You know, the one that could have ended Malcolm Roach’s career and the Broncos’ season.

It happened on the fifth day of training camp. Blocking and grunting turned into gasping as Roach sacked Bo Nix for a safety, putting his own football life in jeopardy.

“I know this is going to sound crazy, like, ‘He is making this up. We got pushed into to him. I am like nobody trying to hit Bo. I need Bo. I need number 10,’^” Roach told The Denver Post. “That is where you come to respect Bo and the guys on the other side of the ball. It wasn’t intentional.”

You could hear a pad drop. And hearts sink. Then Nix spoke.

“He got up and smiled and said, ‘Do it again!’^” Roach recalled. “I told him, ‘Umm no way!’^”

So imagine Roach’s surprise when, a few weeks later, Nix fired a football in the defensive lineman’s direction. That tension turned into fists flying after Nix threw an interception to Alex Singleton, leading Nik Bonitto to go full WWE and dive onto the pile.

“It was crazy. I want this reported. I didn’t even touch Bo on that play. They said it like I hit Bo. I didn’t hit Bo,” Roach said. “And when the fight happened, I wasn’t anywhere near it. I was on the sideline talking to D.J. (Jones). I was too tired to fight.”

It was one of the few moments when Roach was not causing havoc. It can be argued that receiver Pat Bryant and defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike had the best training camp, but if you picked Roach, there would be no argument.

He signed a one-month lease at the end of July and lived in the backfield for a month. Roach made a play every day, breaking through and throwing down spike strips to stop running backs in their tracks or bursting around the end for a conceded sack.

“As far as the rotation goes, Roach, I believe he’s going to take that JFM (John Franklin-Myers) job and run with it,” Jones said. “He’s done a great job.”

Don’t bother lowering expectations with Roach. He is ready, having learned under Zach Allen and JFM for two seasons. When Roach signed a three-year extension last November, he was cast in a bigger role.

A player once signed as an elite run stuffer is poised to show he can make an impact as a pass rusher.

“The more reps I get, the more the game slows down. And I have been intentional in my work. Maybe one day, I work on eye placement. The next day, I am not trying to grab the arm, I am trying to grab the elbow. It’s the little things that when you take it into individual drills, then get to full speed in team, you might not get it perfect, but you are working towards that so much that your B-plus is the equivalent to an A.”

Roach is a tireless worker. His uniform should feature rolled-up sleeves. In making the transition to filling snaps on the end, he adjusted his body type. He will play closer to 295 pounds than 305.

“I knew I had to be in my best shape. I for sure dropped body fat and weight. I had to get more explosive. It was about getting toward that build where I could rush better,” Roach explained. “But I still have to maintain my strength against the run. That is my bread and butter.”

As the conversation drifted, food became a topic. It is always interesting how players bond. This Broncos team conjures memories of the 1997-98 crew in their closeness. Nix brought some of the offensive players together for workouts and boating in Austin, Texas, this offseason.

There is not always a need to get on a plane. Sometimes, you just need to pull up to a plate.

“It kind of almost feels like a college team. We do things at the house. Guys will ask,  ‘What do I need to bring?’ I tell them, ‘Just bring your body.’ We are about to get on this barbecue pit and eat. They even wanted me to boil crawfish for the guys,” said Roach, connecting to his Louisiana roots. “We don’t even talk about football. I am a firm believer the more we are around each other, the more we love each other. And the more I love you, the more I am willing to put my body on the line for you.”

The benefits of continuity extend beyond dinner. There is a trust among the players. It has made winning the Super Bowl — after falling painfully close in the AFC Championship Game — an obsession. Heartbreak has not eased with time.

“When you have all those hours built up together the last three years, the long days and long nights of training camp, of practice,” Roach said, “it makes you want it more because you know the story behind it.”

Roach is part of the narrative. He actually would make a great narrator, since he is often seen before heard. His attitude provides a bump, his sense of humor a laugh.

Given how well he played a year ago, setting a career-high with four sacks and 26 assists on tackles, he has evolved from Vibes Guy to Glue Player.

“He’s got a lot of juice. He’s one of those compound multipliers. A lot of his traits are infectious,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “He practices hard. I think all the way back to when he was undrafted out of Texas and we signed him (to the Saints) — the improvement for him has been remarkable. He’s always going to be looking at what he can do a little better.”

When chasing rings, players like Roach assert a meaningful presence. He can provide levity one moment, and play the heavy the next.

He is not hard to find. Just look for the smile.

“What do I love about this game? It’s like recess everyday, except for big kids,” Roach said. “You can’t do this job if you just like it. You gotta love the people you are around. I know when I come into work, I am going to be happy about something.”

Roach symbolizes the fabric of this team, of a franchise that absorbed an $85 million dead cap from releasing quarterback Russell Wilson and has made the playoffs every year since.

The 28-year-old logs the hours, embraces the process and plays for something bigger. Jones took him under his wing, and JFM tutored him even while knowing Roach was going to take his job.

