But as training camp developed, it soon became impossible ²Ō“Ē³ŁĢżto count the names in perhaps the tightest position battle on the roster. J.K. Dobbins was signed as Denver’s potential RB1 late in free agency. RJ Harvey was drafted in the second round to pour in some game-changing juice. Jaleel McLaughlin was back to scamper around. Tyler Badie, Audric Estime and Blake Watson each had their own case for making Denver’s 53-man. And thus, Payton’s tune changed come mid-August.

Broncos roster cutdown tracker: Denver waiving RBs Audric Estime, Blake Watson as competition whittles

"You start looking at Badie, and then you start looking at Blake and then Jaleel, Audric," Payton said after the Broncos' joint practice with the Cardinals Aug. 14. "You guys can do the math."

The equation was simple enough: Two of the six needed to be subtracted, with Denver likely to carry four backs into the regular season. And on the day before Tuesday's roster-cutdown deadline, the Broncos waived Estime and Watson, sources told The Denver Post.

Denver will move forward without its 2024 fifth-round pick if Estime is claimed off waivers. The writing's been etched on the wall with pencil and then pen and then permanent marker, a short nine months away from the then-rookie pacing Denver in carries against the Chiefs in November. Estime was scratched against Buffalo in January. Then the Broncos drafted Harvey in April. Then they signed Dobbins in June.

Still, Estime was the youngest player on the Broncos' roster at 21 years old. Still, he offered a power-back frame unique in Denver's room. Still, he ran for 45 yards on eight carries in the Broncos' final preseason game against New Orleans, his 227-pound legs not toppling without a fight.

"I feel like I did what I needed to do to put myself in position to be on it, " Estime said, after the Broncos beat the Saints 28-19. "But end of the day, Sean knows what¶¶Ņõap best for this team. And Iā€™m putting my trust in God, and I feel like I did what I needed to do.

"I'm proud of my progression," he continued. "I definitely got better from last year to this year."

Watson did, too. The 2024 undrafted free agent signee showcased serious burst and pass-catching chops throughout camp. Still, both were left at the back of the Broncos' rotation throughout the preseason. And their cuts likely indicate Badie ā€” a 2022 sixth-round pick by the Ravens who's never once cracked a team's initial 53-man ā€” has solidified himself as RB4 in Denver.

Maybe higher, too, after Badie's drawn praise for his pass-catching and pass-protection all camp.

"He can play in the two-minute, and we activated him late in the year at a playoff game," Payton said Aug. 14. "Thereā€™s some savviness to his game."

Estime and Watson still could both stick around. It would make little sense for the Broncos to turn their back fully on a 21-year-old fifth-round back if he cleared waivers. A source told The Post the club has expressed interest in putting Watson back on their practice squad if he isn't picked up. But the backfield competition for the active roster is likely over, signaling an equally fascinating competition to come: How will touches be divvied up come Week 1?

Dobbins hasn't gotten a single carry this preseason, which Payton indicated was by design. Still, the free-agent import should be in line for top touches come Week 1 in a time-share of sorts with Harvey. McLaughlin and Badie, meanwhile, will jockey for change-of-pace and third-down work in a run game that Payton hopes will be "markedly different" from a middling 2024 output.

"It¶¶Ņõap not always going to be perfect," Payton said in mid-August, "but that¶¶Ņõap the magic of the good back."

Broncos cut former starting corner: Denver's also parting ways with a 2022 fourth-round pick on defense, as a source confirmed to The Post that the Broncos are cutting cornerback Damarri Mathis.

After recording 65 tackles his rookie year, Mathis struggled heavily in 2023 and played just 82 snaps last season. He's authored a good camp, and could be picked up by a corner-needy team before Wednesday's waiver deadline. The Broncos, though, were always likely to cut him, as they'll now save $3.4 million in cap space that they can put toward potential waiver claims.

Other moves: As of Monday evening, the Broncos had made 12 total cuts, which brings their roster total down from 90 to 78: OLB Andrew Farmer, WR Joaquin Davis, CB Micah Abraham, CB Joshua Pickett, OL Clay Webb, OL Xavier Truss, DL Michael Dwumfour, OLB Garrett Nelson, WR Jerjuan Newton, Estime, Watson and Mathis.

Pickett and Watson will both receive injury settlements. Undrafted rookies Davis and Newton are natural practice-squad candidates after strong camps, as are Webb and Truss for offensive-line depth.

The thing is, he made a solid first impression, too, all the way back in the spring before he signed as a free agent with the Broncos.

Now Denverā€™s No. 3 quarterback will wait out the next couple of days along with dozens of teammates and more than 1,000 players league-wide ahead of Tuesdayā€™s deadline to cut rosters from 90 to 53.

Ehlinger, who spent his first four seasons in Indianapolis before signing with Denver this spring, has put together a strong pitch for the Broncos to keep three quarterbacks on their active roster.

He capped it off by getting nearly three full quarters of work in Saturdayā€™s 29-18 preseason finale win over New Orleans.

Ehlinger completed 22 of 31 passes for 198 yards, with a run-around-and-heave-it touchdown, an interception and six rushes for 25 yards.

“Sam did a fantastic job,ā€ said head coach Sean Payton, who began his postgame news conference by saying emphatically he would not talk about any playerā€™s roster status ahead of Tuesdayā€™s deadline. ā€œSome of his gifts are with his feet. His athleticism. He’s got a little moxie and leadership to him that obviously you saw when he played in college.

ā€œShoot, I saw him beat Georgia here in a big bowl game. He did a good job.”

This didnā€™t have the kind of atmosphere of a Sugar Bowl that led to the infamous declaration of Texas being “back,” but it did have real stakes for Ehlinger.

The rules in the NFL are such that it makes sense to keep three quarterbacks. They all count against the 53-man roster, but teams get a game-day freebie because an “emergency thirdā€ quarterback doesnā€™t count against the limit of 46 active players.

For many teams, that discount alone might be reason enough to keep three. The Broncos, though, think theyā€™ve got one of the deepest rosters in football. Keeping three quarterbacks means potentially subjecting a player at a different position to the waiver wire, where he could attract attention from other teams.

Still, Ehlingerā€™s not a one-week, pop-up storyline in Denver. The Broncos coaching staff and front office liked him this spring and thought he had a real chance to develop after he appeared in eight games between 2021 and 2023 with the Colts and spent all of last year on Indy’s practice squad.

ā€œIā€™ve followed him since (Austin Westlake High), to be honest with you,ā€ quarterbacks coach Davis Webb, a former Texas high school quarterback himself, told The Post earlier this month. ā€œā€¦ You could tell his leadership qualities at the University of Texas, the way he ran the ball with some toughness.ā€

Webb said he felt like he saw Ehlinger pregame every year since heā€™s been in the NFL, as Webb went from playing for Buffalo and the New York Giants to coaching for the Broncos.

ā€œAnd I was always like, man, if somebody just spent a little more time mechanically with him or had a former quarterback coaching him, I think the best is yet to come for him,ā€ Webb said. “When he was available and we needed a No. 3 or a guy that could push our No. 2, that was a pretty easy decision.

