The rookie running back logged 14 snaps Friday night at Atlanta and drew rave reviews from head coach Sean Payton.

When Denver hit the practice field again on Monday, the praise for Coleman was no less notable from the head coach.

After Coleman’s fourth carry, a 7-yard gain with 47 seconds left in the first quarter and the starting offensive line still in the game, Payton had seen enough.

Broncos boast lower over-under wins total than Chiefs, Chargers. Is that a mistake?

There was a point, I think he had (four carries), and, ‘Alright, I’ve seen enough.’ I’ve seen enough (at practice). It����ap just your instincts relative to the evening and who’s playing.

“I didn’t need to see additional evidence of what I’ve been seeing for three weeks.”

Coleman is trending toward being a real part of Denver’s running back rotation with J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey from the outset of this season. Exactly how heavy a workload the Broncos ask Dobbins to carry out of the gate and also who earns third-down and two-minute work between Harvey and Coleman will go a long way in determining how many snaps Coleman sees early on, but he’s impressed so far.

“Good balance. Real good elusive runner for his size,” Payton said. “I’d say good short-area quickness, good balance and the other night we had a few examples of that.”

There have already been comparisons drawn stature-wise between Coleman and long-time NFL standout Maurice Jones-Drew, though Payton wasn’t willing to go that far just yet.

“I’m not ready to comp a young player that early, but I like his balance,” Payton said. “You don’t feel a young player at practice.”

Good day on the injury front. The Broncos got a pair of key players back to practice Monday in wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and center Alex Forsyth.

Waddle missed all of last week with a muscle strain, but looked like a full participant on Monday.

“We’ve got a lot of time still,” Payton said of working the receiver back into the offensive rhythm. “We’ve got good work this week, this weekend. There’s been a lot of time on task already.

“We’re being smart with it and he’s coming along really good. We’ll see how this week unfolds.”

Others who returned to practice include TE Nate Adkins and guard Alex Palczewski.

Receiver Marvin Mims, Jr. and starting center Luke Wattenberg, meanwhile, were still on the side field but continue to make progress. Mims ran what looked like near full speed during his conditioning work on the side. Also on the side field: OLB Drew Sanders (had a sack in Friday’s game) and WR Michael Bandy.

Too early to tell on Levelle: ILB Levelle Bailey sustained a fracture in his lower leg Friday against Atlanta, sources told The Post over the weekend.

Asked if Payton thought Bailey had a chance to return at some point during the season, the coach said, “Too early to say. I think that’d be tough to answer right now.”

Sean Keeler: If you’re giving me 9.5 wins, I’m taking, baby. I’m taking your money, your car, your mortgage and your yacht. Preseason scorelines can fly, but your eyes do not. The Broncos’ starters — and those starters were without Bo Nix or Jaylen Waddle and J.K. Dobbins — made Atlanta look like a J.V. team, which the Falcons might very well turn out to be. Sixteen different Broncos offensive players landed a 64 grade (out of 100) or better by Pro Football Focus’ grading wonks, and 25 different defenders. That Sean Payton won by 20 on the road and still spent a good chunk of his postgame presser either complaining, , or both, is a heck of a good sign. I mean, totally weird and totally Sean. But a good sign, nonetheless.

Renck: The Broncos ranked among the NFL’s worst in early-down efficiency last season, especially in first halves. The slow starts made comebacks necessary. The 12-3 record in one-score games, including the playoffs, is among the main reasons sportsbooks don’t trust them. But J.K. Dobbins made a pinky promise, so he has to be healthy, right? In all seriousness, the ground game looks better because of Jonah Coleman. He is a bowling ball with wheels, already drawing comparisons to Maurice Jones-Drew. MJD delivered 941 yards as a rookie. If Coleman posts 700, the Broncos will finish closer to 14 wins than 10.

Keeler: I was always Jonah Curious, but once I saw him running over (and around) CSU last August, I bought a ticket on the Coleman bandwagon and hopped on board. He’s everything the Broncos needed last December and January and didn’t have once Captain Pinky Promise went down: A three-down hammer who can block, catch, and, unlike RJ Harvey, punish defenders when he runs between the tackles. Coleman is the best kind of Dobbins insurance policy, someone who’d start for most of the offenses in this league. That gives the Broncos staying power for those cold-weather tests coming up later on the fight card, especially at Pittsburgh (Nov. 28) and at New England (Jan. 3). Why did he “fall” to the Broncos in the fourth round? He’s not the breakaway/home run/speed threat that a Harvey or a even Jaleel McLaughlin is once they get outside the box. That said, you can go a long way with a guy who consistently hits double after double coming out of the backfield.

Renck: And the first problem with believing in the Broncos is my last point: Bo Nix. His multiple ankle surgeries create pause. His lack of production in the middle of the field raises eyebrows. But what if he is more mobile, and rushes for 500 yards and five scores? Based on what we saw in Davis Webb’s first game as the offensive coordinator, Nix will be asked to fill out the spray chart. With Dobbins and Coleman creating momentum on the ground, Nix can let it eat through the air. The vertical threat has been missing. If the Broncos establish it with consistency — hello Jaylen Waddle — they should average 27 points per game. Do that with this defense, and 10 wins will be no problem. The only question will be whether they can survive the first six games from a health standpoint to make a Super Bowl run?