“I always tell SP (Payton) and GP (general manager George Paton), ‘You do a great job of bringing in the right guys.’ In this business, you think you want the biggest names, but when you are in it, you just want the guy who is going to do his job and be a great locker room guy,” Roach said. “I am not saying star players aren’t. But, we have guys who fit the culture.”

That has been evident all summer. The defense is driven to lead the league in sacks for a third straight season, while increasing takeaways. Everything seems possible when eyeing the depth and the potential of Roach to step up in a big way.

“They could ask a lot of guys if they would rather get the sack title or a Super Bowl ring. Pretty sure they would all say Super Bowl,” Roach said. “The standard has been set. And we know we can’t do it without the work.”

Or the quarterback.

“When I hit Bo, it was just guys in the trenches playing hard. I am happy it wasn’t bigger than it was. But from the moment we got back in the locker room, guys were laughing and talking. That is the type of brotherhood we have,” Roach said. “But yeah, that won’t be happening again.”

His father was a chef, including for the .

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

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

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

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

“It����ap up to us, and we’re going to do that.”

The Broncos are seasoned, to be sure.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

As if the Broncos needed any reminder of how close they came last year, the NFL season kicks off Wednesday night with a Super Bowl rematch between New England and Seattle. Then, San Francisco and the Los Angeles Rams square off in Australia on Thursday night.

Denver plays all four of those teams this season and three of them by Week 6, but the Broncos have a long wait until Monday night, Sept. 14, before finally kicking off at Kansas City.

Tuesday marks six weeks since Broncos veterans reported for training camp. In that time, we’ve learned quite a bit about Sean Payton’s team. There also remain a handful of outstanding questions as prep for the Chiefs is set to kick into gear Monday and then really ramp up midweek.

Let����ap set the table as we head into the final week of the year without games that count on the menu.

What we’ve learned

Bo Nix has passed every test so far and looks primed for Week 1

When camp began in late July, Nix hadn’t opened up and ran in a practice setting since before he broke his ankle in January and had a follow-up procedure in April. It didn’t take long, though, for the third-year quarterback to show he felt good. Nix took every rep in training camp and he ran and cut hard off the right ankle. He showed no signs of any kind of rehab plan or workload moderation, outside of Payton mentioning that he likely still had scar tissue. The staff held him out of the preseason opener, but otherwise it����ap been full throttle for Nix heading into Week 1. And his teammates say he “is playing out of his mind.” The physically taxing part for all players is just beginning, but the summer has gone as well as it could have so far for Nix and the Broncos.

This should be the best collection of skill talent the Broncos have had in years

Camp featured glimpses of Denver’s offensive potential in 2026, but the whole No. 1 group has only played together in practice so far. Running back J.K. Dobbins didn’t play a preseason game snap and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle played six.

When this group hits the field for the first time against the Chiefs, though, it should be the most dangerous since Peyton Manning retired. Waddle’s arrival and Pat Bryant����ap ascension will certainly impact — and maybe transform — the wide receiver room. Payton and company have invested in the running back room and it finally appears to be in a good spot with Dobbins, RJ Harvey and rookie Jonah Coleman. The tight end room didn’t change much, but Evan Engram sees growth for himself, and the group could see residual benefit from the uptick in skill at the other positions. Bottom line: Nix and new play-caller Davis Webb have a lot to work with at their disposal.

The questions on defense are not where we thought they’d be when camp opened

The Broncos appear poised to cover the free-agency departure of John Franklin-Myers with players on the rise. Eyioma Uwazurike had one of the most impressive camps on the roster, Malcolm Roach continues to improve each year, and they pair with Zach Allen and D.J. Jones to make a high-quality top four. They’ll need Jordan Jackson to handle some snaps and rookie Tyler Onyedim to progress over the season, but this group looks ready to hit the ground running. When JFM got $21 million a year, it would have been a bit strange to think that safety P.J. Locke and inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw would be the departures that left more lingering questions, but that����ap how it feels heading into Week 1.

Questions remaining

Will anybody get a contract extension before the opener?

Each of the past two seasons, the Broncos have inked a major contract extension with a defensive stalwart during Week 1 preparations. In 2024, it was cornerback Pat Surtain II. Last year, outside linebacker Nik Bonitto.

The Broncos don’t have the kind of obvious to-do list they did last year when Courtland Sutton and Zach Allen both also got extensions during camp, but they do have a big group of key players entering contract seasons. These things can change fast, but it����ap been quiet on the contract front so far. There’s been no solid indication that an extension is on the immediate horizon for Ja’Quan McMillian, Riley Moss, Uwazurike, Bandon Jones, Marvin Mims Jr., Ben Powers or anybody else. Deadlines spur actions, of course, and Payton has expressed interest in having multiple players on that list around long-term, but nothing has materialized.

Payton and owner Greg Penner have downplayed the impact that Nix’s impending extension eligibility, which begins next offseason, has on Denver’s contract decision-making from here forward. It����ap also true that the Broncos have spent a ton to lock up their core over the past two years. Still, if nothing comes over the next 10 days, Denver will enter the season looking like a team that could well be entering its last season with such extensive continuity.

