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.

He smiles as the question unfurls.

Yes, it quickly becomes clear that the second-year Broncos wide receiver knows what his head coach has said about him.

All of the good stuff, to be sure. That Bryant has authored a highlight-stuffed training camp. That the Broncos will not be able to keep him off the field. That he shows signs of being a special player.

That¶¶Òőap not the question at hand, though.

The question is about the one thing Payton mentions virtually every single time Bryant has come up since Denver drafted him in the third round of the 2025 draft.

When Payton’s mental rolodex spins to No. 13 in orange and blue, he will almost certainly mention, in some form or fashion, that Bryant catches the ball with his feet on the ground.

Sounds simple, but it is clearly among the first things that come to Payton’s mind. Offensive coordinator Davis Webb mentioned the same earlier in camp and called it one of “the things we were attracted to when he was coming out of Illinois.”

Does Bryant know this is his coaches’ scout on him? And is it an intentional part of his craft or just something he does naturally well? And, well, what the heck does it mean to him?

“It¶¶Òőap just, as a receiver, your job is to catch the ball, right?” he explains. “But if you can keep your feet on the ground, when you catch the ball, then the defender’s gotta think twice about what angle I’m going to take.

“So the ability to keep your feet on the ground and run through the catch — I’m not the fastest guy, but I know there’s certain tools to my game where I can get an advantage on a guy that is faster than me.”

A gifted catcher

This has been core to Bryant¶¶Òőap game since high school, he said. He attributes his hand-eye coordination to playing baseball growing up. He played catcher and center field and developed into a natural hands catcher.

The way Bryant sees it, there are obviously times when a receiver has to go up high to haul in a pass, dive to reel one in and all of that. Otherwise, if you’re catching the ball anyway, besides with your cleats firmly in the ground and your body on the move, you’re letting on.

“It¶¶Òőap confidence,” Bryant said with a shrug. “If you’ve got to jump to catch the ball, you don’t really have confidence and trust in your hands.”

Bryant¶¶Òőap got both in spades.

The second-year wide receiver worked his way into the Broncos’ receiver rotation as a rookie in 2025 by quickly establishing himself as his room’s best run blocker. He showed a willingness to operate in the middle of the field and the toughness to ward off defenders and not mind the traffic between the hashes.

It took him a while to find his footing, but slowly he played more, saw more targets and caught more passes. Bryant had just four targets over Denver’s first five games last season, then averaged 4.5 per game over the final 10 regular-season games he played. He finished with 31 catches for 378 yards and a touchdown, then opened the postseason with a bang. He caught passes on his first three snaps against Buffalo for 32 yards before sustaining his second concussion of the season and being ruled out for the game.

Along the way, Bryant said he got increasingly comfortable with Denver’s offense and the NFL game in general.

Nothing like the way he feels now, however.

“My confidence is just on another level,” he said. 
 “This year, I feel like I can go out there and be part of the offense and, when needed, make a huge play. Last year, I was thinking, ‘OK, run my route at this depth and make sure I’m catching the ball.’

“Now I feel like I’m catching the ball, getting those yards after catch and just having that confidence that I’m better than the man that¶¶Òőap in front of me.”

In fact, Bryant describes the difference between his first and second seasons as being the difference between actively trying not to mess up and now rarely considering that error is even a possible outcome.

“Once you understand the offense, then it¶¶Òőap almost, like, hard to make mistakes,” he said.

‘He’s the complete package’

The 23-year-old hasn’t appeared to make many since the Broncos reported for training camp on July 29. He made plays nearly every time he took the field through the dog days of camp. When the preseason opener began, it seemed fitting that Jarrett Stidham opened the proceedings with a 15-yard dart to Bryant, who was working back to the ball.

It was classic Bryant, too. He worked up the field, came back and didn’t just use his 6-foot-2 frame to shield defenders from the ball. He came back to it with authority and snatched it.

“If you can attack the ball while it¶¶Òőap in the air and take down the flight time, it¶¶Òőap impossible to stop,” he said.

His whole summer, really, has been on the attack.

“He’s the guy in that room, in my opinion — he blocks, catches the ball in traffic,” defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said during training camp. “He can track the ball vertically. He’s great in the red zone. He’s the complete package. He’s got great size. He loves to play – the same player every single day.”

So much of the offseason attention on the Broncos’ offense, rightfully so, has been on the ascension of offensive coordinator Davis Webb to play-calling duties and the acquisition of Jaylen Waddle via trade in March. Along with quarterback Bo Nix’s return to good health after fracturing his ankle in January, Waddle and Webb will likely garner the lion’s share of attention once the regular season gets rolling, too. Bryant¶¶Òőap fine with that. He called the attention and high praise he’s received this summer “nice” but was quick to say that he didn’t really see much reason to make a big deal about training camp and preseason performance. Regular-season games are what matter.

