos coach Sean Payton gone soft in his old age?

A couple of interesting notes: Marvin Mims, Jr. gets the first nod on the starting line at wide receiver along with Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle. The second line features camp standout Pat Bryant and Troy Franklin.

On the defensive line, veteran Malcolm Roach is listed as the starter next to Zach Allen and D.J. Jones, while Eyioma Uwazurike is listed with the No. 2s. And at outside linebacker, Jonah Elliss and Dondrea Tillman are the No. 2s with Que Robinson listed behind them.

Jarrett Stidham is listed as the No. 2 quarterback ahead of Sam Ehlinger, though that looks like a good battle brewing as Denver's preseason opener at Atlanta at 5 p.m. Friday draws closer.

Again, all of this is unofficial, meant to not give much real information and isn’t really reflective of what the lineups and rotations will look like in full a month from now.

That won’t stop this train.

Offense

QB: Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, Sam Ehlinger

RB: J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Tyler Badie, Jaleel McLaughlin, Cody Schrader, Jonah Coleman

FB: Adam Prentice

WR: Marvin Mims, Jr., Troy Franklin, Michael Bandy

WR: Jaylen Waddle, Lil’Jordan Humphrey

WR: Courtland Sutton, Pat Bryant, Hakeem Butler, Dane Key

TE: Evan Engram, Adam Trautman, Nate Adkins, Lucas Krull, Caleb Lohner

LT: Garett Bolles, Matt Peart, Frank Crum

LG: Ben Powers, Calvin Throckmorton

C: Luke Wattenberg, Alex Forsyth, Michael Deiter

RG: Quinn Meinerz, Kage Casey Gavin Ortega

RT: Mike McGlinchey, Alex Palczewski, Reid Holskey

Defense

DE: Zach Allen, Jordan Jackson, Sai’Vion Jones

DT: D.J. Jones, Jordan Miller, Kristian Williams

DE: Malcolm Roach, Eyioma Uwazurike, Tyler Onyedim

WLB: Nik Bonitto, Jonah Elliss, Que Robinson

SLB: Jonathon Cooper, Dondrea Tillman, Drew Sanders

ILB: Alex Singleton, Karene Reid, Jordan Turner

ILB: Justin Strnad, Levelle Bailey, Red Murdock, Taurean York

CB: Pat Surtain II, Kris Abrams Draine, Sean Fresch Jr.

CB: Riley Moss, Jahdae Barron, Brent Austin

Nickel: Ja’Quan McMillian, Jahdae Barron, Reese Taylor

S: Talanoa Hufanga, JL Skinner, Tycen Anderson

S: Brandon Jones, Devon Key, Miles Scott

Special teams

P: Jeremy Crawshaw

PK: Wil Lutz

LS: Mitch Fraboni, Luke Basso

KR: Marvin Mims, Tyler Badie, RJ Harvey

PR: Marvin Mims, Michael Bandy, Cam Ross

Physically Unable to Perform list — OL Nick Gargiulo (knee).

Injured reserve — DL Matt Henningsen (Achilles)

Did not practice — WR Jaylen Waddle (muscle strain), WR Marvin Mims Jr., C Luke Wattenberg (shoulder), C Alex Forsyth, TE Caleb Lohner (foot/ankle), OLB Dasan McCullough

Left practice — RB J.K. Dobbins (soft tissue), WR Michael Bandy

Consider Sean Payton officially concerned about the Broncos’ injury situation.

Denver, through its first 11 days on the field, has only lost one player to what is known to be a serious injury — that was Matt Henningsen, who tore his Achilles on Friday — but several key players have missed time with soft-tissue injuries. Receiver Jaylen Waddle strained a muscle last week and hasn’t been back on the field since. Marvin Mims Jr. was in pads Monday after leaving practice Friday. That day, he pulled up while running a deep route and grabbed near his groin on the left side, hobbling off the field.

Then Monday, running back J.K. Dobbins jogged off the field midway through practice with training staff behind. Payton said Dobbins had a “soft tissue” injury.

That continues a trend Payton mentioned off the top Monday.