ā€œWe didnā€™t go after many, but we went after him.ā€

Ehlinger said Saturday heā€™s learned a lot so far and sounded like a guy who hopes to keep on his current track.

ā€œI think Davis is one of the best quarterback coaches in the league, and I think heā€™s on a fast track to doing whatever he wants,ā€ Ehlinger said. ā€œOur conversations during free agency, when making that decision, was that he believed in me. It was a rough couple first years there for a little bit (in Indy), but he really believed in me, watched the tape and and said, ā€˜I know what youā€™re capable of and I want you to come and develop and continue to get better, learn a new system.ā€™ ā€

Now Ehlinger waits to see if heā€™s on the 53-man roster going forward. Perhaps the Broncos will decide they just donā€™t have room for him. Perhaps a team will call and dangle a draft pick in exchange for him.

The player and the team, though, each seem happy with what the otherā€™s shown.

ā€œJust this team in general, I think it¶¶Ņõap really well-formulated,ā€ Ehlinger said. ā€œOrganizationally, I think it¶¶Ņõap top-down, one of the best organizations in the league. It¶¶Ņõap been great to be here and Iā€™ve really enjoyed it.ā€

That doesn’t change the fact that Denver has to make 37 cuts by Tuesday afternoon.

Here are a couple of quick-hitters of other bubble guys who had notable Saturdays.

ā€¢ Payton said first blush he thought running back Audric Estime (eight carries, 45 yards, TD) ran hard and played well. However, Tyler Badie also put a good foot forward with four carries for 14 yards, four catches for 31, and a 46-yard kick return. Blake Watson left the game with a left leg injury in the fourth quarter.

“I’m blessed to be part of this roster and hopefully I’ll be part of this roster going forward,ā€ Estime said. ā€œYou’ve just got to learn from the guys that are there in the room with you, and that’s what I’ve been doing this whole preseason.”

ā€¢ Defensive lineman Jordan Jacksonā€™s been through this waiting game before, and even though he made the roster last year, this year’s defensive group is even deeper.

ā€œIt¶¶Ņõap a little stressful, and it¶¶Ņõap something you think about for the next 48 hours, but Iā€™m at the point where I just leave it in Godā€™s hands. ā€¦ The coaches have hard decisions to make. Iā€™m glad Iā€™m not them.ā€

He and Eyioma Uwazurike each had productive camps. Uwazurike finished with a burst Saturday, logging a sack and four tackles.

ā€¢ Special teams are always key to the 53-man roster and several players were notably on Denverā€™s top kick and return units Saturday. That group includes: Safeties Sam Franklin, JL Skinner and Devon Key and veteran inside linebacker Garrett Wallow. No guarantee all four make it, but interesting nonetheless.

“Thereā€™s still some meat on the bone there, and thereā€™s some guys that still have some work to do,” Rizzi said. “And they can show some stuff in this last game.ā€

The preseason’s now come to an end, though, with Denver’s 28-19 win over the Saints on Saturday in New Orleans. A few positional battles have resolved themselves with roster movement — like this week’s trade of receiver Devaughn Vele ā€” while others are still coming down to the wire.

Here’s the final 53-man roster projection from each of The Denver Post’s Broncos beat writers, Parker Gabriel and Luca Evans, with thoughts and analysis of any discrepancies.

Offense

Quarterback

Gabriel’s take: 3 (Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, Sam Ehlinger)

Evans’ take:Ģż2 (Nix, Stidham)

“”²Ō²¹±ō²ā²õ¾±²õ:ĢżStidham played so well in his first two games that Sean Payton sat him for the entirety of the Broncos’ preseason finale Saturday. That left the majority of reps to Ehlinger, who threw in a lot of good (a ) and a little bad (a frantic dump-off and tipped interception against the rush) against the Saints. Denver’s taken three quarterbacks on its initial roster each of the past two seasons. The question is whether Ehlinger’s been good enough to warrant sacrificing depth at another spot. Gabriel thinks so. Evans does not.

Running back

Gabriel and Evans’ take: 4 (J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie)

McLaughlin hasn’t done anything in camp to show why heĢżshould get cut, and the Broncos wouldn’t be able to sneak him through to a practice squad. In a really tight battle with Audric Estime and Blake Watson, meanwhile, Badie has established himself as the clear next-guy-up and could even fight with McLaughlin for RB3 reps. It’ll hurt to cut Estime (a 2024 fifth-round pick) and Watson (who’s popped in camp reps), but there’s not enough need to carry five backs. The other wild card here is fullback, with Nate Adkins and Michael Burton hurt. The Broncos signed Adam Prentice, but he’ll likely come off the practice squad like Burton did last year.

Wide receiver

Gabriel and Evans’ take: 5 (Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant, Trent Sherfield Sr.)

With Vele gone to New Orleans, this room is set. Denver would only take five receivers on gamedays anyway, and every guy in this rotation has shown enough in camp and preseason to play meaningful reps. The Broncos’ cache of undrafted rookies — Courtney Jackson, Kyrese Rowan, Joaquin Davis and Jerjuan Newton ā€” have all had their share of moments, but all are more likely fits for the practice squad.

Tight end

Gabriel’s take: 3 (Evan Engram, Adam Tratuman, Nate Adkins)

Evans’ take: 4 (Engram, Trautman, Adkins, Lucas Krull)

This is the most unpredictable room on the roster. Payton gave a pretty clear clue on Thursday, though, that Adkins will be kept on the active roster even as he recovers from a sprained ankle. That leaves a couple of final decisions: Whether Denver will take four TEs, and whether they’ll opt for seventh-round rookie Caleb Lohner or veteran Krull.

Offensive line

Gabriel and Evans’ take: 9 (Luke Wattenberg, Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Mike McGlinchey, Quinn Meinerz, Alex Palczewski, Matt Peart, Alex Forsyth, Frank Crum)

The Broncos may have given a roster hint away Saturday, trotting Peart out at left guard and Crum at left tackle with the second-team offense. The 28-year-old Peart hasn’t played a single snap at guard in his NFL life. But tackles who can flex inside are more valuable than interior offensive linemen, and 6-foot-7 tackles with bend like Crum don’t come around often. The Broncos might be viewing Peart as a general backup for the left side of their offensive line, making it easier to take three tackles and Forsyth along with their starting group.

Defense

Defensive line

Gabriel’s take: 7 (Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, John Franklin-Myers, Malcolm Roach, Saiā€™vion Jones, Jordan Jackson, Eyioma Uwazurike)

Evans’ take: 6 (Allen, D.J. Jones, Franklin-Myers, Roach, Jackson, Saiā€™vion Jones)

Here’s the toughest question to answer on the roster: Uwazurike or Jackson? Or both? Seven defensive linemen would be a lot, but Denver’s played Uwazurike and Jackson in tandem all preseason, and Uwazurike’s shown the ability to play backup nose tackle. On the other hand, Jackson’s had too good a camp to cut. Uwazurike could well be a trade candidate, or the Broncos could just elect to sit on their riches in this room.