Keeler: Payton has won fewer than nine games six times in 18 seasons as NFL coach. Cowboy up those first six weeks, and the rest of the ride gets smoother. After Oct. 15, the Broncos have six road tilts, and only one — at the Pats — is against a team that’s projected to finish with a winning record (the Cardinals, Panthers, Steelers, the Jets, the Raiders twice). There’s only one way the Broncos win fewer than 10 contests this fall, and that’s if Steady Sparky Stiddy has to start more than seven of them. September will be tight. October will be tense. But if the Broncos aren’t 4-3 or better on Halloween, I’ll eat my shorts.

The conclusion was as obvious as Nik Bonitto’s first step.

These Broncos can win a championship. This season.

A year after coming up two victories shy of a parade, Denver looks better, bolder. Of course, the preseason does not count. And the Falcons don’t exactly inspire fear, so a best-case scenario this season would be landing a franchise quarterback like C.J. Carr or Arch Manning in the draft.

But fake games give real impressions. And the Broncos looked the part of a title team.

August is a time for overreactions, but what we saw Friday only reinforced expectations. We knew the Broncos were good. And the Falcons were not. Denver won 14 games last season with grit, clutch and luck. The 11-2 record in one-score contests has the entire NFL and Sportsbooks predicting a whiplash.

But there is an antidote. A shot of B-10. Or on this night, a capsule of Jarrett Stidham.

A percolating offense is the missing ingredient. The helipad for the yacht.

If the offense becomes a catalyst, the ceiling is the floor.

Did you see the plays Webb dialed up on the first drive? Were you watching when the football floated well beyond the line of scrimmage like a drone with evil intentions? Did the full throttle first half leave you rubbing your eyes and pinching your biceps?

Was the idea to go deep early and often?

“I definitely think so. Davis did a good job. We knew going in with some of the looks we were getting that we wanted to stretch the field a little bit,” Payton said during a halftime interview on 9News. “And then kind of give our guys some confidence, too.”

It left ����apountry panting. And the new Thunder mascot practicing gassers in an open field in parts unknown.

It was one game against an underwhelming team. But at the same time, the Broncos were more explosive, more dynamic, more balanced. It felt more like the days of Peyton Manning than Russell Wilson.

In 18 years of calling plays for the Saints and Broncos, Payton rarely, if ever, led an offense to a touchdown on the first drive in the preseason opener.

Webb made it look easy.

“He was thinking about having his best night,” said Payton of Webb’s game plan after the Broncos’ eighth consecutive preseason victory.

The Broncos drove 69 yards on six plays. Stidham — if there is a Canton for the preseason, he gets a gold jacket — completed all three of his passes. He opened with a 15-yard laser to Pat Bryant, who continued his momentum as the camp darling. He delivered a 40-yard jump ball to Courtland Sutton at the goal line.

The Broncos finished the first quarter with 167 yards on 19 plays and 11 first downs. They had 10 first downs against the Raiders in the 10-7 victory last November. And 12 in London against the Jets, leaving confused international fans yearning for the salad days of futbol.

They scored 17 points in the first 30 minutes without Bo Nix, who is poised to move into the top 15 of NFL quarterbacks this season on his current trajectory.

They ran roughshod without Jaylen Waddle, the entire reason this season is supposed to be different. He stayed home because of a leg injury. Probably a good thing. He might have aggravated his hamstring just watching.

The Broncos produced three promising drives without Marvin Mims Jr., their fastest player, and J.K. Dobbins, their best runner.

Jonah Coleman looked like a between-the-tackles bruiser and showed strength by carrying defenders for extra yards.

The tight end formerly known as Evan Engram caught a pass for 24 yards in the middle of the field. Troy Franklin delivered a single reception for 23.

Are the days of the Tyler Badie running back screen and the behind-the-line-of-scrimmage toss to Adam Trautman finally over?

I know what you are thinking: The pot-bellied genie actually granted our wish.

The Broncos smoked the Falcons 27-7. They won one game last season by more than 20 points, a 28-3 thrashing of the Jake Browning-led Cincinnati Bengals.

What’s more, the tempo was noticeable. The Broncos were moving fast. The play was getting in quickly. The hockey line changes will never go away, but everything seemed seamless with Payton as the CEO and Webb as the OC.

“It was a smooth operation,” Payton said. “The subs were good. Davis was on point. Thought the Qs did a good job of getting in and out of the huddle.”

Once you believe the offense can be dynamic, the other pieces of the puzzle fall into place. Playing with a lead, something foreign to the Broncos last season as they won 14 games despite trailing in 15 games, unlocks a new level.

The defense can play with sticky fingers, stealing the ball as opponents are forced to pass in third-and-forevers.

Denver delivered two interceptions on Friday. The Broncos had 10 last season. Riley Moss got one pick, tying his total from a year ago, his terrific grab of a terrible pass a reminder that Vance Joseph’s defense is bent on producing more takeaways.

When Payton said a year ago that he viewed his team as capable of winning a Super Bowl, he was on an island. The Broncos were considered too young, too unproven, too unbalanced.

But if they can run the ball early to improve first- and second-down efficiency, they are something else entirely.

Yes, it was a single meaningless game in Mercedes-Benz Stadium that had all the energy of Eeyore — “A lot of people dressed as empty seats,” Payton trolled — but it seems like the Broncos have more weapons and have a chance to be consistent.