Still, every once in a while, something can be gleaned from preseason. In this case, perhaps it¶¶Òőap the most talked-about play of Denver’s three exhibitions.

When Waddle hauled in a 35-yarder from Nix against Green Bay on the team’s opening drive — and the only possession Waddle played in the preseason — it was a glimpse at what he brings to the offense. The speed, the ability to separate. The stomach discomfort he’s going to cause defensive coordinators when they, at some point, have to leave him one-on-one. It showed Webb’s play-calling chops and Nix’s sharp form, too.

The rest of the play matters, too, though. There was Bryant, exploding out of the point position of the Broncos’ bunch formation to the right, not only helping clear out space for Waddle to operate in but also blowing past Packers nickel Kamal Hadden and getting himself wide open on a crossing route. If Nix throws to Bryant rather than Waddle, it¶¶Òőap probably as big a play and perhaps a touchdown if Bryant, as he so often does, catches the ball with his feet on the ground and gets himself turned upfield.

“One of our pet peeves in the receiver room is not being open,” Bryant said. “No matter what the route is, no matter what the coverage is, we’ve got to give Bo a throw. Doesn’t matter which receiver it is. It¶¶Òőap our job — if we all get open, that¶¶Òőap what we want for the quarterback. ‘Who do I want to throw this to?’ We are all going to go out there and make plays, and it¶¶Òőap up to Bo to pick and choose.

“We’re always open.”

Bryant certainly has been a lot this summer and nobody seems to expect a slowdown. This is a guy, after all, who has a knack for catching everything on the run.

“Man, Pat¶¶Òőap a beast,” Waddle said. 
 “I’m excited to play alongside him and I’m excited for the world to get to know Pat Bryant¶¶Òőap name.”

His father was a chef, including for the .

Jones himself knows his way around the kitchen, the smoker, whatever your palate desires.

The man, all 6-foot-flat and 305 pounds of him, knows what he’s talking about when it comes to eating.

He says the Broncos defense is going to feast this fall.

“We’ve got what it takes,” Jones said in August. “We’ve tasted it. Now it¶¶Òőap time to cook the meal, eat it and take a break. You know how you eat a good meal, and you lay down after, take a good nap, then you wake up and go eat again? We’re about to eat again. It¶¶Òőap time. We’ve got the numbers, we’ve got the men, we’ve got the willpower. We’ve got the free will to go do it.

“It¶¶Òőap up to us, and we’re going to do that.”

The Broncos are seasoned, to be sure.

They return as many as 10 starters from Week 1 last year and must replace only John Franklin-Myers on the top line. So far in training camp, they look like they’ll do that with a combination of Malcolm Roach and a true breakout candidate in Eyioma Uwazurike.

For the most part, though, the core of this group is entering its fourth season under defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. That includes Zach Allen and Jones up front, inside linebackers Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad, outside linebackers Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper plus corners Pat Surtain, Riley Moss and Ja’Quan McMillian.

It is a rare and enviable continuity the Broncos have built defensively.

“You’re not coming into camp kind of stressed about learning,” Singleton said. “That’s the hardest thing when you go to a new team or have new guys where you’re teaching guys, ‘Hey, this is our check in this situation.’ No, instead all 11 guys know.

“So, we’re one step ahead of where we would’ve been last year or the year before that at this time of the year.”

Really, the question for this group is whether it can stave off any hint of complacency that could accompany such continuity. That certainly wasn’t an issue last season, when Denver backed up a high-quality 2024 with an even better 2025. They jumped in rankings across the board, jumped from 10 wins in the regular season to 14, and broke their own single-season sack record by going from 63 to 68.

Can they make it three in a row? Defensive performance has tended to be more volatile in the NFL than offensive, but Joseph’s group so far has stayed sharp year-over-year.

“That¶¶Òőap the really cool thing about this group is we’re just constantly trying to find new ways to get better,” Allen said. “It all starts with ‘V.J.’ He sets such a high standard. Yeah, we were good last year, but there were still a lot of things that we could have been better at and cleaned up. We want to be as consistent as we can be and play at the highest level that we can.”

Broncos coaches and players see the early stages of training camp as a kind of rite of passage. Despite the experience returning, part of the key to setting out on a new season is going through all of the basics. Every install gets a full explanation. Every page of the playbook gets a fine-tooth comb, regardless of how many times most of the players have been over it.

“When we’re installing, take those notes again,” Singleton said. “Rewrite the little basics of the calls because then, when the intricate stuff happens, and stuff happens during the game — the basic stuff is easy. That’s the stuff that’s already locked in; that’s muscle memory.

“Now you’re learning the nuances and all the stuff that really will define what we are this season on the critical plays during the season.”

Sometimes, though, second nature kicks in. They just can’t help it. An early August training camp day still features an array of checks and calls. You can go back over the basics, but once you’re on the field, the more advanced stuff is going to come out, too.