Outside linebacker

Gabriel and Evans’ take: 5 (Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Jonah Elliss, Dondrea Tillman, Que Robinson)

The easiest room to project on the roster. Signed, sealed, delivered. Stupid depth here.

Inside linebacker

Gabriel’s take: 4 (Alex Singleton, Dre Greenlaw, Levelle Bailey, Justin Strnad)

Evans’ take: 5 (Singleton, Greenlaw, Bailey, Strnad, Jordan Turner)

The top four are solidified. Five ILBs are a lot, but at this point, Turner’s probably played more snaps in camp and preseason than Singleton and Greenlaw combined. There’s a ton of variability with injury here, and this room could get thin in a hurry. Turner has had a standout camp since he was signed in May from Michigan State, and he led the Broncos with 1.5 sacks in Week 2 of the preseason against Arizona.

Cornerback

Gabriel and Evans’ take: 5 (Pat Surtain II, Riley Moss, Jahdae Barron, Jaā€™Quan McMillian, Kris Abrams-Draine)

Kind of the same concept as the defensive line here. This quintet is just too solid and versatile to warrant taking in six cornerbacks, which would leave guys like Damarri Mathis, Reese Taylor and Quinton Newsome on the outside. Taylor looked like a stronger contender at the start of camp, but he’s been out for a while with injury. Mathis has had a strong camp, but he carries a cap number of $3.6 million.

Safety

Gabriel’s take: 5 (Brandon Jones, Talanoa Hufanga, P.J. Locke, JL Skinner, Sam Franklin)

Evans’ take: 5 (Jones, Hufanga, Locke, Skinner, Devon Key)

The Broncos need Locke in the very real event of an injury to Jones or Hufanga, as there’s a lack of proven depth elsewhere here. The biggest question mark is Franklin, a special-teams ace who Denver signed to a one-year deal in free agency. This’ll come down to whether the Broncos value Key’s defensive depth more in this room or Franklin’s special-teams flexibility.

Special teams

Gabriel and Evans’ take: 3 (K Wil Lutz, P Jeremy Crawshaw, LS Mitchell Fraboni)

Literally no other options here. The Broncos will need rookie Crawshaw to develop consistency, and fast.

Sean Payton, however, would prefer to lose a good player because his team has more than it can keep rather than the alternative.

ā€œThereā€™re going to be a number of tough decisions, but Iā€™d rather be in that position than the position we were in two years ago at this time,ā€ he said after his reserves battered Arizonaā€™s, 27-7, in the second of three preseason games. ā€œI think the talent level has gradually gotten better.ā€

Preseason games donā€™t count outside of individual evaluation. They donā€™t give any meaningful insight into whether a team will start fast or slow, win its division or finish last.

But the preseason can give at least an idea about quality roster depth and it certainly appears Denverā€™s got just that.

NFL teams must cut their rosters from 90 to 53 by 2 p.m. on Aug. 26. Every year, much is made about players being sure bets to get claimed by other teams, and every year the number is lower than expected — often less than one per team. Payton thinks his team will be getting poached this summer rather than doing the poaching.

ā€œThese guys, theyā€™re all competing,ā€ he said. ā€œAnd we say this to them — this is serious ā€” weā€™re rooting for all of them. Weā€™re rooting for their best.

ā€œThereā€™s going to be some players that end up on other teamsā€™ rosters playing. That¶¶Ņõap part of the deal.ā€

With just more than a week to go, hereā€™s another crack at projecting a 53-man group.

OFFENSE (25)

Quarterback (3):ĢżBo Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger

Biggest question: Two or three?

Nix is the unquestioned starter and Sitdhamā€™s played terrific ball in the preseason after signing a two-year deal this spring. Ehlingerā€™s not as easy of a call to keep as Zach Wilson was a year ago, but the Broncos coaches really like him, and heā€™s got some craftiness to his game. Heā€™s not a slam dunk, but he could be a nice developmental project and he played well against the Cardinals.

Running back (4):ĢżJ.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Tyler Badie and Jaleel McLaughlin

Biggest question: Whereā€™s the cut line ā€¦ and whoā€™s on the wrong side of it?

Payton wasnā€™t any clearer about this tight race in the moments after Saturday night¶¶Ņõap game. McLaughlin had the biggest play of the night and Badie continues to be a solid performer whoā€™s also probably Denverā€™s second-best pass protector after Dobbins. Thereā€™s still some ballgame left here, but at this point, it¶¶Ņõap hard to see Audric Estime or Blake Watson making the cut. Either would be a high-quality practice squad player, though a team that had a good grade on Estime out of the draft might be tempted to take a waiver wire flyer on him if heā€™s cut next week.

Fullback Mike Burton will be part of the equation, but itā€™d be easy to see him doing the same thing he did last year: Getting cut and signing to the practice squad on the premise that heā€™s elevated the first three weeks and then added to the 53-man when a spot opens.

Tight end (3):ĢżEvan Engram, Adam Trautman and Caleb Lohner

Biggest question: Does Lohner make the cut?

This might be one of the positions where the initial 53-man set doesnā€™t really represent the true pecking order. Nate Adkins is hurt and Payton said heā€™d miss the early part of the regular season. If he starts on injured reserve, do the Broncos keep another or try to get Lucas Krull, Caden Prieskorn or both onto the practice squad? Either of them might play over Lohner right now, but you donā€™t draft a raw ball of clay like the former Utah hooper if you donā€™t intend on doing what it takes to keep him in your program and develop him.

Wide receiver (6):ĢżCourtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., Troy Franklin, Devaughn Vele, Pat Bryant, Trent Sherfield Sr.

Biggest question: Is it as simple as it looks?

This group looks like a deep one, and it also looks settled. Sherfieldā€™s in line for a sizable role, and the other five feel like locks. That leaves a host of guys who are interesting practice squad candidates or could catch other teamsā€™ eyes. Saturday night against Arizona, it was Courtney Jacksonā€™s turn to have a big night (105 all-purpose yards). Kyrese Rowan, Jerjuan Newton and Joaquin Davis have each had nice moments, too, but it¶¶Ņõap hard to find a spot on the 53-man for any of them.

Offensive line (9): Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Luke Wattenberg, Quinn Meinerz, Mike McGlinchey, Matt Peart, Alex Palczewski, Alex Forsyth and Frank Crum

Biggest question: Is there a surprise from the young guys in store?

If there were a 10th to make the team in this projection, it would have been Nick Gargiulo until he sustained a gruesome-looking leg injury against Arizona. Instead, we got with the same set that made the team out of camp last year. The five starters are set, Peart and Palczewski look like the primary backups for four of the five spots, and Forsyth has been the No. 2 center since Wattenberg won the job last summer. Crum is just too good an athlete to subject to the waiver wire, and heā€™s developed some over the past year. They should have their choice of Calvin Throckmorton and a bunch of young players for practice squad spots.

DEFENSE (25)

Defensive line (6):ĢżZach Allen, D.J. Jones, John Franklin-Myers, Malcolm Roach, Saiā€™vion Jones, Jordan Jackson

Biggest question: Any chance the Broncos load up here?

