Denver Broncos

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl: 18-1; Over-under win total: 9.5

Strengths: The offensive line will feature the same five starters for a third straight season is one of the better units in the league. John Franklin-Myers is in Nashville, but the talent and depth up on defense remains elite as well. If the pass rush doesn’t get home, Pat Surtain II is a perennial defensive player of the year candidate and leads a strong secondary. Adding Jaylen Waddle gives Bo Nix a true No. 1 target and the group behind the ex-Dolphins wideout is deep and versatile.

Weaknesses: What will be the resolution after Jonathon Cooper was arrested twice in early July amid domestic violence allegations? Will Nix’s surgically repaired ankle hold up? The running backs might be just be solid, even as Sean Payton and Co. continue to say the Broncos want to run the ball more.

Kansas City Chiefs

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl: 15-1; Over-under win total: 10.5

Strengths: Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Chris Jones are all getting older — the latter two in particular — but remain elite players to anchor another season when the expectations will be Super Bowl or bust. Mahomes is coming back from a major knee injury that was the final blow in a season that had already gone off the rails. Kenneth Walker III, fresh off Super Bowl MVP honors, could help the running game provide a little more balance.

Weaknesses: Is the supporting cast around Kansas City’s ‘Big Three’ good enough? Rashee Rice spent part of his injury rehab in jail this offseason, and the pass catchers in general look pretty underwhelming beyond Kelce. The interior of the offensive line should be solid, but the tackles are a question mark, and Chiefs fans will be holding their breath the first time Nik Bonitto gets around the edge on opening night.

Los Angeles Chargers

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl: 17-1; Over-under win total: 10.5

Strengths: Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt are one of the best 1-2 punches at offensive tackle in the league, but both are coming off season-ending injuries. The line should be a strength, and the running back duo of Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal should get plenty of work. The defense, led by do-it-all safety Derwin James and breakout pass rusher Tuli Tuipulotu, should again be among the top 10 in just about everything. Justin Herbert can make every throw and often looks like one of the very best quarterbacks in the NFL …

Weaknesses: … but Herbert is also 0-3 in the playoffs in six seasons as the starter, and the offense has been uncompetitive in wild-card losses the past two years. The Keenan Allen return season went pretty well with 81 catches, but he’s gone, and the depth chart behind Ladd McConkey has intriguing options but could also be a group that looks one quality option short. The Chargers went 3-0 against the Broncos and Chiefs in games they were trying to win before the season finale, but one of these teams is going to have to end up in third place in this division.

Las Vegas Raiders

BetMGM says: Win Super Bowl: 150-1; Over-under win total: 5.5

Strengths: Brock Bowers is a rock star at tight end. Ashton Jeanty could certainly still be a franchise running back as the rest of the pieces around him and Bowers get upgraded. That starts with the two biggest additions of the offseason — No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza is the franchise quarterback-in-waiting and free agent Tyler Linderbaum at center to anchor a work-in-progress offensive line. Maxx Crosby is also here, still, after a trade with the Baltimore Ravens fell through.

Weaknesses: The Raiders had the No. 1 pick for a reason. There are a bunch of new faces on defense, which was necessary. The rest of the offensive line could still be pretty bad. That alone might be enough reason to let Kirk Cousins start over Mendoza to begin the year. The pass-catching options beyond Bowers are among the worst in the league. Considering the other teams that could be vying for the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL draft could all be interested in quarterbacks, Jeremiah Smith or Cam Coleman might be checking out real estate listings in Sin City next summer.

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 ā€” 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 canā€™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, ¶¶Ņõapountry will hold him to it.

The placement means Cooper will continue to be paid for the time being, but he cannot practice with Denver or play in games. Cooper, 28, is set to be arraigned Monday in Douglas County on a felony assault charge for strangulation, along with three other lesser charges. They all stem from a pair of domestic violence-related arrests over a week in June.

The timing of Goodell’s placement is important for the Broncos because it provides clarity on their initial 53-man roster, which had to be set by 4 p.m. Sunday.

“It¶¶Ņõap part of the process,” Broncos general manager George Paton said Sunday evening after the team’s initial roster was set. “We continue to take this very seriously. Weā€™re going to monitor all the legal developments and continue to support Jonathon.

“Jonathonā€™s worked very hard to better himself and itā€™ll be good to have him in the building, be in meetings and just be a part of the team.”

Placing a player on the commissioner’s exempt list is a way to remove a player from the field while the league reviews a matter for potential violations of its personal conduct policy. Cooper, then, could still face a suspension at the end of the league’s review.