That, Singleton says, is part of preparing for what the Broncos will see later in the season.

One common theme over the past two seasons: the group has looked a little rundown in the stretch run of the regular season. Denver has given up 30 or more points eight times in 37 games over the past two seasons, including the playoffs. Six of those have come across 13 games played in either December or January.

The other major goal for the Broncos this fall: Take the ball away more. Head coach Sean Payton is adamant about it. Joseph knows it¶¶Òőap important, too, though with a caveat: He’s going to play the way he plays — he talks frequently about making sure Denver is playing “good football,” which for him means a lot of match coverage. Sometimes that means fewer interceptions than teams that are more zone-heavy and consistently have more eyes on the quarterback.

The Broncos turned on the takeaway faucet in the postseason last year and beat Buffalo because of it. Then they snuffed New England for most of the AFC title game — the Patriots’ lone touchdown came on a 12-yard drive after a Jarrett Stidham fumble. If Joseph’s group is playing like that again in late January 2027, the Broncos are going to be right in the mix for a chance at a championship.

“It¶¶Òőap a great unit, but they’re motivated, and they’re not satisfied with what we did last year,” Joseph said. “Our talks and meetings are always about, ‘It might not look like it did last year as far as all the numbers, but the play style should be the same and the end result can be the same.’ It can be different as far as where we ranked. That¶¶Òőap not important for us.

“It¶¶Òőap about winning games and getting back to where we were. It may look different, and that¶¶Òőap OK, but the goal’s the same.”

He did the night Nix was drafted, saying at No. 10 as part of trying to ensure Nix made it to No. 12.

He did last summer in proclaiming that Nix would be one of the top four or five quarterbacks in the NFL in the next two years.

This summer, Payton took to social media to lambaste an NFL analyst who said Nix looked like the same player he was in college, writing, “PAYTON.” After Denver’s preseason finale, he called that assertion “crazy”,” referenced “basement podcasts with the beer logo,” and said, “Everything is the opposite of what he was saying.”

Asked Wednesday why others had such mixed opinions on his quarterback — — Payton had thoughts.

“It¶¶Òőap hard for me to answer that, but there’s two things I think can happen,” he said. “You can predetermine based on how you saw him coming out (of the draft) and slow to move off your draft opinion, which is very normal. And then oftentimes you’re not exposed to certain players based on television.”

Veteran tight end Evan Engram said Wednesday that he gives “no energy” to what other people think about Nix and said, “We know what we’ve got.”

Payton thinks so, too, of course.

“It¶¶Òőap the one cool thing about our sport, though,” Payton said. “You can argue, any position, top 10, all those discussions. Generally, time will give you those answers. We love what we’re seeing (from Nix). They’re measured by wins and measured by certain things and ultimately that¶¶Òőap how history will be written about any of them, but quarterbacks specifically.”

ESPN’s list did feature five Broncos: DT Zach Allen at No. 79, OLB Nik Bonitto at No. 56, RG Quinn Meinerz at No. 53, LT Garett Bolles at No. 37 and CB Pat Surtain II at No. 7.

Taysom Hill? Not at the moment

Payton earlier this offseason said he planned to check on long-time New Orleans tight end Taysom Hill after he was released by the Saints earlier this offseason.

Payton did talk to Hill at Drew Brees’ Hall of Fame induction ceremony last month, he said Wednesday, but said there hasn’t been any movement toward Hill potentially playing for Denver.

“No updates. Nothing. I would let you know if we had anything,” Payton said. “I talked to him at the Hall of Fame, but it was really just with a group of people.”

Payton, though, said he believes the Broncos’ current group of tight ends can operate at a high level.

“I kind of like where we’re at,” he said. “I thought retaining Lucas (Krull) was important to the practice squad. I like where that room’s at.”

Jarrett Stidham is the Broncos’ No. 2 quarterback

The Broncos have three quarterbacks on their active roster, but Jarrett Stidham is still the backup, Payton said Wednesday.

After Friday’s preseason finale, Payton was noncommittal between Stidham and Sam Ehlinger as the primary backup to Bo Nix.

On Wednesday, Payton said Stidham would be the second into a game, “now.”

J.K. Dobbins is ready to roll

Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins was one of a small group of players who did not see any snaps in the preseason.

Dobbins missed one day of practice with what Payton called a “soft tissue” injury, but otherwise has been healthy through camp.

“He’s moving well and he’s doing really well,” Payton said Wednesday.

Denver loves Sam Ehlinger. Head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton value the quarterback room as it was constructed in training camp. And they didn’t think it was a sure bet he’d be back if they released him.

That led to a fairly easy call for the Broncos: Keep Ehlinger on the 53-man roster and roll into the regular season with both him and Jarrett Stidham behind starter Bo Nix.

“We love the quarterback room. We’ve stated that a lot,” Paton said Sunday. “Sam, ‘Stiddy,’ we thought they both had really good offseasons, really good training camps and (played well) in the games.