Maybe the single-best roster battle going right now is Jackson against Eyioma Uwazurike for what looks like maybe one spot. Even taking six for an odd-front team is a substantial number, but this is a group that backs it up with talent. Both made the team last year, but Saiā€™vion Jones was a third-round pick whom the Broncos traded up for. Heā€™s making the team even if heā€™s not in the rotation immediately. If youā€™re trying to keep the best football players no matter what, you might try to find a way to squeeze all seven onto the roster. Slight edge to Jacksonā€™s versatility and pass-rush ability here. Even in a world where far fewer players get claimed on waivers than youā€™d think at the roster cutdown, itā€™d be a surprise if either guy made it back to the practice squad. Tough call, indeed.

Outside linebacker (5):ĢżNik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Jonah Elliss, Dondrea Tillman, Que Robinson

Biggest question: Not a question, just stay healthy.

This groupā€™s pretty straightforward. Andrew Farmer and Garrett Nelson each look like potential practice squad guys who are worth keeping around, but outside of an injury situation, thereā€™s no reason to tinker with the quintet above. The top four might be the best overall set in the NFL, and Robinsonā€™s going to be a good special teams player right out of the gate if heā€™s active on game days. Heā€™s got the length and pass-rush ability to work his way into the rotation by the end of the year or fill in if thereā€™s an injury.

Inside linebacker (4): Alex Singleton, Dre Greenlaw, Levelle Bailey, Justin Strnad

Biggest question: Health, really.

Assuming Singleton and Greenlaw are ready to roll by Sept. 7, this group is in pretty good shape. But neither has played much so far in camp. Payton said heā€™s looking forward to seeing Greenlaw in padded action this week. Baileyā€™s had a solid camp, and Strnadā€™s a trusty veteran special teams player who can play on defense if needed. The Broncos like all three undrafted rookies — JB Brown, Karene Reid and Jordan Turner ā€” but Turnerā€™s come on strong and made several splash plays against the Cardinals. A practice squad candidate to remember. Garret Wallowā€™s played 35 NFL games and could be a practice squad candidate, too.

Cornerback (5):ĢżPat Surtain II, Riley Moss, Jahdae Barron, Jaā€™Quan McMillian, Kris Abrams-Draine

Biggest question: Anybody else?

There may not be a better quintet in football. The question isnā€™t about nickel or dime packages — those competitions are among these five players. It¶¶Ņõap really about special teams and whether 2022 fourth-round pick Damarri Mathis (who carries a $3.6 million cap hit into the final year of his rookie deal) makes the squad. Itā€™ll be a competition with players from other position groups. Neither Mathis nor any of the other young players are supplanting Abrams-Draine. If Reese Taylor (hamstring) gets healthy over the next 10 days, he could push for a spot because of his special teams work and ability to play inside and outside.

Safety (5):ĢżTalanoa Hufanga, Brandon Jones, P.J. Locke, JL Skinner, Sam Franklin

Biggest question: How does special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi see the pecking order?

Denver signed Sam Franklin to be a special teams ace and gave him $1.338 million guaranteed. That doesnā€™t put him in un-cuttable territory, but it speaks to what they think he brings to the table. Devon Key is probably the next man up after Hufanga, Jones and Locke in terms of defensive ability, but if they can get him to the practice squad, perhaps theyā€™ll try. They could also keep Skinner and Key and bring Franklin back as a veteran practice squad player.

SPECIAL TEAMS (3)

PK Wil Lutz, P Jeremy Crawshaw, LS Mitch Fraboni

Biggest question: How quickly can Crawshaw develop consistency?

The rookie sixth-round pick has big-time talent and can put the ball into orbit. But heā€™s struggled to hit the ball consistently, and heā€™s looked shaky in preseason outings so far. This is a team with Super Bowl aspirations. If Payton and the front office think the punter is at risk of costing them a game, theyā€™ll consider their options.

Like Lucy, Payton keeps promising Estime the football.

“We knew we wanted two-thirds of the game to get to Blake (Watson) and Audric, and I think we were able to accomplish that,” Payton said after the Broncos stomped Arizona, 27-7, in the Backup Bowl on Saturday at Empower Field.

“It’s not an exact science. But those guys got a lot of work. I thought they did a good job with their opportunities.”

What opportunities?

In the third quarter, Estime carried the rock just twice, netting minus-1 yard. Watson, one of Audric’s primary competitors to make this roster as a third or fourth running back, logged four totes for 21 yards on the ground while catching two more passes.

For the evening, Watson wound up with 14 touches for 54 all-purpose yards. Estime had nine touches for 20 yards. While his peers ran with authority, he plodded.

“All of ā€˜em, I thought, played well,” Payton said of his backs. “Which, I donā€™t know if (that) clears up our (competitions), but — look, I thought we got into the defense, we got downhill into the defense a number of times … and I thought as the game wore on, our down and distances, our third down(s), were much more favorable than theirs.

“The plan was, early on, it was RJ (Harvey), and then it was going to be RJ, obviously (Tyler) Badie was going to get work. Then Jaleel (McLaughlin), Audric, and then Blake.”

Only the rotation was Harvey, then Badie, then McLaughlin, then Watson … Ģż, Snap, Crackle, Pop … and then Estime. The latter sat until there was 11:23 left in the third quarter.

Once No. 23 checked in, he chugged for 2 yards on his first carry. On the next snap, Estime got a 9-yard gain off right guard, wiped out by an illegal shift penalty — Denver’s fifth pre-snap flag of the evening.

Blink and you missed him.

Arizona defenders sure didn’t.

You could argue with a straight face that Estime, the Broncos’ fifth-round pick from the 2024 draft, is being set up to fail. That he was stuck behind second- and third-team blockers. That a so-called big back, a power back, needs a village to move the chains consistently.

And that’s fair. On the other hand, every other tailback on the Broncos’ roster Saturday, playing with those same offensive line backups, also landed some kind of moment to hang on the wall.

Harvey found the inside seam on an 8-yard touchdown run, sprinting like a man possessed.

Tyler Badie ran a kickoff back 27 yards.

.

Estime?

Estime lost a contact lens. Allegedly.

“We all push each other each and every day during practice,” offered Harvey, the second-round pick out of Central Florida. “And it’s a joy to be around all those guys. We all get along, and I want to see everybody go out there and make plays. It’s real good to be in a room full of great backs.”

One of them’s got to go. J.K. Dobbins is one of those solid, all-around veterans you can trust to catch or block on third down. Harvey is the young workhorse. McLaughlin is the shifty home-run hitter. Badie is the special teams weapon.

Ask yourself this: What does Estime, right now, do well? Catch the ball? Convert on short yardage? On third-and-1 at the Arizona 33 with 5:21 left, the big guy took a shotgun pitch and immediately got swarmed for a 2-yard loss.

Maybe Payton’s running the best preseason subterfuge campaign ever to make Estime look bad on film. Maybe he’s trying to sneak the kid through waivers.

