It is experienced. It is accomplished. This group has set records the past two seasons, racking up sacks at a rate few defenses in NFL history have ever maintained.

The Broncos have to replace John Franklin-Myers in the starting lineup and a pair of contributors last year in Dre Greenlaw and P.J. Locke. They appear poised to do so ably, particularly on the defensive line, where several younger players have shown flashes in training camp.

This group is convinced it’ll break its own sack record again, though Joseph told them they don’t need to. They just need to perform and win games. If they create well more than last year’s 12 takeaways, all the better.

Here’s a look at the Broncos’ probable defensive two-deep come the fall.

Defensive lineman

Zach Allen | 99
6-foot-5, 285 pounds, 29 years old, 8th season, Boston College

Allen’s best two years came with close friend John Franklin-Myers playing next to him, so the challenge for the $100 million man and first-team All-Pro is pretty simple: Maintain his standing as one of the best in the business with some new faces around him.

Tyler Onyedim
6-foot-3, 292 pounds, 23 years old, Rookie, Texas A&M

The promising rookie may not crack the starting lineup right away, but he’s got the ability to play in the rotation in some form or fashion this fall. If injuries strike, Onyedim will need to be ready quickly.

Nose tackle

D.J. Jones | 93
6-foot, 305 pounds, 31 years old, 10th season, Mississippi

Jones just keeps going and going and going. He played some of the best ball of his career in 2025 and looks primed to keep it going this fall. Jones is a high-end run-stuffer and a critical, under-the-radar leader of the defense.

Eyioma Uwazurike
6-foot-6, 320 pounds, 28 years old, 4th season, Iowa State

The list of Broncos breakout candidates doesn’t go far before landing on Uwazurike. He’s had a monster training camp and appears ready to show it to the rest of the league. He’s a massive human, and he can move.

Defensive lineman

Malcolm Roach | 97
6-foot-3, 290 pounds, 28 years old, 7th season, Texas

Roach keeps adding to his repertoire. First he was a high-end run-stuffer. Then he added leader and culture-setter once he arrived in Denver. Now he’s a feisty pass-rusher, too. That adds up to a truly valuable player and person for Joseph’s group.

Jordan Jackson | 94
6-foot-5, 289 pounds, 23 years old, 2nd season, LSU

Every year Jackson is billed as a bubble player, and every year so far he’s made it and then found himself on the field. Sai’Vion Jones is a third-round pick from 2025, and maybe that ends up mattering here, but Jackson’s a better player at this stage.

Outside linebacker

Nik Bonitto | 15
6-foot-3, 240, 26, 5th season, Oklahoma

Bonitto has improved in each of his pro seasons and now has a $100 million-plus contract and a reputation as one of the most feared pass-rushers in the NFL. He’s probably already underpaid. If he takes another step forward this fall, look out.

Jonah Elliss | 52
6-foot-2, 246, 23, 3rd season, Utah

Elliss couldn’t stay healthy in 2025, but he’s had a terrific training camp this summer and looks primed to take a leap in his third pro season. He’s a naturally talented rusher who’s strong enough to handle run duties and versatile enough to play in the middle of the field some, too.

Outside linebacker

Que Robinson
6-foot-4, 243 pounds, 25, 2nd season, Alabama

One of the prime breakout candidates for the Broncos, Robinson showed tantalizing flashes as a rookie and now looks set to be a regular. He could start if Cooper is suspended. Dondrea Tillman figures to factor in here, too.

Inside linebacker

Alex Singleton | 49
6-foot-2, 240 pounds, 32, 8th season, Montana State

Fans may not have liked Denver’s ILB production last year, but you know who did? Vance Joseph. His opinion, obviously, is the one that matters. Singleton is cancer-free, healthy, back on a new two-year deal and is Joseph’s eyes and ears on the field.

Jordan Turner | 55
6-foot-1, 231 pounds, 24, 2nd season, Michigan State

Turner played special teams last year and is a player the Broncos think has developmental traits. Now he’s potentially a snap away from being counted on defensively.

Inside linebacker

Justin Strnad | 40
6-foot-3, 235 pounds, 30, 7th season, Wake Forest

Strnad put together the best year of his career in 2025 and landed a new three-year contract as a result. It’ll be interesting to see if he’s on the field rather than Singleton in some sub packages and, if so, if that means he wears the green dot.

Karene Reid | 47
6-foot, 226 pounds, 26, 2nd season, Utah

Reid made the team last year as an undrafted rookie primarily as a special teamer and could be next in line defensively after Levelle Bailey was injured in the preseason. Second-year man Jordan Turner could make a run and so could rookie Taurean York.

Cornerback

Pat Surtain II | 2
6-foot-2, 202 pounds, 26, 6th season, Alabama

Superlatives for Surtain almost don’t move the needle anymore. The best corner in football? Yeah. Four Pro Bowls, three All-Pro nods and 2024 Defensive Player of the Year? Yep. Hall of Fame track? Inarguably. He’s the best player on the team, and the most disruptive defense in the NFL is built around the idea that there are very few better on the planet.

Kris Abrams-Draine | 31
5-foot-11, 178 pounds, 24, 3rd season, Missouri

Every time Abrams-Draine has been thrown into action, he’s acquitted himself well. There’s little doubt he’d start for at least a handful – and maybe more than that – of teams around the league. He’s luxurious depth to have outside.

Cornerback

Riley Moss | 21
6-foot-1, 193 pounds, 26, 4th season, Iowa

Few Broncos have had better training camps than Moss. He is a terrific athlete and is wired for the job. If he plays a little smarter, a little less handsy and with a little more refined technique this fall, he’s not only going to make an elite pair with Surtain, but he could play his way into a massive payday.