Denver Broncos roster cuts tracker: See the initial 53-man roster

“Sam is a big part of this quarterback room. We didn’t want to lose him, and we felt we were going to lose him. He’s too important to our team and just didn’t want to risk doing that.”

Denver had been leaning toward keeping three before Friday night¶¶Òőap finale, Paton indicated, but Ehlinger put an exclamation mark on his preseason by throwing for 233 yards and three touchdowns in about three quarters' worth of work.

That shut the door on any notion of trying to sneak somebody else onto the roster instead.

“Obviously, the game he played the other night was outstanding,” Paton said. “We love the room. We’re going to keep the room together.”

Offensive coordinator Davis Webb has been an Ehlinger fan since Ehlinger played at Austin Westlake High in Texas. He followed Ehlinger’s career from there and said last year that when he watched Ehlinger in Indianapolis early in his career, he saw a player with real upside if he got the right coaching and development plan.

Now he’ll get a second season with the Broncos.

Now comes the next interesting quarterback-related question: Who’s the actual back-up between Stidham and Ehlinger?

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¶¶Òőap 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¶¶Òőap 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¶¶Òőap 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¶¶Òőap 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¶¶Òőap 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¶¶Òőap 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.

The Broncos finished theirs with a 34-6 shellacking of Minnesota at Empower Field.

If this time of year is about roster depth, Denver boasted a vast superiority to the Vikings essentially from the opening kickoff.

Sean Payton’s team didn’t dress 30 players, most of them starters and key contributors, and still dominated. Minnesota, to be sure, also sat its top players, but this was backups on backups crime.

Now, tough roster questions are ahead.

“I look back to my first year here, and we were looking to claim (players),” Payton said Friday night. “And it was like that in New Orleans early on. As you build something that gets a little bit more polished, players are — gradually, the quality of your team, it becomes a harder roster to make.

“So those teams out there that have new coaches that are rebuilding. They’ll be more active and those are the teams sometimes that can end up with one of your players.”

That¶¶Òőap the focus for the next few days. Then attention turns fully to Week 1 and Denver’s Sept. 14 trip to Kansas City for Monday Night Football.

Here are four takeaways from Friday night:

Sam Ehlinger authored quite a bounce back after a rough start

The Broncos head coach was afraid he’d end up in the stat book with a PBU. OK, maybe not quite, but as Payton watched Sam Ehlinger start moving to his left and then sprint back to his right on a fourth-and-3 in the second half Friday, Ehlinger kept getting closer and closer. Finally, he uncorked an off-balance throw to Cody Schrader for a 14-yard touchdown and basically fell into the coach’s lap.

That set off a raucous celebration after the second of Ehlinger’s three touchdowns on the night.

The Broncos quarterback started his night with an ugly interception.

Then he responded with three touchdowns and finished the night with 233 yards and a 134.5 passer rating.

The touchdown was a thing of beauty.

“I was standing on the white,” Payton said of the sideline. 
 “Two more feet and my concern was all of a sudden the ball hit my chest and I’m the reason he doesn’t throw it. I was excited for him. It was really good.”

So was Ehlinger overall.

“There’s one thing he does, I’ve said this to you guys before many times, when you’re in practice situations and plays don’t finish out, you see ‘X,’” Payton said. And then, for him, when you’re in a game situation, we don’t have to decide whether he was sacked or not. He wasn’t. And it was a touchdown pass. That¶¶Òőap one of the things that I think has served him well in college and when he plays in games.

“It¶¶Òőap hard to simulate some of that. So I was excited for him.”

Ehlinger made a bad throw on the first drive and got under-cut on an out-breaker for an interception.

After that, though, he was sharp.

“Obviously you don’t want to start that way,” Ehlinger said. “But it was good to get that out of my system and then being able to get in the flow of the game, get the feel for coverages and how the game’s going was really good.”

Whether the Broncos keep two or three quarterbacks is among their most intriguing questions as the roster deadline approaches Sunday, but Ehlinger has said for the past week that he has trust in Payton and the Denver staff.

“When it comes down to the roster decisions and things of that nature, it¶¶Òőap completely out of my control,” he said. “I don’t derive my confidence from the result of what happens with numbers or things of that nature.

“I have great confidence in this organization and the relationships we have and the way they’ve handled things with me to this point. I’m in a really good spot.”

If the Broncos do cut Ehlinger, a vested veteran who is not subject to waivers and thus can sign anywhere at any time, he said he’d look around to see what else might be available.

“Yeah, you have to look at all your options, right? That¶¶Òőap what we’ll do,” he said. “That¶¶Òőap what we did last year and I look forward to whatever opportunity there is.”

He’s also got much bigger things happening in his life, too, and soon. Ehlinger’s wife is pregnant with their first child and is due Tuesday.