Or maybe Estime just isn’t meant for this roster. Maybe he’s this year’s Baron Browning, blessed with enough talent to stick on somebody’s 53.

Just not this one. Not now.

Estime left the locker room late Saturday without talking to reporters. But if his dauber’s down, he sure hasn’t shown that to Harvey.

“He’s still young. I’m young too. We’re just learning,” the rookie told me. “And whatever questions I have, he comes with answers and he’s willing to help me …”

“Like a big brother?” I asked.

“Yeah,” Harvey replied with a grin. “But I’m actually older. We’ve been messing with each other about that.”

Harvey’s 24. Estime’s 21, with a birthday coming up on Sept. 6.

With the latter, that raises questions about ceiling, about potential, about mileage and tread. About not giving up on a young back too soon.

And yet Broncos radio reported during the game that Estime, at one point, couldn’t enter the fray because he’d … misplaced a contact.

And it doesn’t take 20/20 vision to see where Payton’s going next.

Stock up

The Broncos’ quarterback room: Let’s start with the obvious. Jarrett Stidham’s preseason stats, after another night spent butchering another second-team defense, are Madden Career Mode-worthy. After two preseason games: 30 of 38, 376 yards, four touchdowns, no picks. He has scampered around pockets and unleashed shots from the hip like a QB2 who just got handed a two-year deal. Stidham had total freedom Saturday with Nix resting, and he played like it.

Don’t forget, too, about Sam Ehlinger, who was a quiet 14 of 16 and has been great the past couple of weeks. It’s not the ³ó“Ē±ō²ā-³¦“Ē·ÉĢżcamp Zach Wilson had last year, but it’s been enough to force Sean Payton and company to consider carrying three QBs again on the 53-man roster. Meanwhile, quarterbacks coach Davis Webb was handed the reins as a play-caller, and promptly executed a beautiful two-minute touchdown drive at the end of the first half. All-around top marks here.

Jordan Turner:Ģż¶¶Ņõapountry, meet Turner. Turner, meet ¶¶Ņõapountry. The undrafted Michigan State rookie has had a sneaky-good camp amid a rash of inside linebacker injuries, and he led the Broncos in tackles (five) and sacks (1.5) Saturday. He burst for a sack on one play that didn’t even look like a designed blitz. There might not be space for Turner on the final roster, but the Broncos will want him on their practice squad.

Wide receiver blocking development: Troy Franklin caught two touchdowns, and yet his best play might’ve been when he chased down Arizona safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson early and knocked him off course from tackling Evan Engram. Engram promptly sprang free for 58 yards. On that same play, rookie Pat Bryant pile-drove an Arizona defensive back 5 yards deep into the sideline to give Engram some more sideline room. Payton loves receivers who can block. That’s a film-room gold star Sunday.

Caden Prieskorn: Well, the stock dropped here after Prieskorn got stripped of a would-be touchdown on the goal line. It was a gut-wrenching fumble at the worst possible time. But it shouldn’t erase the goodwill from a highly active day: Prieskorn caught three passes for 52 yards and showed notable flexibility as a fullback on some snaps. That’s a major feather in his cap with current TE/FB hybrid Nate Adkins sidelined, and could make him a sneaky 53-man roster fit.

Stock down

Audric Estime:ĢżNo getting around it: Estime was the worst back on Denver’s roster Saturday. Payton said he thought both Estime and Blake Watson “did a good job with their opportunities,” but Estime showed a noticeable lack of burst on a few plays and finished with 20 yards on nine carries. He did spin out of a couple of tackles and wasn’t put in any kind of position to succeed with the Broncos’ third-team offensive line unable to create many lanes. But he was also last in line for RB snaps, a possibly damning indictment of his status.

Caleb Lohner:ĢżThe seventh-round rookie showed why he’s a project Saturday. Lohner has yet to do much this preseason despite some reps and has racked up three penalties. The Broncos knew this would be coming, as Lohner played his first year of organized football since the eighth grade at Utah last year. He just may not be ready to contribute substantially in 2025.

Pre-snap IQ:ĢżHow about eight pre-snap penalties for the Broncos? Full preseason form. This should be slightly concerning, though, as Denver’s offensive linemen and receivers alike have been flagged by referees all camp for neutral-zone infractions.

“The one area that has to be cleaned up are the penalties,” Payton said postgame.

There is only one preseason game left to cure this epidemic.

Social media fact-checking:ĢżAlternatively, stock up for a Twitter account by the name of @EpicNormie_. Alternatively, stock down for humanity’s faith in accurate news.

In the third quarter of Broncos-Cardinals, game broadcaster 9News aired a quote graphic of disgruntled Cowboys star rusher Micah Parsons that on his podcast. The problem? Parsons never actually said this. It was a fake post from @EpicNormie_.

“LMAO MY BAIT MADE IT TO TV,” .

Sean Payton is right there with you.

The third-year Denver head coach acknowledged as much Thursday, and he considers it a good problem to have. In fact, he spoke with a sense of curiosity and excitement as he outlined just how tightly contested the battle for roster spots is in Denverā€™s backfield.

ā€œHereā€™s the deal: Youā€™re right where Iā€™m at, and we donā€™t know yet,ā€ Payton said of the battle. ā€œIf you recall, at the start of training camp, I said weā€™re all going to know (in a few weeks). And I hopefully am going to be right, but we all donā€™t know yet, and it¶¶Ņõap still a very competitive spot.

ā€œā€¦ Weā€™re not there yet, but the good news is we still have 10 or 11 days, and hopefully we can get there and weā€™ll all know.ā€

Payton talks about Harvey and Dobbins as clear pieces to Denverā€™s backfield puzzle. Last week against San Francisco, Harvey handled most of the early down work, and Dobbins was primarily the third-down back.

Dobbins is going to play extensively on third downs because heā€™s clearly the Broncosā€™ best pass protector. That means the question for him is how far beyond that work his role extends.

After those two, Jaleel McLaughlin has the most experience and is the most accomplished of the rest. Is he a sure thing? Payton on Thursday made it sound like heā€™s still competing for a role and roster spot along with Tyler Badie, Audric Estime and Blake Watson.

The Broncos, Payton said, could keep four backs, but there are conversations across the rest of the roster. Want to keep an extra back? What about a third quarterback? Or an extra defensive lineman in a deep, talented group?

Given that almost none of Denverā€™s starters are playing Saturday night vs. Arizona (7:30 p.m., KUSA-9), the game will represent a chance for bubble players to get extensive playing time.

So, hereā€™s a closer look at the running back race and three other position battles to watch.

Running back

Payton had specific, considerable praise for Badie on Thursday. To be fair, he was asked a question about the former Missouri back, but Paytonā€™s insight was still interesting.

ā€œHeā€™s someone who has really good football IQ,ā€ Payton said. ā€œHeā€™s a little bit more experienced. Heā€™s been here, but that doesnā€™t equate to anything. Heā€™s good in the protections. When the fronts move around, heā€™s a good receiver. ā€¦

ā€œHe can play in the two-minute, and we activated him late in the year for a playoff game. Thereā€™s some savviness to his game. Before he got hurt, he had a little bit of success. So I like the player. I like coaching him.ā€

The protection part is perhaps most noteworthy. After Dobbins, Badie might be Denverā€™s best pass protector. That alone doesnā€™t guarantee a roster spot, but it does come into play because teams need a couple of backs who can protect, and also because of Dobbinsā€™ extensive injury history.