The way the timeline works, according to the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, is that any games Cooper misses while on the exempt list will count toward a suspension if one is levied. So, if Cooper spends three games on the exempt list and is ultimately suspended for six games, for example, he will be out three more games. However, in that instance, Cooper would repay the money he earned for the three games while on the exempt list, because suspensions are unpaid.

Meanwhile, Cooper is expected to enter a plea and have a trial date set at his arraignment unless an agreement between the prosecution and Cooper’s attorney, Harvey Steinberg, is reached before 1:30 p.m. Monday.

Cooper was first arrested June 5 and again June 12, first following an argument with his now-former girlfriend, which resulted, eventually, in a felony assault charge alleging strangulation, according to court records and arrest affidavits. Then he was arrested again a week later for violating a protection order after he sent his girlfriend 20 unreturned messages, some graphic in nature, and knocked on her apartment door for ā€œ5-10 minutes,ā€ according to a separate arrest affidavit.

The Broncos opted not to release Cooper in the immediate aftermath of the pair of arrests. Instead, he went to an in-patient clinic near Vail for more than a month and then reported with the rest of the Broncos veterans for training camp on July 29.

Cooper is now likely to miss at least some games early in the season, a substantial loss for a defense that is expected to be among the leagueā€™s best again this fall.

Cooper paired with Nik Bonitto as one of the most disruptive edge-rushing duos in the NFL over the past two seasons. Cooper got off to a disruptive start last year, racking up six sacks in Denverā€™s first seven games before logging just two more in the final 10.

If he is not available to the Broncos early in the season, Jonah Elliss, Que Robinson and Dondrea Tillman are in line to see an increase in their playing time and production.

Cooper, a seventh-round draft pick in 2021, signed a four-year contract extension with a $54 million base value in November 2024. Of that, Cooper made $15 million through the 2025 season and is due to make $12 million more in 2026.

Cooper appeared in all 16 games as a rookie and started five while also playing a heavy dose of special teams. He started nine games and played in 14 during the 2022 season. Since then, the former Ohio State standout had started all 17 games three straight years since Payton became the head coach. In that time, his pass-rush production took off, too. Cooper logged 8.5 sacks in 2023, then a career-best 10.5 in 2024 before eight more last year.

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 Denverā€™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 isnā€™t to pick the best 53 players, necessarily. Head coach Sean Payton always uses the term ā€œthe right 53.ā€

That means some players who are going to be part of Denverā€™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.

ā€œI think that gets weighed in a lot,ā€ Payton said of whoā€™s most at risk of getting claimed. ā€œIā€™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.

ā€œSo that¶¶Ņõap always a challenge.ā€

A challenge, but one weā€™re taking on one final time. Hereā€™s a last stab at a 53-man roster.

Changes from last weekā€™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¶¶Ņõap the call here. Ehlinger didnā€™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 arenā€™t any good Payton-experienced quarterbacks out there as practice squad options.

If they take two to start, it¶¶Ņõap 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.ĢżThe 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 heā€™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 hasnā€™t had a big training camp, but he finished with a bang on a wide-open 88-yard touchdown Friday night. Caleb Lohner hasnā€™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. Canā€™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¶¶Ņõap been all of camp. The sticking point here: Lilā€™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 MillerĢż

Final call: Let¶¶Ņõap get a little bit wild. In this projection, Frank Crum is placed on injured reserve Sunday with a designation to return. Then, thereā€™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, Saiā€™Vion Jones

Final call: Maybe the Broncos ultimately feel like they have to choose between Jackson and Saiā€™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, theyā€™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 Cooperā€™s status — a suspension levied by the NFL or (perhaps more likely at the moment) a placement on the commissionerā€™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 ReidĢż

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¶¶Ņõap 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, Jaā€™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. Heā€™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. Theyā€™ve got Luke Bassoā€™s number if they need a long-snapper at any point during the season.

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

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

Otherwise, Denverā€™s lineups were full of reserves and players fighting for roster and practice squad spots.

ā€œIt¶¶Ņõap hard to go into this game and just say, ā€˜Hey, these 40 arenā€™t (playing),ā€™ā€ Payton said earlier this week. ā€œThe stress level then on everyone else kicks up. So it¶¶Ņõap a challenge whenever you get into this last game, and weā€™ll have a good plan.ā€

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

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

Among the notables who did and didnā€™t play:

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

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

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

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

ā€œHeā€™s smart, heā€™s sudden, heā€™s big,ā€ Payton said earlier this week about Bryant. ā€œHeā€™s having a heck of a camp. You guys have seen it. And it¶¶Ņõap been consistent. Heā€™s super intelligent, it¶¶Ņõap really important to him and I like his size.ā€

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

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

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

From there: Two weeks to Kansas City.