“We’ve got to get a handle on some of the soft-tissues,” he said. “We’ve had a couple either strains, hamstring or groins. We continue to fight through that.”

Payton said he didn’t think the uptick was due to the heat, but said, “you always try to look at your pre-practice routine. Your hydration, obviously. And it����ap incumbent on the player. It����ap hard for anyone to know your soft tissue. I’m always looking at maybe what we did leading up to the period when a guy had a strain.

Dobbins, of course, has not played a full season due to various injuries in his career, but earlier in training camp, he “pinky promised” he’d stay healthy this fall, play in all 17 regular-season games, and win the NFL’s rushing title.

Payton had the Broncos out for a long practice Monday and finished it not only with some conditioning work — that����ap not uncommon — but also with a “warm-down” period of stretching on the field. That was a first for this training camp for sure and perhaps the first time since Payton became the coach in Denver.

Payton often points out that the Broncos have been among the least-injured teams in the NFL during his tenure here.

“If we’re second in the NFL with fewest games missed, man, that’s extremely important,” Payton said in January after Denver’s season ended. “You guys saw in 2022 (under coach Nathaniel Hackett) where there’s over 125 player-games missed because of injury and no one played in the preseason. There weren’t ever pads on. We’re never doing that.”

Denver’s regular season doesn’t begin for five weeks, but Payton is clearly trying to send a message already.

Elsewhere on the injury front, Mims and center Luke Wattenberg were in pads but didn’t do anything after stretching. They’re each making progress toward full returns, though. ILB Jordan Turner came off the non-football injury list and practiced for the first time.

Bo Nix had a good sequence on a run-heavy day

The Broncos had multiple team periods of all running plays, but quarterback Bo Nix turned in a good sequence later in practice. After starting with an incompletion to Troy Franklin, Nix hit three straight for good gains. First was a quick throw to Pat Bryant for what looked like first-down yardage. Then Nix dropped a perfect back-shoulder throw on Courtland Sutton for about 30. Then he came back to Franklin over the middle for around 20.

Thumbs Up

Center of attention. Veteran Michael Deiter is usually an afterthought in conversations about Denver’s offensive line, but he stepped in and did double duty on Monday with both Wattenberg and Forsyth down.

Deiter took most of the top-unit reps at center and worked in with the second group, too. There are only so many 53-man roster spots if the offensive line group is healthy come September, but Wattenberg and Forsyth have both dealt with injuries in recent seasons. If Deiter’s a trusted third, he’ll probably at least have a standing offer on a practice squad spot.

Kickers are people, too. Wil Lutz had a gripe with reporters and a warranted one Monday. He stepped to the podium after practice and said, “I made a field goal from 73 yards the other day and none of you said a word. But Brandon Jones hits an extra point and my timeline is going off.” Fair point, Wil. It wasn’t easy to see the yardages Lutz was kicking off a stick from last week when he hit from 73, but it was clear he had the fans’ full attention and they were lavishing cheers on him as he kept moving further and further back. Lutz suggested a kicker appreciation day. Next time he hits from 73, it����ap his.

Thumbs Down

Not a day for the snappers. The Broncos had trouble with the snap on Monday. In more ways than one. First, undrafted rookie Gavin Ortega had trouble with some snaps to Jarrett Stidham. Ortega has been playing center in camp but got bumped up the depth chart Monday with both Wattenberg and Forsyth out. Then later in the session, undrafted rookie long snapper air-mailed holder Jeremy Crawshaw on a field goal attempt. Better a Monday camp practice than a regular-season game, but misfires like those aren’t going to help when it comes down to evaluating practice squad spots, position battles and more later in August.

Ball security is… The Broncos also got a look at some of their down-roster kick and punt returning options on Monday with Mims out and Bandy leaving midway through practice. Return ability is one of the key factors Denver used in identifying some of its undrafted wide receiver targets this spring. While Cam Ross has been consistent catching the ball both on offense and in the return game, Kolbe Katsis has struggled with punts and kicks. On Monday alone, he bobbled two.