Again, if the offense ranks in the top 15 in most categories, and the unit can score 27 points per game with this defense, you know where this story ends.

On Valentine’s Day at SoFi Stadium.

We would all love that.

The Broncos’ first-year offensive coordinator and play-caller aced the first of three tests before Denver opens its regular season a month from now at Kansas City.

Caveats abound, but this much is fact: Webb has called two games for the Broncos in his career and the Denver offense has hummed in each. The Broncos racked up 359 yards and picked up 24 first downs in a dominant 27-7 win over the Falcons.

A year ago, Webb put together a 567-yard preseason performance against Arizona that was so good it stuck with head coach Sean Payton as the season wore on, and he began seriously considering handing the play-sheet to his 31-year-old protege.

On this night, the Broncos got the ball first, and Webb went right to work with Jarrett Stidham under center.

The Broncos raced 69 yards in six plays and waltzed into the end zone to open the unofficial portion of the 2026 campaign.

Over the course of the first four possessions, the Broncos offense rolled to three scores, a 17-0 lead on 217 total yards and 14 first downs.

The preseason started in an appropriate fashion, given the way training camp has gone so far: With an easy completion to second-year wide receiver Pat Bryant.

If a player is having a better camp in Denver than Bryant, the list is very short.

“He’s a confident player with strong hands,” Payton said Wednesday before the Broncos traveled south. “That ability to be on the ground and not alter your feet or your foot path (after the catch), I think really serves him well. Then, like anything, you have a good practice, then you have two. Then pretty soon there are a couple stories, and then there’s five stories and then all of a sudden, you’re like, ‘Hey.’

“You guys have seen these guys grow right before our eyes, and it����ap happened, I’m sure, more than a number of times. It����ap good to see.”

Stidham also hit Courtland Sutton on a jump-ball down the field for 40 yards before fullback Adam Prentice punched home a 1-yard touchdown run.

By the end of the first quarter, the Broncos had one touchdown on the board in two drives, but had racked up 167 yards (8.8 per play) on 19 snaps and generated a whopping 11 first downs to Atlanta’s one.

One half of preseason football doesn’t mean the Broncos’ offense will be a top-flight unit through the regular season, of course, but there are few offseason moves more interesting and perhaps more impactful than Payton, long regarded as one of the league’s best play designers and play-callers, turning the duty over to Webb.

Certainly, it is the most important development for the 2026 Broncos that could actually be measured on Friday night. Quarterback Bo Nix, as expected, did not play and nor did star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, the team’s biggest offseason addition. Other key players who did not dress included wide receiver Marvin Mims, Jr., running back J.K. Dobbins, the team’s top two centers in Luke Wattenberg and Alex Forsyth, key reserve Alex Palczewski and several other backups.

Payton announced Wednesday that Nix would not play and instead would make his preseason debut next week at home against Green Bay after having a pair of right ankle operations earlier in the offseason.

Nix has been a full participant through training camp, but Denver wanted to give him another week before real, live football, especially since Atlanta plays on turf.

Nix made the trip with the Broncos as Payton said earlier he would. He was out on the field for a brief workout and throwing session about three hours before kickoff. Then he watched Stidham and Ehlinger go through their normal early warm-up routine and throw to Broncos receivers, chatted with new Falcons president of football operations Matt Ryan, and eventually gave Webb a hug and donned a ballcap and headset to listen to his offensive coordinator call the game.

He watched his Broncos team dominate.

Not only did the offense score three times in the first half, but the starting defense — and a few key reserves — allowed just one first down in the first quarter.

The Falcons moved the ball more once Denver’s reserves had completely taken over late in the first half, but even a trip to the red zone didn’t result in points.

Instead, inside linebacker Karene Reid broke on a ball over the middle and tipped it into the air to cornerback Jahdae Barron, who raced 95 yards for a touchdown and a 24-0 halftime advantage.

Barron, the Broncos’ 2025 first-round pick, hasn’t found consistent playing time yet, but he made a series of sure tackles and followed his pick-six up with an athletic break-up on Atlanta’s next possession.

It was the kind of half that leaves even the most demanding of head coaches feeling good in the house of an old division rival.

On the way into the halftime locker room, Payton couldn’t help but take a jab at Falcons fans to 9News sideline reporter Cynthia Freelund, saying, “a lot of people dressed up as empty seats.”

Sean Payton’s fourth Denver team starts out on its 2026 journey with a preseason opener that kicks off at 5 p.m. in Atlanta.

Last time the Broncos were on the field, they came up four points shy of a trip to the Super Bowl with a 10-7 AFC Championship Game loss to New England at Empower Field in late January.

Jarrett Stidham started for injured Bo Nix, Vance Joseph’s defense dominated and a second-half snowstorm turned a slugfest into a stalemate.

Nix won’t be back on the field Friday for Denver’s preseason debut — he’s healthy enough to play, Payton says, and he’s been a full participant in training camp, but he won’t play until next week. So, Stidham and Sam Ehlinger will run the Broncos’ offense while offensive coordinator Davis Webb calls plays.