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

Hard deadlines approach.

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

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

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

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

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

But first, 60 minutes against the Vikings. Quarterback Bo Nix isnā€™t playing. If other Broncos starters do, it likely wonā€™t be for long.

It¶¶Ņõap a bubblelicious weekend.

Here are five storylines to watch.

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

For the Broncos on the defensive line, the question is as simple as whether theyā€™ve got room to go as heavy as last year. Denver kept seven on the 53-man roster a year ago. If it does the same this year, the likelihood is the same six plus plus rookie third-rounder Tyler Onyedim instead of the departed John Franklin-Myers. If the Broncos take six, then the question becomes whether the last spot goes to veteran Jordan Jackson or second-year man Saiā€™Vion Jones. Could Denver trade one of them? Jackson made the roster cleanly the past two years and is a trusted role player. Jones hasnā€™t cracked the rotation yet, but Denver traded up into the third round to draft him in 2025. The Broncos have been loath to part with depth up front in past years.

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

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

Looking for clues at linebacker and tight end

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

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

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

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

QBs Sam Ehlinger, Jarrett Stidham again take center stage

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

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

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

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

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

Any conspicuous players held out of the game?

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

The next fall, Payton tried to sneak Parnell through waivers at the roster cutdown and get him on the practice squad. He hadnā€™t played in games and had essentially no film. And yet, the Dolphins claimed him.

ā€œThere was literally no evidence at all,ā€ Payton recalled this week. ā€œA year after that, Bill had retired and I asked him, ā€˜Hey, what allowed you guys to claim Parnell?ā€™ And he said, ā€˜Well, you invited me to practice and every time you broke the huddle, all I saw was that 6-7 tackle.ā€™

ā€œAnd he said, ā€˜Donā€™t invite the fox in the hen house.ā€™ I learned a lesson.ā€

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

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

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

Any conspicuous stat lines that add up to ā€œtrade candidate?ā€

The Albert O. Special, as it¶¶Ņõap known in Denver. In 2023, tight end Albert Okwuegbunam didnā€™t feel like a fit on Paytonā€™s first roster. Then in the teamā€™s preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams, he caught seven passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. That¶¶Ņõap how you play yourself onto a 53-man, right? Well, yeah, but in Philadelphia. The Broncos traded the tight end to the Eagles between the finale and the roster cutdown. If Philly thought it could have landed Okwuegbunam as a waiver claim, it wouldnā€™t have traded for him. It wasnā€™t much — Okwuegbunam and a seventh-rounder for a sixth-rounder ā€” but it was better than nothing.

The Broncos will need to trim the roster from 90 players to 53 this weekend, but how Cooper fits into the puzzle remains to be determined. Sean Payton still isn’t sure if the Broncos will have an answer from the NFL on Cooper’s status before then.

“I donā€™t know. You would always want clarity,” Payton said Wednesday after practice. “But, I think weā€™ll find out soon and (the media) will probably find out right when I do.”

Cooper was arrested twice in early June, stemming from an alleged domestic violence incident, and faces four active charges in Douglas County, including felony second-degree assault by strangulation. He is set to be arraigned in a Douglas County courtroom Monday.

The 28-year-old Cooper has been a full participant in training camp with the Broncos. The NFL is still conducting its own review of the situation. Cooper could be suspended, which would remove him from the 53-man roster, or he could be placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List.

That would also remove him from the 53-man roster and it would place him on temporary paid leave. He would not be allowed to play or practice with the team, but players on the exempt list are typically allowed to attend meetings and work out in the club’s facility.

“We continue to monitor all developments in the matter which remains under review,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told the Denver Post on Wednesday.

If the NFL does make an announcement before the Sunday cutdown deadline and Cooper is removed from the roster, that could open up a spot for another outside linebacker, Ron Stone, Jr., whom the Broncos signed Tuesday as a free agent.

Rapp released, but likely to return

The Broncos released veteran safety Taylor Rapp a few days after his arrival, but it also sounds like he’ll be back.

“Taylor Rapp came in, we spent some time with him,” Payton said. “He needs a little time at home and we completely get what heā€™s needing. Thereā€™s a good chance, better than good chance that — I know how he felt being here ā€“ so I think sooner or later (him re-signing with the Broncos) is going to happen. But this obviously took precedence, so just leave it at that.”

Rapp, a 28-year-old safety with 93 games and 72 starts of NFL experience between stints with the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams, signed Aug. 20 with the Broncos after the team waived injured linebacker Levelle Bailey. He practiced with the team, but did not participate in Denver’s second preseason game against the Green Bay Packers.