Odds and Ends

* The Broncos had one of their longer practices of camp Monday, pushing right to 12:29 p.m. before the double horn blew at the end of the “warm down” stretching that closed the session. Payton missed most of Friday and all of Saturday’s practice, but Denver spent just about the maximum amount of time possible on the field for his return. Payton said the Broncos will have a normal camp practice on Tuesday and then spend most of Wednesday’s practice preparing for their preseason opener on Friday in Atlanta.

* Deiter, an eight-year NFL veteran who has played in 92 career games, not only served as Denver’s top center on Monday, but he played well in one-on-ones, too. Twice he was able to anchor against D.J. Jones and hold the rugged nose tackle at bay. Rookie Kage Casey had another good day in one-on-ones, too, and right tackle Mike McGlinchey had a good rep on Jonathon Cooper. Defensively, Zach Allen drew an obvious hold on Ben Powers and Jordan Jackson put a punishing bull-rush on Calvin Throckmorton.

* The Broncos’ run-heavy script on Monday meant a ton of work for RJ Harvey and Jonah Coleman. Coleman’s been more consistent than Harvey between the tackles, but Nix likes what he sees from Harvey so far this training camp, too.

“He’s done a great job of improving in the little things,” Nix said. “It����ap easy for a running back, once he gets the football, to go and be a playmaker. I think it����ap underrated what he does out of the backfield, in protection, in multiple different run looks. We’ve asked him to do a lot more this offseason and in this training camp, and he’s responded really well. You can tell he’s growing and learning more as time goes and it����ap not all new for him.”

* Nix had interesting insight into veteran tight end Evan Engram and what might unlock better production this fall. Engram caught 50 balls for 461 yards last year, but everybody involved finished the season feeling like he had something of an underwhelming first season in Denver. So far in training camp, Nix said, Engram’s been used somewhat differently to the pass-heavy splits in his playing time last fall.

“His ability to strengthen the run game is what����ap showing right now,” Nix said. “He’s a willing blocker. Last year we used him a little bit more as a vertical pass threat, but I think him getting in the box and blocking is going to open some more things up. That����ap a game-plan thing, that����ap a coaching thing to put him in that position. But I also think he’s willing and able and that����ap part of his game I think he’s really going to be able to show off this year and not have to be on and off the field. He’ll just be able to play, he and (Adam Trautman) will be able to roll and just be able to do anything we ask them to do from that position.”

Next: 10 a.m. Tuesday. Parking opens at 8 a.m. and gates at 9 a.m.

Physically Unable to Perform list — OL Nick Gargiulo. Non-football injury list — ILB Jordan Turner.

Did not practice — WR Jaylen Waddle (muscle strain), C Luke Wattenberg (shoulder), TE Caleb Lohner (foot/ankle), OLB Dasan McCullough, DL D.J. Jones (rest), DL Malcolm Roach (rest), ILB Alex Singleton (rest), LT Garett Bolles (rest), S Brandon Jones (rest).

Left practice — DL Matt Henningsen, WR Marvin Mims Jr. and TE Nate Adkins.

Two Broncos stars moved in the right direction, but it was a brutal day overall on the injury front for the club. First, the good: WR Courtland Sutton was essentially a full participant after three rest days in a row. OLB Nik Bonitto continued to do more work, too. He had pads on and did individual work, though he’s not yet back to team reps.

The injuries started early in practice, though, when defensive lineman Matt Henningsen had to be carted off after an injury in individual drills. Henningsen, a source confirmed to The Post, tore his Achilles tendon.

Henningsen was visibly emotional after the injury and had his head in his hands as the cart took him into the Broncos’ facility. Making matters even more unfortunate: Friday marked exactly one year since Henningsen ruptured his Achilles in a joint practice against San Francisco. Head coach Sean Payton and others had raved about Henningsen’s recovery and about the offseason he’d had to this point.

Last year, of course, Henningsen’s August Achilles injury cost him the entire season.

Later in practice, Marvin Mims Jr. was running a deep route and pulled up hobbling while grabbing at his upper left leg. He tossed his helmet on the ground, sat on a water cooler and talked with a trainer before walking into the facility. He walked in with tight end Nate Adkins, who also left practice due to an apparent injury during a team period.