Each of the other three has also done good things, and theyā€™re all different shapes and sizes.

ā€œYou guys can do the math. Hopefully (Saturday) weā€™re getting a ton more exposure,” Payton said. “That¶¶Ņõap one of those position groups of like, ā€˜Let¶¶Ņõap find the argument for Tyler. Let¶¶Ņõap find the argument for Audric, let¶¶Ņõap find it for Jaleel.ā€™ Youā€™re rooting for all of them.ā€

Wide receiver

On paper, this looks like a clean six-man room. Those players: Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., Troy Franklin, Devaughn Vele, Pat Bryant and Trent Sherfield Jr.

Last year, Denver cut veteran Tim Patrick after a productive camp, so a surprise somewhere is possible.

Paytonā€™s bullish on his receiver depth, too, and said Thursday he wouldnā€™t be surprised if somebody on Denverā€™s camp roster ended up on another teamā€™s 53-man to start the season.

Michael Bandyā€™s been a practice squad regular, and the coaching staff trusts him. A.T. Perry might have pushed harder for a roster spot, but heā€™s still just getting ramped up after starting camp on the PUP list. Each of Denverā€™s undrafted rookies ā€” Joaquin Davis, Jerjuan Newton, Courtney Jackson and Kyrese Rowan ā€” has had bright spots during camp. Davis, in particular, is a player to dream on given his size (6-foot-4, 195 pounds), speed and leaping ability.

Defensive line

Every year is a little different, but the Broncos started last year with six defensive linemen.

This year, six would probably mean getting rid of a promising player who was on the roster last year.

Start with Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, John Franklin-Myers, self-proclaimed ā€œsixth man of the yearā€ Malcolm Roach and rookie third-rounder Saiā€™vion Jones. That leaves a potential battle between Eyioma Uwazurike and Jordan Jackson for a sixth spot.

It¶¶Ņõap not impossible to take all seven. The name of the game is finding ā€œthe right 53,ā€ Payton always says, and retaining as much talent as possible. But that’s a big number for a team that plays primarily three or even two down.

Safety

The Broncos are set on the top line with Brandon Jones and Talanoa Hufanga, while P.J. Locke provides a ton of experience as a third. After that ā€¦ well, weā€™ll see.

Devon Keyā€™s played the most defense for Denver among the rest of the group, but his strong suit is special teams. JL Skinner is a good one on special teams, too. Keidron Smith has also been on those units, while Delarrin Turner-Yell was solid on special teams before an injury cost him all of 2024. Sam Franklin signed as a special teams ace this spring.

Special teams work is going to factor heavily here, but there are other roster considerations. Do the Broncos feel good about going much beyond four or maybe five, given their depth of talent at other spots? Could the group get pinched to take an extra DL, corner or another position?

This will be an area ripe for surprise and is tough to peg without knowing exactly how new special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi sees the groupā€™s capabilities.

The team plays Arizona on Saturday night and then returns to closed practices next week before its preseason finale Aug. 23 at New Orleans.

Sean Paytonā€™s team, though, went out with a bang on Thursday over two-plus hours of joint practice with the Cardinals.

Payton had high praise for Arizona head coach Jonathan Gannon, and he said Thursdayā€™s joint practice was among the most productive he’s had in his long career as a head coach.

ā€œI thought both teams were outstanding just relative to the tempo and communication,ā€ Payton said. ā€œā€¦ Thereā€™s going to be a lot of tape — a lot of good things and a lot of things weā€™ve got to get cleaned up.

ā€œThat¶¶Ņõap how you get better.ā€

Here are observations from The Post¶¶Ņõap beat reporters on hand for practice, broken up into the Broncos offense, defense and miscellaneous.

Offense

Key standout:ĢżFor a day, at least, Bo Nix quashed the thinkpieces.

Two days after his worst day of training camp, Nix had his best day of somewhat-organized ball since he torched the Kansas City Chiefs for four touchdowns on Jan. 5. He sprayed lasers over the middle in 7-on-7 to Pat Bryant and Lucas Krull. He ripped a seam ball to Devaughn Vele and a deep out to Trent Sherfield in 11-on-11 periods. He escaped the pocket and found Marvin Mims Jr. and Troy Franklin on the run.

That last point is particularly important. Nix has thrown the majority of his camp interceptions when he’s been off-platform. On Thursday, though, he seemed to drive off his front foot better on throws on the move. His decision-making and accuracy impressed Arizona’s defense.

“I’m extremely proud to see … the rest of the story,” said Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr., a fellow Alabama native.

ā€¢ Jerjuan Newton is listed at all of 5-foot-11. The undrafted rookie from Toledo, though, has made some of camp’s most acrobatic catches. He’s certainly earned Sam Ehlinger’s trust with the third-team offense. In a team period, Ehlinger chucked a “he’s down there somewhere” ball down the right sideline for Newton. A Cardinals defensive back was all over him. Didn’t matter. Newton leapt back and plucked it out of the air.

ā€¢ Speaking of undrafted rookie receivers: If the Broncos elect to cut Joaquin Davis in the hope he sneaks through waivers, they’d better hide his camp tape in a vault. The 6-foot-4 North Carolina Central product showed sticky hands on an end-zone grab from Ehlinger in team reps, and immediately turned and barked at the Arizona defensive back he’d beaten. It’s the second sort of skirmish Davis has been involved in at a joint practice.

ā€¢ The run game had its moments Thursday. Jaleel McLaughlin made one beautiful cut back on an outside-zone carry, and Blake Watson, Audric Estime and Tyler Badie all had plus reps. Beyond that, though, the offensive line had trouble creating between-the-tackles holes for J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey. There simply wasn’t enough juice inside.

Still, Payton is bullish on his backfield’s overall evolution.

“We brought in leadership, with J.K., and we drafted Harvey early,” Payton said. “And so youā€™re going to see a difference, and hopefully a markedly different running game. It¶¶Ņõap not always going to be perfect, but that¶¶Ņõap the magic of the good back.”

ā€¢ Get ready for a whole bunch of reserve offensive-line snaps Saturday, as the starters’ rest will give a long look at some competition for roster spots. Alex Forsyth has had a solid camp at backup center, but he and starting center Luke Wattenberg have both struggled at times to create rushing lanes up the gut. Nick Garguilo is another name on the bubble who’ll get a long look at guard.

ā€¢ After a silent first week or so of camp, tight end Lucas Krull has stacked standout days. He was one of the Broncos’ most oft-targeted receivers Thursday and made several nice grabs. Krull faced tough odds at a roster spot after the Broncos drafted rookie Caleb Lohner, but he’s making a strong case.

“Heā€™s not a rookie or a young player anymore,” Payton said. “And heā€™s found some confidence.”