Payton said he expects most of his healthy starters to play around 15 snaps against the Falcons, but there are several starters who aren’t entirely healthy, especially on offense. It will be a surprise if receivers Jaylen Waddle and Marvin Mims play. Same with center Luke Wattenberg and key offensive line reserves Alex Forsyth and Alex Palczewski. Will J.K. Dobbins, whom Payton said had a soft tissue issue pop up earlier this week, or receiver Courtland Sutton — recipient of several rest days so far in camp — be out there? Stalwarts like corner Pat Surtain II? If so, their appearances will be fairly brief.

Here are six other storylines to watch.

Can Jarrett Stidham or Sam Ehlinger make a move in the QB2 race?

Payton has downplayed the race to be Nix’s primary backup, but it����ap been shaping up to be a good one. Outside of a completely outlier performance (to the good or to the bad), it seems unlikely that one half each for Stidham and Ehlinger on Friday will decide the race. Still, this is an important waypoint. Ehlinger looks more comfortable in his second season with the Broncos. Stidham’s been up and down in camp, but he’s got equity built up with Nix and with the coaching staff and front office.

“They’ve been great,” Webb said recently. ‘Stiddy,’ he’s in Year 4 (in Denver). He’s spot played for us very well. Sam has grown tremendously from last year to this year. We’re really fortunate to have three really good quarterbacks. Not every organization can say that. We can. And we trust all three if they had to play.

“I’m really looking forward to those guys in the preseason.”

The first question: Who’s No. 2? After that, the conversation turns to whether Denver decides to keep all three on the 53-man roster at the end of the month.

How do Jonah Coleman and the rookies look?

For Denver’s rookie draft picks and several undrafted free agents, this will be their first time on a game field in an NFL uniform.

As it happens, several of the Broncos’ rookies play positions that are among the toughest to evaluate in training camp.

Fourth-round running back Jonah Coleman has looked comfortable and flashed decisiveness and vision in practice. Still, the Broncos don’t tackle to the ground in camp. That makes Friday the best look yet at what Denver may have in the former University of Washington back. There is similar intrigue for third-round defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim, fourth-round offensive lineman Kage Casey, Denver’s pair of Day 3 tight end selections and also a pair of undrafted offensive linemen in tackle Tyler Miller and Gavin Ortega. Given the Broncos’ run of injuries at center, expect Ortega in particular to get a ton of work. Among Denver’s rookie receivers, Cam Ross and Kolbe Katsis have produced most consistently in camp.

Will the camp standouts carry their momentum over to games?

There are a handful of players who have been obvious standouts in training camp so far and they’re at various points of their careers and the depth chart. The short list: Receiver Pat Bryant, cornerback Riley Moss and defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike.

Moss counts squarely among the starters who, assuming he plays, likely will be in just for a couple of series.

Bryant and Uwazurike could get more run than that. Both played roles as key reserves last year and each look primed to take big steps forward this fall. They don’t need eye-popping stat lines against the Falcons, but watching each will be interesting nonetheless.

How loud of a preseason can Jahdae Barron have?

Expect Barron to see time in different spots during Denver’s three preseason games. The 2025 first-round pick played outside, in the slot and as the starting defense’s dime back so far through training camp. Barring some kind of major injury or change, it appears Barron is tracking toward being a primary reserve to Ja’Quan McMillian and on the perimeter, too. Will his workload be tilted one way or the other in preseason games? And can he build a little momentum heading into the regular season despite not knowing exactly how much he’ll be on the field?

Does Denver have enough depth at inside linebacker and safety?

The Broncos appear to be at least wondering the same question because they worked out veteran safety Taylor Rapp on Wednesday. The seeming front-runner as the next man in at safety behind Brandon Jones and Talanoa Hufanga is Devon Key. The third inside linebacker is wide open, with Levelle Bailey, Red Murdock, Karene Reid, Taurean York and just-back-from-injury Jordan Turner in the mix. Turner could move up fast if he stays healthy from here, but the rookie Murdock has been playing well in camp lately, too.

What… exactly is the plan at tight end?

Nix talked recently about the team using Evan Engram in a little bit more of an all-around manner during camp rather than the more exclusively big slot-type role he held last year. Barring a surprise release, Engram and Adam Trautman are the starting point for the room.

After that, it gets difficult to tell. Nate Adkins was putting together a solid camp but has missed the past couple days. Lucas Krull has been quietly solid and has made more plays recently. Rookies Justin Joly and Dallen Bentley have been quiet so far but will get a bunch of preseason run. Caleb Lohner drew real praise from Payton this spring but has been out all of camp and was seen recently watching practice with a walking boot on his left foot. Time’s running short for him to get back and make himself a real factor early in the season.

Bottom line: There’s a lot to sort out and five players for two spots or three at the max behind Engram and Trautman.

Physically Unable to Perform — OL Nick Gargiulo (knee)

Injured reserve — DL Matt Henningsen (Achilles)

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

Left practice — C Michael Deiter

The Broncos are running low on healthy centers

Eventually, the Broncos expect to have one of the best offensive lines in the NFL with all five starters back for a third year together.

Regardless of how many snaps the other starters play Friday in Atlanta, who is snapping the ball could be a storyline to follow after another depth center went down with an injury Tuesday. Michael Dieter was injured during a running play. The Broncos’ training staff examined his right leg before he needed help onto a cart to exit the practice field.

Dieter is the third center to sustain an injury during camp. The team’s starter, Luke Wattenberg, sustained a shoulder injury early last week. He’s been in pads the past couple of days but has not participated beyond stretching.