Bo Nix delivered a beauty of a two-minute drill

The Denver defense has regularly had the upper hand in recent days and particularly so in situational practice periods, but the offense hit back on Friday.

Quarterback Bo Nix led a clinical two-minute drive for what would have been a game-winning touchdown.

The situation on the scoreboard: Offense trailing by four with 1 minute, 21 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and one timeout remaining. Ball on the offense’s own 39-yard line.

The drive started with cornerback Riley Moss batting away a pass for Sutton, but then Nix caught fire. He completed passes to Pat Bryant and Evan Engram for a first down, then hit Lil’Jordan Humphrey in the middle of the field to get to the 35-yard line. With the clock running and 32 seconds remaining, the offense used its timeout.

Nix then made his best throw of the drive, hitting Sutton again on a deep in-breaker for 27 yards. The drive culminated with an 8-yard lollipop to a wide-open Engram in the back of the end zone. Seven plays, 61 yards and a game-winner with 18 seconds left on a drive that took just 1:03 of game time.

Nix thrives in two-minute and wide-open situations, and that����ap been the case again so far through camp. When the pace is fast, and he’s playing in a free-wheeling manner, good things happen more often than not.

Thumbs Up

In the Kage. Broncos rookie offensive Kage Casey has a lot to learn and likely isn’t going to be counted on to play on offense right away, but he shows flashes of what Denver liked about him in April’s draft. Take a one-on-one period between offensive linemen and defensive front-line players on Friday. He went against fellow rookie and third-round pick Tyler Onyedim three times and stoned him each time. Casey has good hands, gets them in the right place and then has enough power to work from there. Denver coaches and personnel people have thought since the draft that Casey could play any of the five spots over the course of time. So far in camp, he’s been predominantly at guard behind Ben Powers. Casey, if all goes well for Denver, may be in for a developmental year, but he’s already showing signs of being part of the puzzle down the road.

Thumbs Down

Tough day for tackles. On the other end of the spectrum in one-on-ones, Alex Palczewski and Frank Crum each took their lumps at times. Palczewski got roasted by Jonah Elliss around the edge on one rep. On the next, Elliss set him up to the outside, spun back inside and beat him clean. In those instances, it����ap always possible the tackle knows he’s going to have help inside. But Elliss has been a handful overall. Crum had a good rep against Drew Sanders, but he lunged at Dondrea Tillman and fell to the ground as the edge man flew by him on another snap.

Odds and Ends

* Sort of funny with Payton leaving for the airport right after walkthrough, but Friday was Denver’s best day running the football so far in camp. The Broncos got good movement up front — Jones and Roach being off for the day undoubtedly didn’t hurt that effort — and produced high-quality space between the tackles for most of the Broncos’ backs.

* Maybe it’s making a mountain out of a molehill, but Friday’s practice was quiet. Oddly quiet. Not in terms of action but literally. Some of that may be Payton leaving practice early on. Some of it is that Jones and Roach are among the group’s energizer bunnies. Some air seemed to come out of the session after Henningsen’s injury. It’s also the fifth straight day of work. Whatever the reason or reasons, there just wasn’t much juice on Friday.

* Two of the Broncos’ undrafted rookie wide receivers are starting to make plays consistently: Cam Ross and Kolbe Katsis. Each was at it again Friday, with Katsis hauling a deep ball and Ross continuing to pop. It����ap a tough route to the 53-man roster, but they’re good, solid practice squad prospects.

* Broncos inside linebacker Justin Strnad said he put on a few pounds of muscle over the course of the offseason, bumping up from 234 pounds to 238 or so. However, then he got sick last week and lost several pounds just ahead of a six-day work week under the Colorado sun. So, Strnad may not be fully back up to the weight he reported at early last week, but he looks comfortable next to Alex Singleton atop Denver’s inside linebacker depth chart.

* Speaking of that position, rookie Red Murdock is starting to make plays more and more consistently. He forced a fumble in 7-on-7 on Friday, a hallmark of his collegiate career at Buffalo when he set an FBS record with 17 career forced fumbles. Murdock is a bit undersized, but he has a nose for the ball and seems to end up in the right place at the right time. If he strings more weeks together like this one, he’ll push his way toward – or perhaps well into – the two-deep.