Defense

Key standout: Jaā€™Quan McMillian continues to have a boom-or-bust training camp. The Broncos nickel made the biggest play of the defenseā€™s day when he intercepted Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray in a 7-on-7 drill. Heā€™s been on a heater in terms of taking the ball away.

McMillian also logged interceptions in both the joint practice and preseason game last week against San Francisco.

The counter, though, is that McMillian has given up his share of big plays, too. In the preseason game, quarterback Mac Jones made a great throw to Jordan Watkins for a 50-yard catch over McMillian. He got beat again in 7-on-7 Thursday, giving up a big play on a fade to Cardinals star Marvin Harrison Jr.

McMillian played with the No. 1 defense Saturday, and that¶¶Ņõap largely been his role throughout camp. The next couple of weeks will determine whether he holds off Jahdae Barron for the job.

ā€¢ Barron, the first-round pick, had a play-of-the-day candidate, too. In a two-minute drill to end the practice, Murray had a wide-open option in the flat that would have gone for a big play. Barron came on a blitz and leapt high enough in the air to two-hand block the throw. Impressive leaping ability, reaction time and athleticism.

ā€¢ Broncos cornerback Riley Moss has had a terrific camp, but he had his hands full and then some against Harrison.

These settings, though, are a terrific chance to get players work they might not otherwise get. If the teams played in the regular season, conventional wisdom is that Pat Surtain II would cover Harrison most of the time. In this setting, though, Moss can get the reps going against a top-flight receiver. Denverā€™s got Cincinnati in Week 4, and Moss will likely get another heavy dose of Tee Higgins, like he did last December. Days like this against Harrison are good prep.

ā€¢ Former Colorado State tight end Trey McBride had a heck of a day against the Broncos. He ran wide open several times, including a deep throw from Murray on a busted coverage where McBride had time to throw up the touchdown signal while the ball was still in the air.

McBride had a massive year last year, racking up 111 catches for 1,146 yards.

ā€œThat¶¶Ņõap a joker,ā€ Payton said. ā€œā€¦ When you get one, theyā€™re hard to find.ā€

ā€¢ Payton said he hadnā€™t seen much of the defenseā€™s outing, but coaches told him that they thought the group started slow. Defensive tackle Zach Allen concurred.

ā€œDays like this, thereā€™s always some good and some bad,ā€ Allen said. ā€œWeā€™d like to come out a little faster, but weā€™ll watch the film.ā€

ā€¢ Jonathon Cooperā€™s high-level training camp continued Thursday. The veteran outside linebacker generated consistent pressure and appeared to play the run well, too. With fellow starting OLB Nik Bonitto (foot) still out, Cooper played mostly opposite Jonah Elliss and Dondrea Tillman.

Sights and sounds

ā€¢ Broncos owners Carrie Walton Penner and Greg Penner were on hand Thursday, as was Cardinals owner Michael Bidwell. Payton recounted after practice being a ball boy at St. Louis Cardinals training camp back when the club camped at Eastern Illinois.

ā€œI handed out rosters, and Mike Bidwell was, I think I was 18 and he was 17. (ESPN broadcaster) Joe Buck was 15 and running around. We were just football brats.ā€

ā€¢ Other notable folks who were on hand for practice: Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, Arizona Diamondbacks manager Tory Lovullo, and former Broncos assistant and San Francisco head coach Mike Nolan.

ā€¢ Quite a summit formed after practice when Manning was chatting with Nix and Payton and the group eventually was joined by Murray and Harrison. Manning, of course, played with Marvin Harrison Sr. in Indianapolis for years.

ā€¢ Murray and Allen had a nice moment during a special teams drill, exchanging big hugs and catching up. They played four years together with the Cardinals before Allen signed with Denver as a free agent. Earlier this month, of course, Allen signed a four-year, $102 million contract.

ā€œHeā€™s a dynamic athlete,ā€ Allen said. ā€œIt was good to go against him again. ā€¦ Heā€™s obviously matured and everything like that. Heā€™s a top quarterback in this league, and every year he gets better. Today he had a hell of a day.ā€

ā€¢ The only kerfuffle of practice came during a special teams drill. The sidelines emptied, but nobody really seemed to do much shoving or punch-throwing. Broncos Keidron Smith and Levelle Bailey were in the mix, and Nik Bonitto joined the jawing despite not being in pads.

ā€¢ Payton said the teams have already talked about matching up with the Cardinals again in the preseason next year. He likes playing non-division opponents who are in the West, which means Arizona, San Francisco, the Los Angeles Rams, and Seattle are likely to continue to show up regularly on Denverā€™s preseason slate.

Did not practice: Injured reserve — OLB Johnny Walker Jr., DE Matt Henningsen. Out ā€” ILB Drew Sanders (foot), OLB Nik Bonitto (foot), CB Reese Taylor (unknown), TE Nate Adkins (unknown). Departed ā€” CB Damarri Mathis (unknown).

Same contingent as Tuesday, except Mathis was also spotted heading to the locker room with a trainer at Wednesday’s practice and didn’t return. If it’s any sort of longer-term injury, that’d be a blow to his hopes of making Denver’s 53-man roster.

Bonitto, meanwhile, was present but inactive for a second straight day, even after Payton indicated Tuesday he’d be back. Taylor was seen walking out to the field with a slight limp a short time into practice.

Newcomer impact

Not much happened Wednesday, to be perfectly honest. Payton indicated, “You have to be smart,” the day before a joint practice. Thus, with the Broncos hosting the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday, the workload was minimal. There was some early run-game team focus. There was a two-point conversion period that lasted two plays. There was a red-zone walkthrough that lasted so long that a group of receivers simply started playing catch on the other field.

Through it all, however, rookie Pat Bryant made plays, continuing a trend that began back in May. He has made plays catching the ball from Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger. He has made plays on out routes, over the middle and deep. On Wednesday, he caught a drag from Stidham in one team period — Bryant’s favorite route ā€” and later broke off a pretty deep corner to catch a back-shoulder ball from Stidham for a touchdown.

There’s a horde of hands to feed on the depth chart above Bryant. But Payton said this week he wants to create some looks for the rookie third-rounder this preseason. Bryant’s already embraced a dirty-work role, run-blocking on 12 of his 34 snaps against San Francisco on Saturday while playing a few special-teams reps.

ā€œI love the toughness he brings,” special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi said. “He came in here with a great attitude … kinda like, ā€˜Hey, Iā€™m ready to do anything, Iā€™m ready to block, Iā€™m ready to go tackle.ā€™”

Top Plays

One can look at Bo Nix’s second-year camp in Denver through a series of prisms. He’s made some dynamic throws, carried himself with franchise-face-level moxie, and also thrown a few picks and sometimes not moved the first-team offense much.

His standout skills, though, have been resilience and ball placement. Both popped Wednesday, as Nix was much more accurate after perhaps his worst day of camp Tuesday. After top receiver Courtland Sutton dropped a dime from Nix on a fade route in Saturday’s preseason game, the two re-lit their connection Wednesday, with Nix scrambling to his right in one red-zone period and zipping a ball past a diving Ja’Quan McMillian to Sutton in the end zone.