“We’ll work through it,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “We have guys that are flexible. We’ll be fine.”

Alex Forsyth has missed the past two days, elevating Dieter to the No. 1 spot. The next man up with Denver’s top three options at center unavailable was rookie undrafted free agent Gavin Ortega. Veteran backup lineman Calvin Throckmorton also took some snaps with quarterback Bo Nix.

Another potential option is all-Pro guard Quinn Meinerz, who took some reps at center earlier in his pro career. Meinerz did some snapping between practice periods Tuesday but did not get any actual reps at the position.

“I sharpen that tool every single year just in case,” Meinerz said. “I’ve got to have it in the back pocket. I know that it����ap important to add that value to the offensive line room in an emergency situation. Even last year against the Chargers at the end of the year, I was technically one snap away from having to go play some center.”

Payton seemed to downplay turning to Meinerz, noting his team still has enough options before him. Meinerz said former Broncos offensive line coach Mike Munchak moved him to center at times during his rookie year in 2020 after he spent a couple of days at Senior Bowl practices getting some reps at the position.

While Meinerz never saw himself as a potential center, that experiment has helped his evolution into one of the NFL’s best guards.

“I learn the offense consistently from a center’s perspective,” Meinerz said. “I think you, as a guard, if you can understand our scheme from a center’s perspective, it will allow you to identify the defense quicker. If a new center comes in, like a younger guy or someone that����ap played guard and center, I can help them identify the ‘Mike’ (linebacker) and stuff like that. It����ap a tool I constantly keep sharpened, just in case it����ap needed. I hope I don’t have to use that tool, but if I do, I’m ready.”

Pat Bryant’s impressive camp continues

While new No. 1 wide receiver Jaylen Waddle continues to miss time with a muscle strain, second-year wideout Pat Bryant continued to be one of the stars of this camp Tuesday. He went up high over a defender to haul in a touchdown pass from Nix on a fourth-down play during a best-on-best team period, much to the delight of the fans in attendance — and his teammates.

“Pat Bryant, man, he’s a guy who literally can do everything on the field,” Broncos star linebacker Nik Bonitto said. “I mean, you see it — he’s making amazing play after amazing play every day. He’s out here and just his route running, all the things he does for the offense. He’s going to be a player for sure.”

Undrafted rookie wideout Kolbe Kastis also had an acrobatic touchdown catch on a pass from Sam Ehlinger late in practice during a two-minute drill.

Thumbs up

Under the radar? It’s not often a player with 104 targets to his name in the previous season flies under the radar, but that might be happening a bit with Troy Franklin. The third-year wide receiver hasn’t made the laundry list of highlight-reel grabs that Bryant has, but he’s been steady in camp. It’s not going to be easy for anybody to carve out a big role in the passing game behind Waddle, Sutton and maybe Bryant, but Franklin’s come a long way from his rookie year in 2024 in terms of understanding the offense and the ability to play multiple positions.

Thumbs down

Leave that one in the bag … During one situational period, the No. 1 offense faced a fourth down from the 22-yard line with seconds remaining and down six points. Nix ended up rolling to his right and tried to force a ball to a double-covered R.J. Harvey near the front-right corner of the end zone. It fell incomplete. If the Broncos face a similar scenario in a game, expect them to try something else.

Odds and ends

*  The past couple of practices have focused pretty heavily on specific situations during team scrimmage periods. It’s been a staple for Payton-coached teams. The Broncos went 11-2 in one-score games in 2025, tying an NFL record for most one-score wins and playing a huge role in the team’s ability to both win the AFC West and land the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

“Well, the situational part of the game, there’s like 53 — a lot of them are two-minute related — that come up each week,” Payton said. “It’s knowing how to react, knowing how to react defensively to what they’re thinking, offensively to what we’re thinking. You want to get to a point where you know them cold.”

* Bonitto has improved his sack total each year since entering the league, and has finished in the top-10 of the defensive player of the year each of the past two seasons. He has 27.5 sacks over the past two years. One of the resources at his disposal that has helped fuel his ascension? The guy he faces in practice, left tackle Garett Bolles.

“He’s been in this league for so long, and he’s gone against so many different types of rushers,” Bonitto said. “He’s probably, in my opinion, the best as a pass blocker in the game for sure. I’m always trying to just pick his brain about things, and what can help me in my game, and just how I can take that next step as a rusher to improve myself.”

* The Broncos opened the week with a pair of long practices in pads — “two bangers in a row,” All-Pro guard Quinn Meinerz told The Post — and now will transition to preparing for their preseason opener at Atlanta, which is Friday. Wednesday’s practice, originally slated to be open to the public, is instead closed and will be more of a game-planning session. Or at least as much of one as happens in the preseason. “It’ll be a couple evenings, call it two practices and maybe a walkthrough. Again, the most important thing is just getting the proper evaluation on (your own) guys.”

Fourth round? For the guy who’s been arguably the Broncos’ best runnner in camp since they put pads on?

Bargain of the draft.

With soft-tissue injuries mounting, it’s not a stretch to call Coleman ����apountry’s most important rookie.

Especially with J.K. Dobbins, Payton’s RB1, limping off the field during Monday’s drills.

When the Broncos visit Atlanta on Friday night in their preseason opener, it’s not all about the scoreboard. It’s about narratives. Bo Nix’s ankle. Davis Webb, Payton and the play-calling operation. Sam Ehlinger’s ascent. The rise of Pat Bryant III. Somebody, anybody, flashing from the tight end room.