* The Broncos on Friday signed wide receiver Kyre Duplessis to their roster, a source confirmed to The Post. Duplessis is a rookie who went undrafted in April and spent time recently on Seattle’s roster. Duplessis played four years at Coastal Carolina before transferring to Delaware for the 2025 season. He caught 60 passes for 824 yards and five touchdowns last fall for the Blue Hens. In a corresponding move, Denver waived cornerback Jaden Robinson with an injury designation, according to the league’s transaction wire. Robinson spent all of 2025 on the Broncos’ practice squad.

* The Broncos announced Friday morning that they are closing their Wednesday, Aug. 12 training camp practice to the public. The session had originally been slated to be open for fans. Instead, there are just two open days next week — Monday and Tuesday — before the team has the closed practice Wednesday and then travels to Atlanta on Thursday for its Friday preseason opener. Denver is now set to hold 13 total open camp practices.

Next: 10 a.m. Saturday, a modified scrimmage-type practice. Parking opens at 8 a.m. and gates at 9 a.m.

Did not practice: Physically Unable to Perform list — OL Nick Gargiulo. Non-football injury list — ILB Jordan Turner. Did not practice — WR Jaylen Waddle (muscle strain), C Luke Wattenberg (shoulder) , TE Caleb Lohner (foot/ankle), OLB Dasan McCullough. Left practice — LG Ben Powers

The Broncos really got mostly good news on the injury front Thursday. They were not in pads, but star outside linebacker Nik Bonitto returned to practice in a limited capacity, taking walk-through reps. Bonitto watched when the team went full speed and 11-on-11.

Wide receiver Courtland Sutton was limited for a third straight day, but Payton and Sutton each insisted it was due to a workload management plan the club has for the veteran.

Waddle has “a strain,” according to head coach Sean Payton, but is expected to return to practice in four or five days.

Wattenberg didn’t practice but had cleats on and a harness on his left shoulder. He did side field conditioning work.

Powers started off practicing but left midway through and wasn’t spotted in the later parts of the session. A source said Powers had a planned partial rest day. He, of course, missed nine games with a torn bicep last year and played the final five with a Lisfranc fracture in his foot.

Payton said several players are going to have their workloads managed over the next three days.

RJ Harvey is dynamite in the passing game, but what����ap next?

The Broncos clearly have three running backs pacing the room at this point in J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey and rookie Jonah Coleman.

The question is how those three – assuming good health – will fill roles. Dobbins is the lead back, to be sure. Coleman’s pass protection experience in college might give him the inside track for third-down work over Harvey, but Payton said recently he thinks Harvey is squarely in the mix for that work, too. The Broncos would love it if he’s ready to handle the protection stuff in third-down and two-minute situations because he is dynamite in the passing game and has made a series of big plays as a receiver out of the backfield in training camp already.

What does making a jump in that department look like?

“RJ is certainly starting to see how we’re (identifying the Mike linebacker) and where that puts him,” Payton said. “Some of that is just the (college) they come from. But I think he gives us a lot of versatility. …

“Technique is one thing, and I think that����ap the easy part. The challenging part is the front and the pieces (to the puzzle). Who the line is going to. Who are you left with? And if you’re not careful, you get left staring in the backfield, and you should be out right now. Being able to get into the pattern and then recognize where the pressure is coming from. And how to see it. Usually those back-end safeties are going to move to where the pressure is coming from. All of that is part of it. But the technique, if you have the stature — and he does — that part of it you can quickly polish up on.”

Top play

Two candidates from a little further down the depth chart in the middle of a six-day work week.

First, nickel Reese Taylor made a heck of a play to break up a pass from Jarrett Stidham to Michael Bandy over the middle. Bandy leapt and stretched out to try to snag the ball, and for a moment it looked like he would, but Taylor recovered, got his hands on the ball and knocked it away as they went to the ground. He flies under the radar, and the path to the 53-man roster is a rough one, but Taylor was on Denver’s active roster down the stretch last season and was a special teams contributor. He’s a valued player, even if he doesn’t make the initial roster in a few weeks.