Jahdae Barron | 23
5-foot-11, 200 pounds, 24, 2nd season, Texas

Who’s first up outside if the Broncos have a need? Barron or Abrams-Draine? The early bet is on KAD, but Barron has got a ton of work both outside and in the slot so far in training camp. The perimeter isn’t his strong suit just yet, and it occasionally shows against Denver’s deep receiver group.

Nickel

Ja’Quan McMillian | 29
5-foot-10, 183 pounds, 26, 4th season, East Carolina

McMillian went from undrafted to backup to one of the best slot men in football. He’s been a playmaking machine, made one of the great plays in Broncos playoff history with a game-saving pick against Buffalo in January and is the heartbeat of Denver’s defense.

Jahdae Barron | 23
5-foot-11, 200 pounds, 24, 2nd season, Texas

Barron’s most natural position is in the slot. He didn’t beat out McMillian as a rookie in 2025, and it wasn’t really even a competition this summer. Barron, though, will be used occasionally in the slot, certainly as Denver’s dime back. How many ways can Joseph find to get him on the field?

Safety

Talanoa Hufanga | 9
6-foot, 200 pounds, 26, 6th season, USC

Hufanga’s first season in Denver was a smashing success, both in that he played the entire year and that he brought a physical element to the back end of the defense. Hufanga’s played so much football but is still just 26 years old. Year 2 in Joseph’s system should be fruitful.

Devon Key | 26
6-foot, 208 pounds, 28, 3rd season, Western Kentucky

Midway through camp, Key looks like the next man in if either safety misses time. His defensive time in the starting lineup a couple years back wasn’t pretty, but coaches and teammates think he’s grown considerably as a player since then.

Safety

Brandon Jones | 22
6-foot, 191 pounds, 28, 7th season, Texas

Jones was playing really good football last year before a torn pec ended his season in December. He’s good in coverage, a sure tackler and yet another veteran in Denver’s secondary.

JL Skinner | 34
6-foot-4, 220 pounds, 25, 4th season, Boise State

Skinner has been a high-quality special teams player so far in his career but has not broken through as a reliable defender. This is a key autumn for him in that department. He played through a torn labrum last year. Eventually, this spot could go to veteran Taylor Rapp.

Punter

Jeremy Crawshaw | 16
6-foot-3, 205 pounds, 25, 2nd season, Florida

Crawshaw hit some big punts in the postseason, and this summer looks capable of jumping into the NFL’s upper echelon. He’s got major power behind the ball and has been steering it well, too.

But after Jonathon Cooper was placed on the NFL commissioner’s exempt list in connection with several charges stemming from a pair of domestic violence-related arrests, Denver will now need to replace its second-best pass rusher of the Sean Payton era before a grueling opening stretch of the season.

Cooper has posted 176 pressures in the last three seasons, only 13 less than All-Pro edge rusher Nik Bonitto. He has been on the field for 743 true passing downs since Payton took over, according to .

Cooper’s also been one of the Broncos’ sturdiest run defenders during his career. Vance Joseph called him the team’s “best guy” when the defensive coordinator arrived in 2023, and it has shown on the field. Cooper’s played more snaps than any Denver edge rusher under Joseph — including 300 more snaps than Bonitto. He also fully practiced this offseason and played in the three preseason games while his status for the season was in limbo.

That’s a lot of snaps — production — that the Broncos will need to find from a litany of players. Expect three players to try and fill the void: third-year player Jonah Elliss, second-year edge rusher Que Robinson and third-year linebacker Dondrea Tillman.

None has played a ton in Joseph’s defense. Elliss has been on the field for 38 percent of Denver’s defensive snaps in his first two seasons and Robinson recorded only 10 pressures in his rookie season, according to PFF. Tillman’s the most proven of the three, posting five and four sacks in his two years .

Denver’s coaching staff is confident in its group opposite of Bonitto, though. Expect a lot of rotation. Joseph’s defenses tend to substitute edge rushers frequently and Payton said there will be a snap count for the three rushers against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1.

“There’s certain strengths that they have, whether they fall into more third-down or passing situations. One of the strengths of that front has been our ability to play more than just the starting unit,” Payton said.

Elliss took most of the third edge rusher snaps throughout the summer and seems primed to take the bulk of Cooper’s stats. The third-year linebacker out of Utah almost switched to inside linebacker this offseason before the Broncos maintained his position. He has struggled with injuries, missing several games last year. Denver needs him to be a steadying presence while Cooper’s unavailable.

“The coaches have spent a little extra time with me, really talking about what I needed to improve on, areas I needed to grow,” Elliss about his improvements this offseason.

Tillman is the most proven of the three pass rushers. He recorded at least two pressures in eight games last season and hurried the opposing quarterback 16 times, according to PFF. The former United Football League player has fit in with the Broncos’ edge rotation well over the past few years and could be expected to play a bigger role this year.

But Robinson might be the biggest swing factor for the room. He has received significant praise from coaches and players for the leap he took this offseason. In the preseason, Robinson was the team’s most effective pass rusher, accumulating seven pressures and one sack. He’s also a bigger body at 6-foot-4 and 243 pounds, meaning he could be on the field for earlier downs.

Joseph said he thinks Robinson can be a “future starter” after watching the tape from the six games he played in last year. His teammates agree.

“The guy I have been super impressed with, and I’ve told him, is Que Robinson,” tight end Evan Engram said at the Broncos’ practice Wednesday. “He’s been a force all camp… He’s definitely growing as a player and he has a bright future ahead of him for sure.”