But I want to see if Coleman can do to the Dirty Birds, or least Atlanta’s first or second team stoppers,

I want to see if Coleman is the J.K. comp this team missed last December and January. The bruiser. The grinder. The workhorse.

The eye test says Dobbins’ strengths are Coleman’s. So do the numbers.

First downs? Last fall, when everybody who lined up against the Washington Huskies knew what was coming, Coleman averaged 5 yards per carry with 11 of 83 carries piling up at least 10 yards. The season before that, he rattled off 5.8 yards per tote on first down, with 19 of 110 attempts going for at least 10 yards a pop.

Short-yardage? On third-down-and-3-yards-or-less last fall, Coleman notched a first down on 11 of 15 attempts. The year prior, he was 7-for-11.

Among running backs drafted in 2026, Coleman ranked second in broken tackles forced by the wonks at Pro Football Focus. No. 1 in his class? The only cat ahead of him? Jeremiyah Love, the No. 3 overall pick by Arizona, whom the Cardinals just gave $53 million guaranteed on his rookie deal — the most for a tailback in NFL history.

Since 2014, only two FBS backs with at least 500 collegiate carries have averaged more opponent missed tackles per rush than Coleman: Bijan Robinson, Ashton Jeanty and David Montgomery. Let’s see. That’s the best runner in the NFL now; a former No. 6 pick who piled up 975 yards on the ground for a laughable Raiders offense last fall; and a veteran who’s currently on a streak of seven straight seasons of at least 700 rushing yards.

Darn good company, I’d say.

There’s more. Blocking? What Coleman lacks in size (5-foot-8, 220 pounds), he makes up in sheer rage. PFF graded him out with a 70-plus (out of a 100) or better in pass-blocking with Washington each of the last two seasons. Also per PFF: three sacks allowed in four seasons as a collegiate blocker.

The book says Coleman committed just one fumble in 639 collegiate touches as a runner or receiver with Washington and Arizona. And only one drop over more than 120 targets as a receiver.

In other words, safer than a steel deadbolt. Trustworthy. The kind of guy Payton craves, and will inevitably need, given that Dobbins joined the soft-tissue injury club Monday — a table that’s already got Jaylen Waddle and Marvin Mims Jr.

“I think he’s going to be fine,” Payton said of Dobbins. “We’re just being smart with it.”

It wasn’t just smart to draft Coleman out of the University of Washington. It was borderline genius. Dobbins is 27. He’s coming off the best two back-to-back seasons of his NFL career, a high-stepping, high-volume hammer who’s averaging 4.8 yards per touch since 2024. You need a tone-setting run on first down, he’s your man. You need a tough couple yards on third-and-short, No. 27 knows how to move those chains north.

It’s just that, over these last two seasons, he’s also averaged only 12 appearances and 10 starts. At his peak.

Dobbins has become the Broncos’ version of Aaron Gordon: Physical, essential, a good teammate and a fan favorite … whose body also has a habit of repeatedly failing on him.

The Broncos were 8-2 (.800) last fall when Dobbins started and 6-0 when he touched the rock 16 times or more. The Nuggets went 27-9 (.750) during the ’25-26 regular season when AG played and 26-7 (.788) when he started.

The parallels are more than a little uncanny, aren’t they? When both are healthy, their teams feel whole, their systems make sense. And if they weren’t there, neither franchise had truly found a comparable replacement in case of an injury.

Until now.

Coleman has spent the last 11 days or so looking like the Broncos’ most complete runner after Dobbins himself. Willing blocker? Yep. Weapon out of the backfield? That, too. Angry runner inside? Check. Secure with the football? Absolutely. Home-run speed? Sure, although maybe not to the degree of an RJ Harvey, Tyler Badie or Jaleel McLaughlin.

Harvey’s strengths are his second and third gears. You just rarely saw them between the tackles. And that’s fine. If Harvey becomes the Broncos’ version of James White, it’s not necessarily a wasted draft pick. As a speedster who’s better in space, beating defenders around the perimeter, Harvey’s more of a compliment/caddy to Dobbins, more lightning to his thunder, than a like-for-like substitute.

“I think (as a) young runner,” Payton noted last week, “you don’t feel like a rookie with Jonah.”

Thank goodness for that. You’ll say it this weekend. You’ll say it Week 5. And Week 10. And in the AFC Championship game, if the fates are kind.

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

Injured reserve — DL Matt Henningsen (Achilles)

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

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

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

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

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

That continues a trend Payton mentioned off the top Monday.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thumbs Up

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

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

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

Thumbs Down

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

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

Odds and Ends

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bo Nix is eager for some preseason action, but neither he nor Broncos coach Sean Payton was ready to say if his first live reps since breaking his right ankle late in a January playoff win against the Buffalo Bills will come Friday in the team’s exhibition opener against the Atlanta Falcons.

Payton confirmed that some of the starters will play in Atlanta, but declined to say if his third-year quarterback would be among them.

“Yeah, I’m excited,” Nix said Monday at Broncos training camp. “I think preseason is always a great time to get back out there and get your feet wet a little bit and see defenses be in a live situation before the first game.”