So his upcoming days could well be very different than most of the guys sweating out the cutdown deadline.

“I might be in the hospital having my first son,” he said. “That’s what it could look like.”

Pat Bryant¶¶Òőap ascension was on display in absentia Friday night

Payton bristles at categorizations like “third wide receiver” or “second running back.” He’s got roles defined for certain players and they fulfill them.

However, Friday night served as a final stamp of approval on a breakout August for second-year wide receiver Pat Bryant.

He didn’t need a big stat line to prove it. He did so with a ballcap and tennis shoes.

Payton and the Broncos didn’t dress three receivers for the game: Jaylen Waddle, Courtland Sutton and Bryant. That¶¶Òőap as clear an indication as any that Bryant is going to factor heavily into Denver’s offensive plans.

Not that there’s been much doubt since the start of camp.

Bryant has made play after play, day after day.

Every player and every coach who’s been asked about him over the past month has had nothing but raves.

Troy Franklin, meanwhile, was out there playing and so, too, was Marvin Mims Jr. Mims was up mostly because he’s been hurt and hasn’t had much live action this summer.

Franklin hasn’t done anything wrong, either. He’s had a nice camp himself and is a versatile, valuable player.

Bryant, though, has had an undeniable training camp. He’s one of the players fans should be most intrigued to see on the field at Arrowhead Stadium in 16 days.

Marvin Mims Jr.’s camp started fast. It¶¶Òőap been a slog since.

Not many players were more impressive than Mims during the first week of training camp, n. Since then, it¶¶Òőap been a slog. He took a couple of weeks to come all the way back from a groin injury. He made his preseason debut Friday against the Vikings and figured to get a couple of series. Instead, Jarrett Stidham overthrew him on his first target of the night and Mims hit the ground along the sideline and rolled over in pain.

Payton described the foot injury as “just a bruise” after the game and said the club was being cautious with the fourth-year wide receiver.
The veteran head coach also referred to Mims as a “front-line guy.” That much isn’t in question, even if Mims’ ultimate role in this offense is a bit of a mystery at this point.

What¶¶Òőap also clear is that Mims was frustrated about having to head back to the blue medical tent. He hopped up and tried to jog off, shooing away a trainer. Then he reluctantly ducked into the tent and then headed back to the locker room early in the game.

If Mims plays a big role and has an impact this fall, this night will be quickly forgotten.

But for a guy going into his contract year, the training camp and preseason rigmarole that has cost him time on the practice field and in game action so far this summer could also easily become a source of frustration.

He (probably) won’t make the 53-man roster, but take a bow, Cody Schrader.

The only knock on Cody Schrader’s Friday night? After he caught the touchdown from Ehlinger, he threw the ball into the crowd. Brother, don’t you want to keep that one?

“I didn’t think to keep that thing,” Schrader said. “I was just kind of blacked out in the moment and super excited to get in the end zone.”

Schrader, 26, went undrafted in 2024 and bounced around. Like, really bounced around. He’s been cut seven times. At one point last year, he played for three teams in as many weeks, the last of which was Denver. But he stuck on the practice squad down the stretch, got a futures deal and has had a nice training camp. He could well end up on the Broncos’ practice squad and is in the mix with Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie.

Moreover, he’s been a needed bell cow in preseason as Denver managed the workload of several other backs.

He carried the ball 24 times over Denver’s three preseason games and churned out 74 yards. He also caught all nine of his targets for 101 yards and a touchdown.

Schrader led Broncos backs in snaps, too, in each of the first two games and likely did again Friday against the Vikings.

Schrader, who ran for 1,627 yards his senior year at Missouri, finished with a flourish, too. He had six catches for 90 yards plus 42 rushing for a total of 132 offensive yards and a touchdown.

“It definitely meant a lot,” Schrader said. “I’m so thankful for this organization, just in terms of how they take preseason. They treat it like the regular season and that means a lot to guys like me who’s competing and fighting for every opportunity possible. 


“We have a great room. We’re a brotherhood and I think all of us can play in this league.”

Schrader did the Broncos well this preseason and probably helped himself in the process, too.

They just did so more than three hours before Denver kicked off its preseason finale against Minnesota.

Sean Payton held out not only quarterback Bo Nix but nearly every expected front-line player for the last of three preseason contests. The only ones who played: Those who have either missed extended periods of time due to injury in training camp and also outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper, who may well not be available to Denver early in the season if he is suspended or placed on the commissioner’s exempt list after a pair of June arrests.

Otherwise, Denver’s lineups were full of reserves and players fighting for roster and practice squad spots.

“It¶¶Òőap hard to go into this game and just say, ‘Hey, these 40 aren’t (playing),’” Payton said earlier this week. “The stress level then on everyone else kicks up. So it¶¶Òőap a challenge whenever you get into this last game, and we’ll have a good plan.”

Denver’s plan wasn’t to have 40 guys out of uniform, but 30.