Denver certainly hopes Robinson’s future — and its other options at edge — arrives sooner rather than later.

Roger Goodell placed Jonathon Cooper on the commissioner’s exempt list on Sunday. Hopefully, he closed the door when doing the Broncos’ dirty work.

The team chose to support Cooper as he faced a felony assault charge for strangulation, along with three other lesser charges connected to a pair of domestic violence-related arrests in June.

I argued that the Broncos should have released him because of the details in the affidavit and the breach of trust following the initial incident.

For the first time, Cooper is suffering football consequences. He cannot participate in practices and games while the league investigates whether to suspend him under the personal conduct policy.

The team has his back.

“We continue to take this very serious. And we are going to monitor all the legal developments and continue to support Jonathon,” general manager George Paton said Sunday night. “Jonathon has worked very hard to better himself. It will be good to have him in the building.”

Cooper can attend meetings, work out at the facility and get paid — until the league reaches a resolution.

But he cannot play.

This is a bigger deal than most think, given the Week 1 opponent.

Cooper has performed his best against the Chiefs, delivering 4.5 sacks and 10 quarterback hits in 10 games, career-highs against any team.

His absence puts the onus on his teammates to step up, beginning in one of the toughest venues in the sport: Arrowhead Stadium. On Monday Night. With the return of quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

The Chiefs will pull out all the stops, save for Taylor Swift performing at halftime and “ChiefsAholic” getting a weekend furlough to wear his gray wolf suit one more time.

The Broncos are 1-9 in their last 10 games in Kansas City. But 1-0 in their last appearance, snapping a nine-game skid last Christmas.

Of the few concerns about this season’s team, one is consistently overlooked: defensive regression.

The unit quietly went from a roadblock to a detour a year ago.

The Broncos allowed 13.8 points over the first 11 games.

Over the final nine, including the playoffs, the number jumped to 19.8, and it would have been worse had they not faced forgettable backups Chris Oladokun and Trey Lance in the final two weeks of the regular season.

Determined to start fast in the face of a wicked opening six-game schedule, the Broncos will have to do it without Cooper, who has five quarterback hits and two sacks in five road games against the Chiefs.

Whether you believe Cooper is guilty or innocent — remember, he can still be banned for multiple games by the NFL without a conviction — his actions put the Broncos in a difficult spot.

Don’t be surprised if Nik Bonitto knows more about chips than the folks at Frito-Lay after the opener. He is going to get double-teamed more than Nikola Jokic.

Remember, Bonitto has never started a game without Cooper on the opposite side. And while Cooper is best known for setting the edge, his ability to reach the quarterback demands respect.

The Broncos chose to let Cooper practice, believing he deserved another chance after he completed inpatient therapy at a clinic near Vail for roughly 40 days. He took starters’ snaps, and played in all three preseason games, even though it was always likely he would miss time.

It can be argued that a heavy workload was appropriate given the possibility of a long layoff. It can also be reasoned that the bulk of those snaps should have gone to Jonah Elliss, the third edge rusher all summer, with a few extras sprinkled in for Dondrea Tillman and Que Robinson.

The Broncos began the offseason determined to move Elliss to inside linebacker. On June 4, coach Sean Payton ended the experiment, saying he was staying at edge. The next day, Cooper and his former girlfriend were arrested.

Elliss is relentless. His effort annoys tackles. But he has yet to reach his potential. Why? He has dealt with multiple shoulder issues and a hamstring injury during his first two seasons. He played one of his best games last year against the Chiefs, registering a half-sack and two quarterback hits.

It means Elliss can meet the moment. But it also means he must prove it because it came against a quarterback who looked like he should be throwing passes on the beach to Daejon Love.

Tillman is a playmaker. He is also a utility player. More snaps won’t necessarily make him more effective.

The man who can cover for Cooper is Robinson. He finished last season with four tackles for loss, four quarterback hits and 1.5 sacks in 162 snaps. But he never played more than 34 as a rookie.

Elliss and Tillman are steady and have played in big games. Robinson is capable of a starburst and has the highest ceiling.

“After the season, watching the cut-ups, when Que played, he played really well,” defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said. “He looked like a guy who can be a future starter.”

Those remarks made their way back to Robinson, providing a boost over the last month.

“It is a motivator for sure. I can’t get it out of my head. I know it takes a lot for a coach to say something like that,” Robinson said Friday. “With V.J., I just want to prove him right. Having the rest of guys, like Coop and Nik behind me and the rest of the guys believe in me. .. they can see it just as much as I do. That helps a lot.”

Entering his second season, Robinson has never been needed more. Cooper is out, and the Broncos don’t know when he will return.

Paton believes in the depth. But let’s be real, for the Broncos not to miss Cooper, they need a certain 25-year-old from the University of Alabama to go from in the queue to performing on cue.

“I thought about that during every preseason game, what that (Monday) night will be like. After I hear the national anthem I get a little emotional. I almost cry because as a kid this is what I would dream for. And you know, it seems surreal,” Robinson said. “But, I am a guy who is willing to dominate a game and take over if need be.”

Come Sept. 14, ����apountry will hold him to it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“So that����ap always a challenge.”

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

Changes from last week’s projection are italicized.