Beyond further testing his surgically repaired ankle, Nix also has a new play-caller this season. First-year offensive coordinator Davis Webb has assumed the responsibilities from Payton, who has called plays during his 18 seasons as an NFL head coach.

The game Friday will not be Webb’s first time calling plays in a Broncos exhibition contest. He was at the controls during a 27-7 win against the Arizona Cardinals last season, but Nix did not play in that game.

“I’m really excited,” Nix said. “(Webb) is going to do a great job. He does a great job of preparing. He’s going to work harder than anybody else in the building at his craft. He’s going to do his job to the best of his ability. I think that����ap comforting when I go there and play and hear that voice inside my helmet.

“I also think it will be fun to grow and to learn as he goes. It����ap definitely not going to be easy for him to do it for the first time, but that����ap why he’s got the 11 on the field and Coach (Payton) to help support him.”

Nix has led the Broncos to a 24-10 record in his two seasons since being the No. 12 pick of the 2024 NFL draft, including a 14-3 mark a year ago. His 54 touchdown passes are third-most in league history after two seasons, but the addition of Jaylen Waddle and continuity everywhere else could have Nix primed for a breakout season in year three.

How his relationship with Webb develops could play a significant role. One question about how the logistics would work was answered pretty emphatically Monday.

Webb said Friday that he’d prefer to be on the sidelines during games instead of up in the coaches’ box. Payton and Nix both confirmed they’re on board with that idea three days later.

“It����ap not like we’re splitting the atom. That����ap probably where he’ll be with (his) communication with the QBs,” Payton said. “It����ap an area where I felt comfortable. I have that same vision.”

Payton said he and Webb haven’t had the meeting that will ultimately decide that, but both are already simpatico about it. Nix is also a big fan of having the guy in his ear down on the sideline instead of up in the booth.

“I’ve always loved from a quarterback to a play-caller when they’re on the sideline with me,” Nix said. “I feel like they get to feel the game a little bit differently. It����ap seeing the game from a different vantage point.

“I like when the play callers are with me and I can come off (the field) and have the eye-to-eye conversation. We can sit down and look at the pictures and go through them together and really get to hear from him and not have to call up to the office or get on a headset. I think the eye-to-eye communication is really important so I’m excited that he’s going to be down there with us.”

Whether the first chance for Nix and Webb to work together against another team comes Friday in Atlanta or at home against Green Bay the following week, they have already begun working on pre-snap communication between them in practice.

There have been “call it” periods during camp, including one Monday, where Webb uses the headset to communicate with Nix just like he would in a game. Those periods have allowed Webb to make calls based on different situations.

“He’s looking at the script to figure out the down and distance and shoot his shot,” Nix said. “We’ve got really good plays, so really it����ap just him giving us options and letting us go out there and play.”

Sean Payton’s team took the field six straight days — the last without him and several others as they traveled to Ohio for Drew Brees’ induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame — and came out the other side with a lot of work banked.

A week from now, Denver will have already played a preseason game at Atlanta.

The roster cutdown is three weeks away.

The Broncos open their season on Monday Night Football at Kansas City in 36 days.

OK, that����ap still a ways out, but the countdown is now on.

Jobs aren’t won and lost in the first week-plus of camp, but we’ve seen a lot of the Broncos and learned a lot, too.

Here are nine quick thoughts after 10 days on the field.

The Broncos offense is going to feel… different.

It����ap not yet clear how, but it����ap become increasingly clear that Denver’s offense is going to look and feel different with Davis Webb at the controls. Players talk about slightly different formations, slightly adjusted routes, more motion and changed assignments. Webb, Payton and company must decide what they want to hang their hat on in the run game, and that answer hasn’t availed itself to onlookers yet. Webb himself talked about offensive identity taking the early part of the season to form. But the notion that this is just going to be Webb calling plays off Payton’s sheet feels off. There might be plenty of Payton stuff to go along with some fresh ideas, but it will be with Webb’s spin, tempo and sequencing.

“I feel like Davis is doing a really good job of communicating with me and not over-communicating, but just give me a few things here and there,” quarterback Bo Nix said recently. “Reminders, little things about a play, like, ‘Hey, don’t forget this. Hey, remember you have this.’ So I think that����ap going to be great as we go with that communication in my ear.

“He’s been waiting for this moment for a long time. He’s been preparing for this, and he’s really put us in a good spot.”

“He’s got a bunch of wide-open concepts in practice because of shifts and motions,” Joseph said Saturday. “He’s worked very hard from the spring to now to put together and it looks really good. … The shifts and motions and the window dressing pre-snap has been good for all of us to see.”

The Broncos defense is going to look mostly the same

Vance Joseph’s defense, on the other hand, doesn’t have much need for change. Joseph has most of the same players back, and they know what they’re doing. It����ap been PhD ball for a veteran, cohesive group early in camp. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Joseph will tweak and adjust because you have to in the NFL, but this recipe hits just fine.

“You’re not coming into camp kind of stressed about learning,” veteran linebacker Alex 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 it’s, 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.”

Ehlinger has a real shot at the No. 2 QB job

Sam Ehlinger’s had two days running the No. 2s so far in camp, which may not seem like a lot, but it����ap two more than he got in all of last year’s camp. After the first, Payton said, basically, nothing to see here. It looks like something to see, though. In fact, it feels like Ehlinger’s making a real run at the gig. The Broncos like both Ehlinger and Jarrett Stidham and could keep all three on the 53-man roster despite a deep group and a good argument for keeping an extra guy somewhere else. But if Ehlinger plays well in the preseason — remember, he was pretty darn sharp last year — the Broncos will have a decision to make. Plus, if you’re toying with the idea of change after one guy has had the job for three seasons, you might just be looking for a reason to change.