“It was early, but hereā€™s what we know: Weā€™ve played against him,” Payton said. “Heā€™s smart, which is a great trait to have as a safety. Heā€™s a good tackler. He can play down over the slot. Heā€™s got versatility.”

‘Coach Webb’ is one of the boys

Courtland Sutton grew up about 240 miles south of Prosper, Texas, where a hot-shot quarterback led his high school to a district championship and the state quarterfinals before signing with Texas Tech.

Sutton went to SMU and didn’t cross paths with the quarterback in college, but now Davis Webb is his offensive coordinator. Webb, 31, is less than nine months older than Sutton, but will be calling plays for him after being promoted in February.

“He always laughs when Iā€™m like ā€˜Coach Webbā€™ because weā€™re dang near the same age, but Iā€™m always gonna be respectful,” Sutton said. “Heā€™s gonna be ā€˜Coach Webb.ā€™ But, Coach Webb is one of the boys, in a sense that he wants to see everyone have success.

“He wants to see us go out there and make plays and have fun doing it. However, he’s gonna be like your boy and be like, ‘Hey, tighten up. Let’s get it going.’ He’s never disrespectful, and I think that allows everyone to go out there and want to play for him.’ ”

Attendance

Did not practiceĢż

Side field:ĢżCB Riley Moss (ribs), C Alex Forsyth, OLB Drew Sanders, TE Caleb Lohner

Not present:ĢżOL Frank Crum

Through two exhibition games, Joseph has noticed a trend in how both the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers attacked on first down against a Broncos team that led the NFL with a franchise-record 68 sacks and finished third in points per game allowed at 18.3 a year ago.

“Lots of (bootlegs), lots of misdirection, outside runs more often than not, max-protection passes, quick game,” Joseph said Tuesday after practice. “Teams don’t want to lose first down, because if they do lose first down, then our rush kind of comes alive. So I think that that game was an example of what is coming in the future.

“In two weeks, we’ve seen that kind of trend that way.”

It’s a pretty simple adjustment. Other NFL teams watched Denver’s pass rush terrorize quarterbacks, so there’s been a commitment — even in the preseason — by the Falcons and Packers to get creative on first down.

The numbers back up the opposition’s concern. Denver allowed a 36.76% success rate on first and second downs last season, , which was the lowest mark in the league.

“I think theyā€™re trying to get 4 yards,” Joseph said when asked what he thinks those teams are thinking. “They don’t want to be in second-and-7 or 8-plus, because that¶¶Ņõap obviously a pass rush down. I thought last year we did a great job of basically playing third down twice.

“Third downs is where they practice their protection plans. They might slide to Nick (Bonitto) and chip (Jonathon Cooper). Second downs is where we made our hay, as far as the pass rush. I think teams understand that.”

The Broncos were effective at getting to the quarterback on all downs in 2025. But of Denver’s 12 sacks on second downs, 10 of them came in second-and-7 or longer. The more it looks like a passing down, the more Joseph can get creative with where and how his rushers can attack.

According to , the Broncos were a zone-heavy team in long-distance downs in 2025, but a man-heavy defense in short-to-gain situations. Joseph’s schemes can muddle the data, because his zone defense often comes with man-to-man principles. But, in general, a zone look at the snap can make it more confusing for the opposing quarterback and offensive line to diagnose where the pass-rush threats are coming from.

The Broncos also held opposing offenses to the worst third- and fourth-down success rate last year, per SumerSports, at 35.91%. There was little joy to be found, regardless of what down it was.

But Joseph and his staff have identified how they think opponents are going to try and change that this year. Long-down distances are death against this Broncos pass rush, so find a way to stay out of them and hope everything gets a little easier.

“We watched it over the summer and spring, just getting ready for how teams are going to play us,” Joseph said. “That¶¶Ņõap been a lesson for our guys the first two weeks.”

Attendance

Did not practice

Side field: CB Riley Moss, C Alex Forsyth, LB Drew Sanders
Not present: S Taylor Rapp, T Frank Crum

Limited

RB RJ Harvey and S Tycen Anderson both did some drills and spent part of practice on the side field.

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 didnā€™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 didnā€™t play early in the 2024 season but now has appeared in each of Denverā€™s past 29 regular-season games and racked up nine sacks along with eight tackles for loss and a pair of interceptions.

Stoneā€™s addition to Denverā€™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 doesnā€™t yet know if Cooper will be available to start the season, but a suspension or a placement on the commissionerā€™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.