OFFENSE (24)

QUARTERBACKS (3)

Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, Sam Ehlinger

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

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

RUNNING BACK (3)

J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Jonah Coleman

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

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

TIGHT END (4)

Adam Trautman, Evan Engram, Nate Adkins and Justin Joly

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

WIDE RECEIVER (5)

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

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

OFFENSIVE LINE (9)

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

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

DEFENSE (26)

DEFENSIVE LINE (7)

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

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

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

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER (5)

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

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

INSIDE LINEBACKER (5)

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

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

CORNERBACK (5)

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

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

SAFETY (4)

Talanoa Hufanga, Brandon Jones, Devon Key, JL Skinner

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

SPECIAL TEAMS (3)

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

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

The club signed , a 26-year-old outside linebacker who has played the past two seasons in the UFL.

Denver released another former UFL star, wide receiver Hakeem Butler, in a corresponding move.

Stone practiced with the Broncos on Tuesday and the timing of his addition lines him up to be a contender for the 53-man roster.

“This kid is smart, he’s tough,” defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said after practice. “(Inside linebackers coach Jeff) Schmedding actually coached him a year in college. So we’re familiar with this kid. He practiced today and make a couple plays. I was surprised, he even peeled (off) on a pressure. So, with a 10-minute meeting before practice.

“He’ll play a bunch on Friday and we’ll see where he’s at.”

Stone, listed at 6-foot-3 and 257 pounds, played his college football at Washington State and then signed as an undrafted free agent with the Las Vegas Raiders after the 2024 NFL Draft. He was waived at the roster cutdowns with an injury designation and didn’t land on a practice squad.

As UFL tries to become NFL’s ‘developmental league,’ Broncos are gaining reputation as a landing spot

Instead, Stone played the 2025 and 2026 spring seasons in the UFL. Playing for the Michigan Panthers in 2025, Stone had 3.5 sacks and four tackles for loss. Then in 2026 he played for the Columbus Aviators and collected 5.5 sacks and five tackles for loss.

The Broncos have struck gold at outside linebacker from the UFL before. They signed Dondrea Tillman from that league in the spring of 2024. He didn’t play early in the 2024 season but now has appeared in each of Denver’s past 29 regular-season games and racked up nine sacks along with eight tackles for loss and a pair of interceptions.

Stone’s addition to Denver’s outside linebacker room is an interesting one. The Broncos have enviable depth at the position from starters Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper through a reserve trio of Tillman, Jonah Elliss and Que Robinson. They also have 2023 third-round draft pick Drew Sanders, but he has struggled mightily to stay healthy over the past two seasons.

Denver also doesn’t yet know if Cooper will be available to start the season, but a suspension or a placement on the commissioner’s exempt list appears squarely in play as Cooper faces a felony assault charge and other lesser charges stemming from a pair of domestic violence-related arrests in June.

Stone’s signing, if he plays well over the next couple of weeks, could give Denver some roster depth early in the season if the team is without Cooper.

Butler, meanwhile, was an intriguing add at wide receiver this summer after he twice won UFL offensive player of the year. The production just never followed through training camp, however, and he fell behind not only Denver’s deep set of receivers who are likely to make the 53-man roster, but also a group of undrafted rookies like Cameron Ross, Kolbe Katsis and Joseph Manjack IV who have each made more plays and looked more comfortable over the past two weeks.

Hey, if Von Miller could play tight end, I’d open the checkbook and roll out the orange carpet. If you think Davis Webb is hot to trot now, just wait ’til you see what our guy cooks up from “23” personnel.

Alas, the Vonster plays outside linebacker. And at age 37, he’s now a situational outside linebacker, at that. The Broncos already have plenty.

“Obviously, I wouldn’t start,” Miller, who’s reportedly agreed to a 1-year deal with his hometown Dallas Cowboys for 2026, told The Post’s Parker Gabriel back in May. “Obviously, I wouldn’t play special teams.”

Points for saying the quiet part out loud, at least. Jonah Elliss, meanwhile, played 254 special-teams snaps last fall, and 257 in 2024. Also, Elliss just turned 23. And he’s got a cap number of only $1.6 million for ’26. So he’s making about $213,000 per career sack (7.5) since 2024.

Per Pro-Football-Reference.com, Miller has played all of three special-teams snaps the last two seasons. Von just inked a 1-year deal with his hometown Dallas Cowboys worth up to $7.5 million, allegedly. He’ll be raking in roughly $500,000 per career sack recorded (15) over the last two years.

Which means Elliss isn’t just younger than Von. He’s cheaper. And, potentially, better — better this fall, at least. Better for this locker room, too.

Remember Shaq Barrett?

The Broncos have two of him now. Four, if you include Dondrea Tillman and Drew Sanders.

After raising Cain in the Broncos’ 27-7 rout of Atlanta last Friday night, Elliss tied for second among all NFL defenders in total sacks/hits/hurries (five) from Week 1 of the preseason. And one of those pressures set up a diving Riley Moss interception in the first half.

“I’m always willing to do whatever the team needs me to do,” Elliss told us after practice last week. “Whether that����ap playing inside (linebacker) or playing on special teams. Whatever I can do to help us get to a championship, I’m willing to do.”

Elliss against the Falcons was credited with two tackles and two pass break-ups. Pro Football Focus graded him out with team-highs in overall score (91.3 out of 100) and in pass-rushing score (90.7). PFF’s No. 2 Broncos defender in Georgia? Fellow edge-rusher Que Robinson was second in the queue, with an 87.2 overall score and an 85.3 pass-rushing grade after four tackles and a QB hit. And the Broncos’ only official sack of the evening came from another outside ‘backer, Sanders — a guy who was, ironically enough, drafted with a pick acquired via the trade of the Vonster to the Rams back in 2021.