Uwazurike might be a real problem for opposing offenses

The biggest loss on Denver’s defense was supposed to be John Franklin-Myers. It may still be, but the Broncos’ defensive line has been rolling so far in camp. Nobody in that group looks primed for a bigger leap than Eyioma Uwazurike, whom veteran D.J. Jones recently called “unblockable” and “scary.” Uwazurike is a force against the run and has budding pass-rush potential.

“I’m proud of him because, you guys know this, in our sport, any sport really, to just be out for a year can be difficult,” Payton said of Uwazurike, who was suspended for the entire 2023 season for violating the league’s gambling policy. “He’s really come back, developed. He’s strong, he’s big, and he’s having a real good start to camp. So I think you have to look at it as one less year than what����ap listed because of the year out.

“He’s doing really well.”

Malcolm Roach has seen an uptick in pass-rush reps, too. Can they generate consistent pressure in real games? Time will tell on that, but those two plus rookie Tyler Onyedim and second-year man Sai’Vion Jones — he’s stronger this summer but might have already fallen behind the rookie — look poised to fill the substantial gap JFM left.

There are two major questions on defense, even if they don’t seem pressing

Funny enough, while the d-line looks capable of covering up for JFM, the two biggest question marks on Joseph’s defense now are who replaces Dre Greenlaw at ILB and P.J. Locke at safety. You might say, what����ap the big deal? A No. 3 inside ’backer and a No. 3 safety can’t be that hard to figure out. Greenlaw played 324 snaps, though, and Locke played 173 after Brandon Jones was hurt. Of the Broncos’ four starters at linebacker and safety, only Justin Strnad has not dealt with a serious injury in the past two seasons.

Right now, the next man in at each spot looks like Levelle Bailey at ILB and Devon Key at S. Will that be the case come Sept. 14? Key’s in a strong position, but Bailey may have to fend off rookie seventh-rounder Red Murdock, who’s starting to make plays more consistently as camp moves toward its third week.

Bryant is making an early claim as Denver’s third wide receiver

Troy Franklin had 104 targets last year. Marvin Mims Jr. is putting together the best training camp of his career so far. But Pat Bryant, the second-year player out of Illinois, looks like the man. He makes plays day in and day out, and he’s got a complete skill set. He’s tough in the middle of the field. He can run after the catch. He’s Denver’s best blocking receiver, too. That����ap the profile of a guy who is going to play a lot. “It’ll be easy creating his role,” Payton said despite talking repeatedly about how stiff the competition is at receiver.

“It����ap healthy competition is what we like to call it,” Bryant said Friday. “At the end of the day, everybody’s job is on the line, but to come out here and compete, push each other, make sure everybody’s doing their job, helping each other out when it����ap needed. At the end of the day, we all have the same goal: let����ap go out there and win.”

There’s another wrinkle here: Courtland Sutton has no guaranteed money left after 2026. The Broncos will have to pay Jaylen Waddle sometime either next year or not far beyond. Denver’s been holding Sutton back this week in camp as part of a “load-management” protocol. Is a dip from 86% playing time next?

Lohner had a golden chance to make a push, but is missing out

Payton spoke glowingly about the second-year tight end who played just a handful of college snaps earlier this spring, but Caleb Lohner has yet to practice due to injury. He’s watched from off the field in recent days with a boot on his left foot. Perhaps he’ll be back to turning heads soon, but for now it����ap a missed opportunity because the Denver tight end room looks wide open.

Adam Trautman and Evan Engram have big roles, but there are just not a ton of splash plays and the rest of the room is a bit of a jumble. If Lohner gets back to being a rugged blocker with some athleticism in the passing game, he could still be a 2026 surprise.

Denver’s got real depth on the edge – and is clearly standing behind Cooper

The Broncos sent a clear message at the outset of training camp that they’re standing behind Jonathon Cooper — he’s facing a felony assault charge and other lesser charges related to a pair of domestic violence arrests in June — and Payton indicated the club believes there may be a resolution to the proceedings soon. Even if that happens, Cooper will still be subject to a potential NFL suspension. Regardless of his status at the start of the regular season, the Broncos have enviable depth on the edge. Jonah Elliss and Dondrea Tillman are trusted rotation members from a year ago, Que Robinson has played well in camp so far, and Drew Sanders is healthy, as well.

Payton thinks he finally has the Broncos running back room right

Payton and Co. really muddled through the first two years of his tenure here at running back. A 2025 overhaul brought in J.K. Dobbins via free agency and RJ Harvey via the draft, but the group never felt like it quite fit together neatly, and then it fell off a cliff when Dobbins was injured. Now with rookie Jonah Coleman added to Dobbins and Harvey, Payton’s got a trio he loves. “We’re a lot further along in that position group than maybe — well, I know we are (better) than three years ago.”

Coleman’s made quite an impression in the building already as a rookie. Whether he or Harvey ends up the third down and two-minute back remains to be seen, but Denver’s got talent and depth rather than one or the other for the first time in Payton’s tenure.