Payton had 26 expected contributors, one conspicuous special teamer and three injured players out of uniform for the club’s final tune-up before it opens the regular season on Monday Night Football Sept. 14 at Kansas City.

Among the notables who did and didn’t play:

Cooper got playing time and it¶¶Òőap unclear when he’ll be next on the field. He’s slated to be arraigned in Douglas County on Monday morning, the day after Denver’s roster must be set. That means the Broncos will be hoping to get clarity from the league ahead of Sunday’s cutdown deadline. If no ruling comes from the league office, he’ll be on the roster. If he is suspended or placed on the exempt list by Roger Goodell, he will not count against Denver’s 53-man roster.

Center Luke Wattenberg has missed most of camp after a shoulder injury on the first day in full pads nearly four weeks ago. He got in there for one series and saw live action for the first time this preseason.

Wide receiver Marvin Mims has similarly missed multiple weeks with a groin injury. He was out there to start with Denver’s offense, but turned his ankle coming down after a Jarrett Stidham overthrow and saw his night end right there. He at first appeared to be in pain but was able to jog off the field and, reluctantly, to the blue medical tent once he was back to the home sideline.

One not entirely surprising development but a notable one nonetheless: Both Mims and Franklin were in uniform, but second-year man Pat Bryant was not. Bryant has emerged as the de facto third wide receiver for Denver behind Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle. Franklin and Mims, assuming neither is traded in the next couple of days, will factor into the equation. So, too, likely, will Lil’Jordan Humphrey. But they were all out there playing Friday night. Bryant was on the sideline with the players Payton and company decided needed no more snaps before the regular season.

“He’s smart, he’s sudden, he’s big,” Payton said earlier this week about Bryant. “He’s having a heck of a camp. You guys have seen it. And it¶¶Òőap been consistent. He’s super intelligent, it¶¶Òőap really important to him and I like his size.”

At quarterback, Jarrett Stidham started and played two series before giving way to Sam Ehlinger. Both are candidates to be in Denver’s plans for the season behind Nix, though it¶¶Òőap not clear if both will start out on the 53-man roster. Ehlinger’s first drive of the night ended in an ugly interception when he was undercut trying to throw an out-breaking route to undrafted rookie wide receiver Dane Key.

One interesting player who was not in uniform: Special teamer Tycen Anderson. He was Denver’s lone external free agent signing this spring, though it was a one-year deal at the minimum with $450,000 guaranteed. He’s hardly been used defensively in camp and is essentially a special teamer only. Did Denver see enough to keep him out Friday, or does the team perhaps already know he will not make the roster?

By Saturday morning, the Broncos staff will be well into finalizing their 53-man roster. By Sunday afternoon, the initial rendition will be set. Then the practice squad follows Monday.

From there: Two weeks to Kansas City.

Same, most likely, for players who find themselves on the edge of Denver’s roster or any other NFL team.

Hard deadlines approach.

By the time players clear out of the locker room after the Broncos’ preseason finale Friday night at home against Minnesota, the cut-off for teams to reduce their rosters from 90 down to 53 will only be about 40 hours away.

That means coach Sean Payton, general manager George Paton and their staffs will go essentially right from the game to finalizing their 53-man roster. After Sunday’s 4 p.m. cutdown deadline, they’ll get back to scouring the waiver wire and assembling their 16-man practice squad, which can be finalized after 11 a.m. Monday.

For a team as deep and talented as the Broncos and with as many defined starters and roles as the club already has set, there are still a unique group of decisions to make.

Denver may place up to two players on injured reserve with designations to return on Sunday, but it¶¶Òőap unclear if any of its injured players currently are set to miss enough time to warrant such a move. The Broncos, as of Friday morning, are awaiting clarity on Jonathon Cooper’s status with the NFL ahead of a Monday arraignment on a felony assault charge and other lesser charges. They have veterans who could be asked to start the season on the practice squad, too. Perhaps there’s a trade candidate or two on the roster, too.

Essentially, the playbook is wide open and Denver will use all tools at its disposal to keep as many players as possible in the building beyond just the 53 that make the initial cut.

But first, 60 minutes against the Vikings. Quarterback Bo Nix isn’t playing. If other Broncos starters do, it likely won’t be for long.

It¶¶Òőap a bubblelicious weekend.

Here are five storylines to watch.

The closing days of bubble watch arrive with questions to answer on both lines

For the Broncos on the defensive line, the question is as simple as whether they’ve got room to go as heavy as last year. Denver kept seven on the 53-man roster a year ago. If it does the same this year, the likelihood is the same six plus plus rookie third-rounder Tyler Onyedim instead of the departed John Franklin-Myers. If the Broncos take six, then the question becomes whether the last spot goes to veteran Jordan Jackson or second-year man Sai’Vion Jones. Could Denver trade one of them? Jackson made the roster cleanly the past two years and is a trusted role player. Jones hasn’t cracked the rotation yet, but Denver traded up into the third round to draft him in 2025. The Broncos have been loath to part with depth up front in past years.