“Oh man, he’s been great,” Elliss said last week when asked about Robinson. “Not only has he excelled on the field, but he’s out there, and it feels like he’s a vet. I come off the field, maybe had a bad rush, or maybe had a bad rush in the wrong (situation), and he’s telling me what he saw. And he’s really just trying to elevate the room as a whole. Que’s been great, both on and off the field, helping everyone grow in the room and just making a competitive room.”

That room could get a bit thinner, though. And soon. The NFL opened the week by doling out at least four suspensions. Broncos edge rusher Jonathon Cooper wasn’t on the list, but Falcons outside linebacker James Pearce Jr. was. And you might want to put a mental pin in the latter’s case for future reference.

This past March, the Atlanta defender was charged with three felonies and a misdemeanor by the Miami-Dade (Florida) State Attorney following an incident that involved WNBA forward Rickea Jackson. Pearce reportedly used his car to follow and then collide with a vehicle driven by Jackson. Arrest reports indicate Pearce fled on foot from local police before being arrested. He was eventually charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon; fleeing and eluding police; resisting an officer with violence to his or her person; and a misdemeanor charge of aggravated stalking.

Closer to home, Cooper was arrested twice in June, during the OTA/mini-camp portion of the Broncos’ spring calendar, after incidents that allegedly involved his then-girlfriend. Following the second, he was charged with harassment, violating a protection order, and felony second-degree assault by strangulation.

. But Pearce landed an eight-game suspension Monday for violating the league’s code of conduct policy. Set your bars accordingly.

The tea leaves still say a ban for Cooper is coming, and knowing the love for Broncos coach Sean Payton up at NFL HQ, it’ll probably come at the worst possible time.

In other words? Hope for the best, brace for the rest. The Broncos need to be prepared for the league’s hammer to fall, to be stripped of Cooper for weeks at a time. Friday night gave more credence to the idea that they’re ready. And able. Even without Miller’s help.

“I mean, it means a lot that the coaches see that in me,” Elliss said last week. “Now I’ve got to prove it.”

So far, so good. In the meantime, be happy for Miller. , in front of family and friends, a fitting farewell for an orange-and-blue hero who’ll be wearing a gold jacket.

You could crash an AI data center with what’s been written about Miller and how he helped the Broncos win a third Super Bowl title. A lot less has been written, though, about how Miller’s departure five years ago is helping to secure a fourth.

The Vonster was shipped to the Rams for two picks in the ’22 draft — one in the second, one in the third. The second-rounder became Nik Bonitto out of Oklahoma — Von’s virtual replacement.

The third-rounder was eventually swapped for a fifth-round pick in ’22 that became Luke Wattenberg out of Washington, and another third-rounder in ’23, which became Sanders.

Miller turned into two linebackers, a starting center, 38 sacks and 45 TFLs since 2022 on 2,549 defensive snaps. And Sanders has accounted for only 276 of those due to injuries.

Over the previous four seasons, the Vonster put up 23 sacks and 23 TFLs on 1,407 snaps. Bonitto has been good for a sack every 53.97 snaps since 2023; Von’s rate over that same stretch is one every 63.8 snaps.

“All the cut-up tape, his production, his ball disruption, it just, for me, felt like, ‘Man, we’re taking a position that����ap harder to find, and moving him to a position that we think might be a little bit easier to replace,'” Payton said of Elliss recently. “That����ap not to say that we can’t package a few things. But I think we felt like he’s really ascending as an edge player. And we didn’t want to disrupt that.”

Nor should you. Not even for one last ride. Nostalgia can cover up a lot of cracks, but not a production drop of 15.4% from a legend in the winter of his career, a fading star with a star on the side of his helmet.

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

Non-football injury list: ILB Jordan Turner.

Did not practice: WR Jaylen Waddle (muscle strain), WR Marvin Mims Jr., C Luke Wattenberg (shoulder), TE Nate Adkins, TE Caleb Lohner (foot/ankle), DL Matt Henningsen (Achilles), OLB Dasan McCullough, CB Sean Fresch, Jr., K Wil Lutz (at Hall of Fame).

Load management: CB Pat Surtain II, DT Zach Allen, RT Mike McGlinchey, TE Evan Engram.

Left practice: DL Eyioma Uwazurike.

Uwazurike’s injury happened right near the end of practice in a two-minute situation. He walked to the team’s facility without issue, though he was shaking out and flexing his hand, while a member of the medical staff followed him. It����ap worth monitoring in particular because Uwazurike has been one of the stories of camp. The 2022 fourth-round pick has been outstanding in both run support and rushing the passer and looks primed for a breakout season after blossoming into a trusted rotation piece last year.

Mims and Adkins watched practice Saturday, one day after each left with injuries. Mims appears to have avoided serious injury when he pulled up on a deep route Friday.

Waddle moved up to some jogging, progress from previous days after he sustained a muscle strain earlier in the week.

Henningsen (Achilles) was placed on injured reserve Saturday, which officially ends his season.

Bryant, in the midst of a monster camp, made the play of the day

The Broncos staged the closest they’ll get to a scrimmage during camp, though it was still parsed into situations and sets of plays, like a normal camp practice. But after stretch and individual periods, nearly everything Denver did on a blistering-hot Saturday morning was 11-on-11.

Perhaps not surprisingly given the way training camp has gone so far, second-year wide receiver Pat Bryant made the play of the day.

Operating in the red zone, Bo Nix faced quick pressure in the pocket after the snap and had no play but to throw the ball up. He lofted it almost blind into the back-right corner of the end zone. Bryant, working toward the corner, went up high over both Ja’Quan McMillan and Jahdae Barron, high-pointed the ball and toe-tapped near the back pylon for a touchdown.

It was a terrific play, maybe the best of camp so far, and a continuation of an impressive training camp for the 2025 third-round pick out of Illinois.