The other: A pretty deep ball from Sam Ehlinger to undrafted rookie wide receiver Cam Ross. Ross has started to make more plays the past couple of days and is probably running alongside Kolbie Katsis — he also had a long catch Thursday — as Denver’s most impressive undrafted receivers.

“Cam’s doing really good,” fellow receiver Marvin Mims Jr. told The Post this week. … “The biggest thing for him is just trusting his ability, trusting his speed. It����ap a lot coming in here, especially when he had some injury stuff earlier. Come out here, try your hardest and we’ll coach it up in the (meeting) room after practice.”

Thumbs Up

Jahdae Barron, hello. Jahdae Barron hadn’t been off to a particularly bad start in training camp, by any means. He just hadn’t made many splash plays, either.

That changed Thursday. In one team period alone, Barron knifed in front of Pat Bryant on a short catch for what would have been, at minimum, a jarring hit just after a catch. Then on the next snap he broke up a pass over the middle to Lil’Jordan Humphrey. The 2025 first-round pick, like his rookie season, is playing all over. He’s Denver’s dime like last year, he’s getting extensive run at outside corner with the second unit, and he’s Ja’Quan McMillian’s backup at nickel.

“He’s got a lot more patient,” cornerback Riley Moss said. “It����ap a lot different — you throw a guy in, and he’s playing dime and then nickel and then outside, it����ap totally different. The job description is DB, but it is totally different. He’s done a great job of being a little more patient, his eyes have got a lot better, and he’s just a great athlete. It just takes time to get used to the outside stuff, but he’s doing a great job.”

Thumbs Down

Frustration bubbling. As training camp progresses, a lot of different factors wax and wane. The length and physicality of each practice, for example. Players who stand out. Who’s getting the No. 2 reps at quarterback. So on and so forth. One thing that����ap been consistent: The Broncos’ defensive front has dominated. Particularly so in the run game, but they’re generating pressure, too. On Thursday, Broncos offensive linemen were visibly frustrated. They talked among themselves and in small groups after sets of repetitions. Tight end Evan Engram joined in at one point. Thursday was a different kind of day because, without pads, there’s not as much of a true line play evaluation to be had. The OL is rotating through several veterans seeing limited reps, but so, too, is the defense. D.J. Jones didn’t do much team work Thursday, and Zach Allen had the same treatment earlier this week. Still, the defensive front has clearly been a handful for Denver’s veteran offensive line.

Odds and Ends

* If there’s a player having a better camp than Riley Moss, the list is short. He’s been sticky in coverage, and Denver’s deep receiving room has had its hands full against him, no matter who he’s covering.

* Payton on Thursday said there are eight total Broncos staffers and players leaving Friday night to head to Canton, Ohio, for Drew Brees’ Pro Football Hall of Fame induction. Payton, of course, has many more New Orleans connections on his staff than that, from assistant coaches Zach Strief, Ronald Curry, Joe Vitt, John Morton, Willie Snead IV and Darren Rizzi, strength coach Dan Dalrymple, VP of player health and performance Beau Lowery and VP of player personnel Cody Rager. Players who played with Brees in New Orleans include tight end Adam Trautman, receiver Lil’Jordan Humprprey, kicker Wil Lutz and defensive lineman Malcolm Roach.

* Speaking of the Hall of Fame, former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan was in attendance on Thursday. He chatted with Payton for a while early in practice and saw the new training facility. Payton has stumped for Shanahan to be in the Hall of Fame and said there’s frustration with the difficulty of getting coaches enshrined the past couple of years. Still, Payton said it����ap a matter of “when, not if” Shanahan’s inducted.

* The Broncos had Shawn Hochuli’s officiating crew in town for practice each of the past two days. Payton said it’s a quiet year on the officiating emphasis front — there were no major rule changes this offseason. Hochuli’s crew presented to players and staff Wednesday night.

Next: 10 a.m. Friday, lots open at 8 a.m., gates open at 9 a.m. The Broncos are expected to be back in pads.