Questions on the offensive line are more injury-related. They have been without Alex Forsyth on and off for the past two weeks and without Frank Crum this week. How long will each be out? They have a pair of veterans in Calvin Throckmorton and Matt Peart who could be needed as key reserves but also could be asked to start the season on the practice squad.

That leaves several moving pieces. Could a young guy like Tyler Miller snag a spot? Tackles are popular targets on the waiver wire and the Broncos have lost one at the cutdown each of the past two years.

Looking for clues at linebacker and tight end

There are also interesting decisions to make at inside linebacker and tight end. They’re similar positions in a way, because there are a pair of veterans at the top of each room and then a lot of unproven first- and second-year players behind.

At tight end, the room behind Adam Trautman and Evan Engram is going to come down to style preference and who Denver’s front office thinks it can get through to the practice squad. Justin Joly is a fifth-round pick, but he and seventh-rounder Dallen Bentley have each had relatively quiet camps. Nate Adkins had a down 2025 season due to injuries, but teams around the league like players with his versatility. Lucas Krull has been a regular presence here the past two seasons. Caleb Lohner is a wild card. Payton raved about him this spring, but he’s missed all of camp with lower-body injuries. Perhaps he’s an injured reserve stash candidate.

At linebacker, behind Justin Strnad and Alex Singleton, there are four candidates for two or three spots. The consistent No. 2 line recently has been Karene Reid and Jordan Turner, but the Broncos like seventh-round rookie Red Murdock and undrafted rookie Taurean York has done good things, too.

Will Denver roll the dice with Murdock (or Reid/Turner) on the waiver wire? Or do they feel the need to keep five from the jump?

QBs Sam Ehlinger, Jarrett Stidham again take center stage

With Nix not playing, Denver’s other two quarterbacks will take center stage for what the Broncos certainly hope is the final time this season. Stidham is set to start but ,Ehlinger is in line to play most of the game, perhaps as much as three quarters depending on how the game flows and how many possessions unfold in the first quarter.

This could just be a carbon copy of the 2024 season, where Stidham played 10 snaps in the preseason finale, Zach Wilson handled the rest and then shortly after they both found out they made the 53-man roster.

Or, it could be a continuation of an actual battle. Payton said categorically on Wednesday that the club had not yet determined who the No. 2 is behind Nix, though given the way the preseason and reps have played out so far, Stidham has played the role of a No. 2 every day but two that reporters have been present.

Ehlinger told The Post this week that he trusts the Broncos and has had good conversations with them so far through training camp. Perhaps it¶¶Òőap just as simple as Denver keeping all three, whether that¶¶Òőap on the 53-man roster or Ehlinger starting off with a brief practice squad stint like he did last year.

Either way, neither Ehlinger nor Stidham will want to leave anything to chance on Friday.

Any conspicuous players held out of the game?

Payton on Wednesday acknowledged that teams this time of year not only are careful not to show their cards scheme-wise, but they’ll also try to hide a player they’re trying to sneak through waivers. Payton’s tried it before — and eventually got burned anyway by his own mentor. He was excited by tackle Jeremy Parnell as a developmental project during New Orleans’ Super Bowl run and had plenty else on his mind when he invited Bill Parcells — then the Miami Dolphins’ president — to watch a pre-Super Bowl practice.

The next fall, Payton tried to sneak Parnell through waivers at the roster cutdown and get him on the practice squad. He hadn’t played in games and had essentially no film. And yet, the Dolphins claimed him.

“There was literally no evidence at all,” Payton recalled this week. “A year after that, Bill had retired and I asked him, ‘Hey, what allowed you guys to claim Parnell?’ And he said, ‘Well, you invited me to practice and every time you broke the huddle, all I saw was that 6-7 tackle.’

“And he said, ‘Don’t invite the fox in the hen house.’ I learned a lesson.”

Parnell played 111 games in his career, including 64 starts, but funny enough, they all came for Dallas and Jacksonville from 2012 on.

Payton also often says it¶¶Òőap not easy to hold a lot of players out of preseason games because you risk exposing those who carry a heavier workload to injury. Plus, holding a player out could be a tip-off in its own right.

Regardless, it¶¶Òőap good to remember that this is roster gamesmanship season.

Any conspicuous stat lines that add up to “trade candidate?”

The Albert O. Special, as it¶¶Òőap known in Denver. In 2023, tight end Albert Okwuegbunam didn’t feel like a fit on Payton’s first roster. Then in the team’s preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams, he caught seven passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. That¶¶Òőap how you play yourself onto a 53-man, right? Well, yeah, but in Philadelphia. The Broncos traded the tight end to the Eagles between the finale and the roster cutdown. If Philly thought it could have landed Okwuegbunam as a waiver claim, it wouldn’t have traded for him. It wasn’t much — Okwuegbunam and a seventh-rounder for a sixth-rounder — but it was better than nothing.