“Man, ‘Patty Ice’ has had some really, really good practices,” offensive coordinator Davis Webb said Saturday. … “Pat is very, very savvy. Smart. When he catches the ball his feet are on the ground. Those are the things we were attracted to when he was coming out of Illinois. It����ap really, really cool to see him take another jump this early into Year 2.”

Davis Webb’s nickname for Pat Bryant: “Patty Ice.”

— Parker Gabriel (@ParkerJGabriel)

Consider defensive coordinator Vance Joseph sold. Entirely sold.

“He made two (plays) today that were unbelievable, but that����ap been all camp,” Joseph said. “That����ap what he can be. He’s the guy in that room, in my opinion — he blocks, he catches the ball in traffic, he can track the ball vertically, he’s great in the red zone. He’s the complete package. He’s got great size, and he loves to play. He’s the same player every day.”

Thumbs up

A bounce-back play. This has not been a glorious training camp for former UFL receiver Hakeem Butler. He’s failed to secure contested catches — not great considering he’s 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds — and in general hasn’t made many plays. He made a terrific one on Saturday, though, jumping high over veteran corner Sam Webb down the sideline to haul in a jump ball from Sam Ehlinger.

Safety valve. The Broncos were rotating through a ton of different players at safety on Saturday with Talanoa Hufanga on a veteran rest day, Brandon Jones not taking a full load of reps and Devon Key working early in practice on the side field. Undrafted rookie Parker Robertson made the most of it in a team period with the No. 3 unit when he closed on a ball thrown behind the receiver over the middle of the field and came down with an interception. Denver quarterbacks haven’t thrown many in team settings during camp so far, but Robertson capitalized.

Thumbs down

Rookie moments. Few positions are more difficult to make an impact at than tight end. Justin Joly is learning about the steep climb. He hasn’t made many splash plays in camp — though coaches say they’re encouraged by the work he’s done overall — and on Saturday the fifth-round pick flat-out dropped a ball on his hands in the middle of the field. It looked as though Joly perhaps lost concentration as outside linebacker Jonah Elliss closed in for what, in a game, would have been a crunching hit.

Odds and ends

* One day after Nix led a surgical two-minute drive for a touchdown, the Broncos defense prevailed twice in nearly identical situations. This time around, Nix and the top offense had 1:22 left, trailing by 4 and 62 yards to go. Nix and Co. pushed the ball into the red zone thanks in part to a 24-yard completion to Troy Franklin, but stalled out there. Nix had to spike the ball after that play to stop the clock, then Courtland Sutton may have been held on second-and-goal, but the ball to him in the end zone fell incomplete. Then Sutton couldn’t haul in what looked like a catchable ball along the sideline on third down. Nix tried Franklin again in the back of the end zone on a do-or-die fourth-and-goal, but he was double covered from the start and reserve safety JL Skinner knocked the pass down easily to notch a win for the defense. Sam Ehlinger led the second group and took them briskly down to the 8-yard line before three straight incompletions — third down was a broken play from the start — and a fourth-down sack thanks to Que Robinson and Dondrea Tillman.

* Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph ran practice Saturday along with special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi because Sean Payton was in Canton for Drew Brees’ Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement. Joseph, though, laughed off any sense that he had much more responsibility than normal. “Sean left a great plan in place,” Joseph said. “It was more than me. It was the staff, the players. It����ap been scripted for a week and a half. So we all fell in, did our jobs, and now we’re done.”

* No team wants to punt the ball a lot, but when the Broncos do this fall, they appear to be in good care with second-year man Jeremy Crawshaw. He’s been booming the ball more consistently during camp and on Saturday pounded several high spirals with 5-second-plus hang time. Not only that, but he successfully angled several of them toward the sideline, leaving returners with very little or no chance at returning the ball. Last summer, Payton felt the need to rush the punt team on in the middle of offensive periods multiple times to try to give Crawshaw more game-like feeling because he was shanking far too many. A year later, he looks to be on the right track.

* With McGlinchey getting a rest day Saturday, the Broncos split tackle reps between Alex Palczewski and Frank Crum. They’ve both had heavy workloads in camp and, not surprisingly, the Broncos clearly want each to be comfortable playing multiple positions. Crum has played a lot of reps at both left and right tackle, while ‘Palcho’ has seen extensive time at right tackle and left guard. They, in some combination.

* A non-exhaustive list of players who have contributed or been in the picture for the Broncos who appear to be having solid training camps, but haven’t made the kind of eye-popping plays that generate buzz or headlines: TE Lucas Krull, WR Michael Bandy, ILB Levelle Bailey and RB Jaleel McLaughlin.

* The Broncos are always looking for talent at cornerback, and undrafted rookie Brent Austin has done some good things in camp. He’s not likely to make the 53-man roster, but the former Cal corner looks like a player worth trying to stash and develop.

* The roster churn is on for the Broncos. In addition to placing Henningsen on injured reserve, Denver also released cornerback Sam Webb. Those moves followed the waiver Friday of injured corner Jaden Robinson. The three new players: Receivers Kyree Duplessis and Kyrese Rowan — they each practiced Saturday— and cornerback Ricardo Hallman. Hallman worked out for the Broncos the same day as Webb last week, but Denver at that time opted for Webb. Now they’ll get a look at Hallman next week instead.

* A true VIP was on hand at Broncos practice Saturday: Mikaela Shiffrin. The world’s most decorated downhill skier watched the latter stages of practice from the sideline and was presented with a No. 110 Broncos jersey. The number, of course, is a nod to the Vail native’s record number of World Cup victories.