Thumbs Up

About six different Bronco defensive reserves boosted their stock Wednesday. Dondrea Tillman might have the most unofficialĢż·É“Ē³Ü±ō»å-²ś±šĢżsacks of any defensive lineman in camp, and he got another on Nix. Rookie Que Robinson, just getting back up to speed after missing time with a bone bruise, showed lightning-quick speed off the edge on another sack. Jordan Jackson, who’s making it increasingly difficult for the Broncos to cut him, flashed good pressure from the interior. Defensive backs Quinton Newsome and Joshua Pickett both had pass break-ups. This roster bubble gets no easier to penetrate.

Thumbs Down

On Saturday, Payton said the Broncos’ staff was trying to “build cases” for each Denver running back to crack the roster. Each back in the Jaleel McLaughlin-Audric Estime-Tyler Badie-Blake Watson pileup has gotten their share of opportunities. Opportunities, however, also create the unsavory proposition of negative reps that could make the staff’s decision for them.

Watson has shown as much burst as anyone in the backfield through camp and the Broncos’ first preseason game. But on Wednesday, he fumbled on one toss in team period. The very next play, he and quarterback Sam Ehlinger botched a handoff for anotherĢżfumble. In a competition as tight as this one, it wasn’t an encouraging sequence.

Odds and Ends

ā€¢ The Broncos, as both Sean Payton and special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi have referenced, are looking to ST play as a possible determining factor in battles for roster spots. JL Skinner, then, might have a leg up in a crowded safety room. Rizzi, who was in New Orleans when Skinner was coming out of college, has liked the 6-foot-4 safety since he first watched his tape at Boise State.

“Iā€™m really excited that we have him,” Rizzi said. “Heā€™s another guy that I think can really be a difference-maker for us in the core part of it.ā€

ā€¢ Two weeks after Dre Greenlaw exited practice with quad discomfort, he still has yet to participate in a team period in camp. He’s dressed this week after sitting out of Saturday’s reunion with San Francisco. Still, he hasn’t flanked starting linebacker Alex Singleton in any 11-on-11 work. The Broncos have still yet to see the fully healthy, free-flowing version of Greenlaw they signed to a three-year deal in free agency. They could elect to play it safe with him until Week 1 against Tennessee.

Stock up

Trent Sherfield, WR:ĢżToss a few stacks into the Sherfield 500 fund, at your earliest convenience. After keying in on the free-agent wideout with a two-year deal this spring, Sherfield’s spent the entirety of training camp showing he shouldn’t be viewed as just a specialist. He’s shown sticky hands. He’s shown some burst. And it all culminated in a preseason breakout Saturday for a 29-year-old NFL vet.

Late in the first half, with Denver’s second-team offense pushing on a two-minute drill, backup QB Jarrett Stidham lofted a go-ball down the right sideline for Sherfield. In a flash, he held off a 49ers defensive back in one-on-one coverage and toppled to the turf in the end zone with a toe-tap score. Sherfield caught two more balls, too, to finish with a team-leading 73 yards.

It’s hard to believe the seven-year veteran has never caught more than 30 balls in any season, but Sherfield looks like a key part of Denver’s rotation at wide receiver as a run-blocker. Don’t be surprised if his number gets called occasionally.

Jarrett Stidham, QB:ĢżSpeaking of Stidham … he was the best quarterback on the turf Saturday night, by a mile. Yes, it’s the preseason. But after an up-and-down camp, Stidham came out firing bullets against San Francisco ā€” and showcased several daring dashes of surprising athleticism for a second-string QB. The throw to Sherfield, for one, was perfectly placed in the bread basket, and Stidham finished 14 of 15 for 136 yards and a couple of scores in a near-flawless performance dropping back. He ran for 36 yards on a few nice scrambles, too, but fumbled once. Too much dip on the chip.

Kris Abrams-Draine, CB:ĢżIs there an easy path to snaps for Abrams-Draine in a loaded Denver cornerback rotation? No. Should there be? Hard to say. Does the tape say he deserves it? Absolutely. The second-year corner has broken up passes throughout camp and added to his growing resume with a PBU and a would-be pick Saturday night, if not for a hands-to-the-face penalty on Eyioma Uwazurike. If nothing else, Abrams-Draine has made a strong claim to a spot on the Broncos’ 53-man roster, especially after his strong play in two spot starts last year.

Tyler Badie and Blake Watson, RB: On Thursday, Payton hinted that reserve back Tyler Badie was “in the thick of it” competing with a group of backs for a “spot or two.” Payton is not one to toss out “spot or two” casually. RJ Harvey and J.K. Dobbins are locks, and it’s hard to see Payton cutting Jaleel McLaughlin. That leaves Badie, Blake Watson and Audric Estime competing for a spot ā€” or two.

Based purely on Saturday, Badie and Watson staked their claim. Both flashed wheels and beat defenders to the outside, with Watson notably running through two or three diving San Francisco defenders for an 18-yard gain. Both, too, caught passes out of the backfield, and Badie led all backs with 32 yards on five carries.

Stock down

Broncos’ first-team O:ĢżYeah, not great. San Francisco rested their starters Saturday, and the Broncos’ top unit couldn’t take advantage. Denver went 0 of 4 on third down, with some ugliness sprinkled in. Top wideout Courtland Sutton dropped a beautiful second-drive toss from Nix down the left sideline that could’ve opened the floodgates. Nix took an intentional-grounding penalty in his own end zone and gave up a safety. Starting back RJ Harvey ran for 25 yards on seven carries.

“I donā€™t know if they felt like the other day they got the work in,” Payton said postgame, referencing Denver’s joint practice with San Francisco on Thursday. “But nonetheless, it was just average to below-average.”

ReserveĢżOL:ĢżIn a theme from training camp that’s now become concerning, the Broncos’ second and third-string offensive lines weren’t great. Second-string tackle Alex Palczewski had two false-start penalties, and third-string tackle Frank Crum ran ineligible downfield and negated a beautiful Watson gain. Third-string center Joe Michalski, too, continued to have visible trouble with snaps to quarterback Sam Ehlinger. Coach Zach Strief has some ugly tape on his hands to deal with Sunday.

Jeremy Crawshaw, P:ĢżThroughout camp, special-teams coach Darren Rizzi has pointed to Crawshaw’s need for consistency, even as he’s praised the rookie’s raw talent. It showed on Saturday. Crawshaw averaged 37 yards on his three punts and fired off a less-than-inspiring 25-yard boot from San Francisco’s 45-yard line. This is a point to monitor throughout preseason, as the Broncos don’t have another punter on the roster and spent a sixth-round pick on Crawshaw.

Anyone in Payton’s line of fire:ĢżThe Broncos’ head coach wasn’t exactly incensed Saturday night. But he was rather clear, postgame, that something ā€” or several things ā€” had gone wrong with operational planning on this jaunt down to Santa Clara.

“This is the first road trip for us,” Payton said, “and Iā€™ve got 14 things written down that Iā€™m pissed off about that had nothing to do with the game.”