Stoneā€™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 Denverā€™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.

As he flashed his mitts toward Green Bay reserve tackle Brant Banks on Friday night, Banks raised his to counter.

Just as he did, though, Robinson dipped his right shoulder low, bent around Banks and exploded toward quarterback Kyle McCord, who never had a chance to throw the ball away or even think about escaping.

Unlike some players who see action in the second half of preseason games this time of year, a 10-yard sack midway through the third quarter Friday night for Robinson is hardly the biggest play heā€™s made in his career.

Que Robinson with a BIG sack

GBvsDEN on Ģż
Stream on

— NFL (@NFL)

That came back in January, of course, when Robinson sacked New England quarterback Drake Maye in the AFC Championship Game.

This play, though, held significance for Denverā€™s second-year outside linebacker.

Robinson is one of the primary names mentioned when the conversation turns to 2026 breakout candidates for the Broncos. Heā€™s got the size, speed and physicality to blossom into a steal of a fourth-round draft pick.

In order to do so, though, Robinson must continue to refine his game. During his rookie season, he only got six games’ worth of playing time plus the conference title game.

That makes playing time like his 23 snaps on Friday all the more valuable.

And it makes cashing in a move like the one he pulled on the sack feel quite distinctly like a step forward.

ā€œShoot, man, Iā€™ve been giving our offensive tackles hell all of camp,ā€ Robinson said in the postgame locker room. ā€œSo it feels pretty good to go against somebody else and work a move that Iā€™ve been practicing for I donā€™t know how long.

ā€œIt felt pretty good. It probably would have felt better if weā€™d have won.ā€

This is all part of the process for Robinson, who went from a little-used defensive player at the University of Alabama — he played all of 370 defensive snaps in four seasons there because he primarily backed up first-round picks Will Anderson and Dallas Turner — to one of the most promising young players on the Broncosā€™ loaded defensive front.

ā€œThere were certain traits you saw on film,ā€ head coach Sean Payton said earlier this month. ā€œHeā€™s a real good technician and heā€™s one of those guys that we know has been coached hard. We felt coming into this defense from what he was playing in, there were some similarities to what we were going to ask him to do. I think that¶¶Ņõap a help.ā€

Robinson, general manager George Paton, said after the season, might have the most upside of any defensive player in Denverā€™s 2025 draft class. This summer, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said Robinson needed to play more and that he has the ability to be a starter for Denver.

Players, too, will happily endorse him as a potential impact player.

ā€œQue is obviously a very talented guy. Heā€™s showing out every day in practice,ā€ outside linebacker Nik Bonitto said before Denverā€™s preseason opener at Atlanta. ā€œHe has all the tools and whenever he sets his mind to it, nobody can block him. Heā€™s been playing really well right now and Iā€™m excited especially to see these next couple of games what he does out there.

ā€œI know heā€™s going to put on a show for sure.ā€

He did on Friday against the Packers, harassing both Tyrod Taylor and McCord. On one pressure against Taylor, Robinson sped 10 yards up the field, found himself stymied by left tackle John Williams, spun, backtracked by 5 yards, saw Taylor trying to escape his direction and then closed 10 yards back to Taylor in a blink, blasting him as he threw the ball out of bounds well over receiver Bo Meltonā€™s head.

The 25-year-old is learning the play-by-play rhythm of the NFL. Heā€™s also trying to make sure he always has a plan and knows it, but also that he plays fast regardless of whether what happens in front of him resembles his plan at all.

ā€œIā€™m able to play fast and go, man,ā€ He said. ā€œThe guys in my room and, shoot, really, the team believes in me. Theyā€™ve got high hopes for me. Iā€™ve just got to try to prove them right and put all my energy out there on the field for everybody. ā€¦

ā€œI donā€™t want to go out there half-stepping or getting in my own head. Or being like, ā€˜oh, my pinky hurts, poor meā€™ and stuff like that.ā€

Robinsonā€™s work so far is going to make it difficult to keep him off the field, though heā€™s still refining his run defense and down-to-down consistency. The splash is there. Even in a room that returns all four of its regular rotation members from a year ago — pending, at least, potential discipline for Jonathon Cooper at or near the start of the regular season ā€”ĢżRobinsonā€™s attempting to carve a bigger role.

ā€œYouā€™ve got to make it count,ā€ he said of the preseason chances. ā€œThis is a great defense. Youā€™ve got Nik and Coop and Jonah and all those guys out there giving it their all.

ā€œWhen I get my opportunities, I feel like Iā€™d be doing them a disservice if I donā€™t do the same.ā€