Welcome to , !

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bo Nix delivered a beauty of a two-minute drill

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thumbs Up

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

Thumbs Down

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

Odds and Ends

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Physically Unable to Perform list — OL Nick Gargiulo. Non-football injury list — ILB Jordan Turner. Did not practice — OLB Drew Sanders (unknown), TE Caleb Lohner (lower-body injury), WR Joseph Manjack IV (back)

Still no sign of the oft-injured Sanders, who’s been absent for unclear reasons through the first couple days of training camp. Lohner, meanwhile, hasn’t actually taken the field since Denver’s rookie minicamp in May, while rehabbing surgery for a lower-body injury.

Manjack IV, an undrafted rookie receiver out of TCU, is dealing with a back issue and could be back in camp as early as Monday, a source told The Denver Post.

The Jarrett Stidham-Sam Ehlinger QB2 competition has officially arrived. Maybe.

A day after Broncos head coach Sean Payton dodged a question about an impending backup-quarterback competition — “There’s competition at all these spots,” Payton said — Denver’s second-and-third-team offenses saw a massive shift in operation on the second full day of camp Saturday.

For the first time in any camp practice, since Denver first signed their erstwhile QB3 in March 2025, Sam Ehlinger took the second-team reps during every team period Saturday. Jarrett Stidham, who has served as the Broncos’ QB2 for three straight seasons, ran with the third-team offense.

Payton, for his part, again tempered any notion Saturday that Ehlinger has supplanted Stidham or is even challenging him for the backup job behind Bo Nix.

“There was nothing remarkable, or anything we discussed in meeting,” Payton said, asked about the reasoning for the change in reps. “So maybe they just unfolded where, yeah … but I wouldn’t make anything into it.”

Still, there’s something to be made of it, given that Ehlinger largely outplayed Stidham by eye test during Denver’s summer offseason program and has had a strong start to this year’s camp. The 27-year-old former Texas star established himself well in the Broncos’ quarterback room last season, and turned down multiple contract offers throughout 2025 to continue developing in Denver’s system — and, in particular, to attach himself to now-Broncos play-caller Davis Webb.

“I think we just sold our program, and the offense,” Payton said, asked Saturday about Ehlinger choosing to stay in Denver. “You can never promise anything other than, I would say this – we saw immediate growth. And you’d have to ask him, but I think he felt like, ‘I want to continue with this offense and continue where I’m going.’”

Ehlinger re-signed with Denver on a one-year deal worth $2 million in March, and would be considerably less expensive as a QB2 option if he were to win a backup job in camp. Stidham will cost $8 million against Denver’s cap in 2026, playing out the final season of a two-year, $12 million deal. Despite a shaky performance in relief of Nix in last year’s AFC Championship loss to New England, though, Stidham still has considerable goodwill in Denver’s building, as Payton said multiple times during that game week in January that he viewed Stidham as a starter-level NFL quarterback.

Top Plays

Denver’s offense largely captured attention for the second straight day of camp, with Nix roaring in excitement after rolling to his right and lofting a touchdown bomb for receiver Pat Bryant early in one team period. Stidham, too, launched a missile later in 11-on-11 work to former UFL product Hakeem Butler, a 6-foot-5 receiver who signed with Denver in June and has received a heap of targets through the first couple days of camp.

The Broncos’ defense didn’t create any turnovers in team period, but outside linebacker Jonah Elliss flashed a remarkable dose of athleticism on one rep, leaping with both hands to knock away an Ehlinger ball at the line of scrimmage. After Denver briefly planned to shift Elliss to inside linebacker this offseason before reneging, the third-year Utah product is continuing to solidify himself as the Broncos’ OLB3 behind Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper.

“All the cut-up tape, his production, his ball disruption, just, for me, felt like, ‘Man, we’re taking a position that����ap harder to find and moving him to a position that we think might be a little bit easier to play,'” Payton said on Elliss. “So that����ap not to say that we can’t battle a few things, but I think we felt like, ‘Man, he’s really ascending as an edge player,’ and we didn’t want to disrupt that.”

Thumbs Up

Mims rising. Through three seasons in Denver, one-time second-round pick Marvin Mims Jr. had never been able to convince the Broncos’ staff that he was capable of running the full gamut of a stop-and-go route tree. That may be changing under new play-caller Davis Webb, in Mims’ Year Four.

Mims has emerged as perhaps the biggest skill-position winner of Denver’s camp through two days, doing considerable work over the intermediate and deep areas of the field and showcasing a more advanced route package than simply staying in motion. Entering the final year of his rookie deal, the 24-year-old Mims has caught a variety of passes from Nix, Stidham and Ehlinger alike, and Payton notably singled him out when asked Saturday on how a jumbled group of young receivers can separate themselves.

“I’ve said this before about Mims — you’ve kind of seen it every time,” Payton said, noting Mims’ reliability when called upon. “I always feel like, ‘Man, more touches.'”

It remains to be seen, ultimately, if this is finally Mims’ year for more touches.

Thumbs Down

Not-so-happy feet. Yes, Stidham was placed in a completely disadvantageous situation in January’s AFC title game against the Patriots. His margin for success was razor-thin. But the longtime Broncos backup did himself absolutely no favors by often operating with indecision, including a baffling first-half backwards pass that became a damning lost fumble after Stidham backpedaled fruitlessly to avoid a rush.

Stidham’s strengths have popped through a couple days of camp — intermediate and deep-ball accuracy, in particular — but his flaws were prominently on display Saturday. He took two would-be sacks during his last four reps during team period, and at one point again wheeled and sprinted backwards in a near-Looney Tunes sight. He may need a solid camp to maintain his hold on the backup job.