With enough time and enough repetitions in one place, the light bulb eventually comes on.

“It¶¶Òőap just, do you have enough time to develop in order for that to happen?” Ehlinger said after the Broncos beat Atlanta in their preseason opener earlier this month.

The Broncos’ third-string quarterback, now nearing the completion of his second training camp since arriving here as a free agent in the spring of 2025, feels the game starting to click into place for him.

He’s seeing defenses well, he thinks, and he’s received a lot of work through training camp.

Though only a handful of times with anything resembling the Broncos’ top-line players during open camp practices, just being in a second season with head coach Sean Payton, offensive coordinator Davis Webb and company has made a big difference.

“It¶¶Òőap a comfortability with the offense,” Ehlinger told The Post this week. “Obviously a little bit of terminology is different with Davis calling plays, but it¶¶Òőap similar concepts. There’s a little bit more, but I think just terminology, lingo and then obviously flow of scheduling and things of that nature. The way Sean likes to run things. There’s just a comfortability with all of that stuff.

“And then, obviously, personnel. You know what guys are good at, what guys aren’t. Where you can throw the ball to certain guys. Things of that nature. So overall, in a lot of different ways, comfortability would be the word.”

Staying in a good situation

Ehlinger, it is well documented, has had chances over the past year to leave Denver. He was released at the roster cutdown last year, but with the understanding he’d be signed back to the practice squad. After Malcolm Roach was put on injured reserve shortly after the cutdown, Ehlinger was back on the 53-man roster before Week 1 arrived. He bounced up and down between the 53-man roster and the practice squad through the season. Then Indianapolis, the team that drafted him in the sixth round in 2021, wanted to sign him off Denver’s practice squad later in the season. He turned down that opportunity to stay with the Broncos then, too.

Then he signed a one-year, $2 million deal that came with $1 million guaranteed before free agency began in March.

Add it all up, and the former University of Texas quarterback has clearly shown to this point that he wants to be in Denver. It would be natural to feel some stress, then, as the NFL’s roster cutdown deadline approaches Sunday, considering starter Bo Nix is entrenched and Jarrett Stidham has received the lion’s share of the No. 2 reps this summer.

Stidham and Ehlinger split the preseason opener against the Falcons, then Stidham played five drives against the Packers on Friday and Ehlinger got one real possession before a couple of run plays in the final minute.

Ehlinger, though, doesn’t give off a stressed vibe in the least.

“Last year was the first year I’d ever been cut, but the Broncos, they were transparent with everything and they took care of me as if I didn’t get cut in the first place,” he said. “When you’re with an organization that you trust, it¶¶Òőap not a big deal. I have a great trust with the conversations we’ve had up to this point. It¶¶Òőap kind of like, it¶¶Òőap just another day. I think optically it can be, like, ‘Here’s the numbers. Either you did make the roster or you didn’t make the roster or whatever.’

“But knowing you’re in a situation where you’re wanted and you’re comfortable with their word, it¶¶Òőap not that big of a deal.”

Prepared when the opportunity arises

There’s an interesting balance happening here for Ehlinger. Everybody wants a shot at playing and being a starter. Those who have had it — Ehlinger did, albeit a brief three-game stint in 2022 — and lost it want another crack.

But it only takes one look around the NFL to see clearly just how much the situation matters for quarterbacks of all stripes.

Ehlinger thinks he’s got a good one for his development right now. He sensed it not long after arriving in Denver in the spring of 2025, after a free agency in which Webb told The Post that he wasn’t interested in many free-agent quarterbacks, but he really wanted to work with Ehlinger.

“When you find a situation where you’re in a great organization, you know you’re going to get better, you’re getting a lot of reps and, God forbid something did happen, you feel like it¶¶Òőap a situation where the quarterback is teed up to play well?” Ehlinger said. “You don’t really want to just jump on an opportunity to just go play anywhere.

“That¶¶Òőap what went into last year as well, having opportunities to go play, it¶¶Òőap like, well, I could, but this is a pretty good situation.”

Webb said earlier in camp that he’s seen Ehlinger grow “tremendously” from last year and that he’d trust Ehlinger in a game if it came to that.

Could the coming days result in the chance to perhaps move closer to playing somewhere else if the Broncos cut him? Possible, but Ehlinger sounded like a player more focused on being ready here just in case and preparing for an opportunity to play somewhere further down the line.

“You see a lot of guys, they get a few opportunities early and it doesn’t pan out, whether it¶¶Òőap their fault or not, and their career is over,” he said. “I want to be the best prepared I can possibly be for the next opportunity but also be in a situation that is winnable, because I’ve been in a situation where the odds are stacked against you, and that¶¶Òőap not a fun situation.”