Odds and Ends

* Don’t expect any impending extensions for Broncos like Mims, Riley Moss, Ja’Quan McMillian, Brandon Jones and beyond. Payton — who generally will let slip at the podium if the Broncos are close in contract negotiations with any key players — hinted he hasn’t met yet with Denver’s front office to discuss any of the Broncos’ key pieces on expiring deals.

“I’m gonna be honest — right at this stage of the season, those things are like 179 and 180 on my list of to-do things,” Payton said.

* Broncos running back RJ Harvey again was the primary RB for a situational, hurry-up team period at the end of practice Saturday, which would indicate Denver’s growing confidence in Harvey to handle pressure in third-down passing situations. Payton confirmed Harvey will likely contribute more on third downs in 2026, after reserve Tyler Badie largely served as the Broncos’ de-facto third-down back last season.

* Payton said the Broncos will likely hold their first practice in pads Wednesday next week.

“It’d be a good one to be at,” Payton said.

Fans, mark your calendars.

The Broncos are headlong into a stretch in which they’ll be on the practice fields 10 of 11 days.

After that comes a shorter week of practice before a trip to Atlanta for Denver’s Aug. 14 preseason opener against the Falcons. The roster cutdown isn’t until more than two weeks after that.

Bottom line: The action is just getting started. The vast majority of the Broncos’ work remains ahead. There is no light at the end of the tunnel, as head coach Sean Payton is fond of saying.

As Denver heads into the heaviest workload of the summer, it����ap as good a time as any to take a look at the roster and what a potential 53-man group could look like. Injuries will change the picture some over the next month. So, too, could trades, free agent signings or just good old-fashioned competition.

There is also always the dance the Broncos and teams do around the deadline to retain as many of their players as possible. This is an inexact science.

We’ll run this exercise again at least a couple of times — after a preseason game is in the books and again ahead of the cutdown — but for now here’s a look at how a group could shake out.

OFFENSE (25)

QBs (3): Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger

Quickly: Two questions that go hand-in-hand: Who’s No. 2? And do the Broncos keep three despite a deep roster elsewhere? Early stab at answers: Ehlinger and yes.

RB (4): J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Jonah Coleman, Adam Prentice (FB)

Quickly: The top three are solid. Does Denver have room for Tyler Badie or Jaleel McLaughlin on the 53? It����ap hard to see with three QBs, but maybe one gets to the practice squad. Prentice gets the nod unless Nate Adkins gets a lot of FB time in training camp.

TE (4): Adam Trautman, Evan Engram, Justin Joly, Dallen Bentley.

Quickly: The back of this room feels wide open. Caleb Lohner is promising but has missed the first two days of camp. If he returns and plays well through August, he’ll be tough to leave off. Bentley over Adkins for now based mostly on size and play profile.

WR (5): Courtland Sutton, Jaylen Waddle, Marvin Mims Jr., Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant

Quickly: This group is straightforward unless injury or trade shakes it up in a major way. Lil’Jordan Humphrey will factor in, too, even if he begins the year on the practice squad.

OL (9): Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Luke Wattenberg, Quinn Meinerz, Mike McGlinchey, Alex Palczewski, Frank Crum, Alex Forsyth, Kage Casey

Quickly: Payton and Co. like Matt Peart, too, but in terms of 53-man spots, the four reserves listed above all have versatility and fairly clearly defined roles. ‘Palcho,’ Crum and Casey all feel like potential future starters in Denver.

DEFENSE (25)

DL (7): Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, Malcolm Roach, Eyioma Uwazurike, Tyler Onyedim, Sai’Vion Jones, Jordan Jackson

Quickly: Seven is heavy, but this group remains a strength of Denver’s roster despite John Franklin-Myers’ departure. He’s replaced on the roster and in number by the rookie, Onyedim. Perhaps in the starting lineup, too.

OLB (5): Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Jonah Elliss, Dondrea Tillman, Que Robinson

Quickly: Cooper may not actually be on the initial 53 if he’s suspended by the NFL, but the Broncos clearly appear to be moving forward with him as part of their plan after a pair of June arrests on domestic violence-related charges, including felony assault. A healthy Drew Sanders would be a wild card regardless of Cooper’s status.

ILB (3): Alex Singleton, Justin Strnad, Red Murdock

Quickly: Yes, three is light for an initial roster. The Broncos, though, can likely get multiples of Levelle Bailey, Jordan Turner, Karene Reid and Taurean York to the practice squad. And Elliss’ versatility gives them some flex, too, if they were to get caught short on a gameday early in the season.

CB (5): Pat Surtain II, Riley Moss, Ja’Quan McMillian, Jahdae Barron, Kris Abrams-Draine

Quickly: Reese Taylor did nice special teams work for the Broncos last year and was on the roster the second half of the season. Can they get him to the practice squad? Tough to see much more room beyond the five guys Denver trusts in just about any situation.

S (5): Talanoa Hufanga, Brandon Jones, Devon Key, JL Skinner, Tycen Anderson

Quickly: On the field, the major question is who Denver’s third safety is. It could be Key or Skinner. The most interesting option might be Barron. In terms of roster construction, what the reserves in this room lack in proven defensive chops they make up for on special teams. Key is a first-team All-Pro and Skinner and Anderson are both high-end guys, too.

SPECIAL TEAMS (3)

PK Wil Lutz, P Jeremy Crawshaw, LS Mitch Fraboni

Quickly: Pretty straightforward here. The same trio as last year and a group that has a chance to give Denver consistent, high-level play.