When will Jonathon Cooper’s criminal case be resolved?

When veterans reported on July 29, Payton said the Broncos stood firmly behind Cooper and that he thought resolution could come “sooner than later.” Six weeks later, Cooper’s been arraigned on felony assault for strangulation and other lesser charges stemming from a pair of domestic violence-related arrests in June. He is not on the Broncos’ 53-man roster and is instead on the commissioner’s exempt list, which is essentially paid leave. His trial date is slated for mid-November, after nine Broncos regular-season games. The league could conclude its review of Cooper’s case for potential violations of its personal conduct policy before a trial starts, but neither the league office nor the 23rd Judicial District Attorney’s Office appears to have much incentive to rush to a conclusion. Cooper’s in line to miss the opening portion of the season, but beyond that, there’s still uncertainty about what resolution looks like and if and when Denver’s starting outside linebacker might be back on the field.

How will Payton handle his new game-day role when they actually count?

The biggest outstanding question for the Broncos, really, is how Davis Webb will fare as a first-time play-caller. Particularly against a run of top-flight opponents out of the gate. Players and coaches are confident. So, too, is Webb. The interesting undercard is how Payton himself handles game days. He swears he’s not going to be like his mentor, Bill Parcells, who he said sighed or questioned many of his calls as games unfolded. He’s adamant this is going to work swimmingly and he won’t be tempted to take play-calling duties back. He’ll have “some suggestions, some mandates,” he said with a smile. New-look Gameday Sean in the preseason is one thing. How it looks in the regular season will be fascinating. There will undoubtedly be plenty of camera shots along the way to help tell the story.

Every roster cut this time of year is difficult.

The player sitting across the table wants nothing more than to make the team and to know his NFL career is continuing.

More than 1,200 players were let go in some form or fashion across the league this week.

Not many were tougher than the Broncos letting running back Jaleel McLaughlin know he was being waived on Sunday.

McLaughlin made the team as an undrafted rookie in 2023 but has seen the room change and advance around him.

He was left off Sunday in favor of J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, rookie Jonah Coleman and fellow bubble candidate Tyler Badie.

“That was really tough,” Denver general manager George Paton said Sunday. … “Jaleel, he’s something else. He was really important to this team, the passion, everything he brings.”

Renck: Jonathon Cooper’s actions put Broncos in a tough spot against Chiefs in opener

McLaughlin sometimes grew up without a place to sleep at night. His work ethic is the stuff of legend, from pre-dawn hill running and workouts to the time he bought a JUGS machine with his own money to try to improve as a pass-catching option with the Broncos.

In the end, the conversation came down to Badie’s ability to pass-protect and his more expansive special teams role, which includes playing on the team’s punt shield.

“Without getting into details, it was a really hard decision,” Paton said. “Obviously, special teams are involved, third-down ability. There’s a lot involved.

“That was probably the last decision we made, this fourth runner.”

Frank Crum, Caleb Lohner start season on injured reserve

The Broncos will start the season with a pair of potential future contributors on the shelf.

Offensive tackle Frank Crum was injured in the team’s second preseason game against Green Bay and now will miss at least the first four games. He’s a swing tackle, jumbo tight end and even caught a postseason touchdown in January.

The exact nature and severity of his injury are not known, but he’s expected to be ready around the time he’s eligible to return, sources have told The Post.

Lohner, meanwhile, will be out longer. The second-year tight end drew rave reviews from Payton after the club’s rookie minicamp in May, but then was out for all of OTAs and minicamp with an injury.

He was not put on the physically unable to perform list to start camp and was expected to join quickly, but then sustained another injury. He was seen watching practice with a boot on his left foot and never did get on the field.

Paton on Sunday said Lohner will not be back in the fold until the middle of the season, perhaps in late October.

Gone, but not really

The Broncos don’t technically have a fullback or a long snapper on their 53-man roster. Both positions, however, will be used in Week 1 against Kansas City.

Fullback Adam Prentice and long snapper Mitch Fraboni are each veteran players and thus not subject to waivers when released. That allowed the Broncos to strike a deal with each to start the season on the practice squad.

They did the same last year with quarterback Sam Ehlinger and he ended up on the 53 anyway later in the week when Malcolm Roach hurt his calf in practice and was put on injured reserve. If something like that happens, one or both of Prentice and Fraboni could be added to the 53 sooner rather than later. Otherwise, they can each be elevated from the practice squad three times. After that, they’ll have to be added to the 53 in order to continue playing.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Staying in a good situation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prepared when the opportunity arises

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Feel the game-day feels. Knock the rust off. Play clean football.

It didn’t take Denver’s third-year quarterback long to check all those boxes — and more.

Nix and the Broncos’ starting offense scored points on both drives they played Friday night in a preseason game against Green Bay at Empower Field, including an opening touchdown.

Nix finished his night 6-of-9 passing for 76 yards and a 21-yard touchdown pass to second-year running back RJ Harvey.

“For the first time back where he’s actually going against a different defense, I thought he was efficient,” head coach Sean Payton told the broadcast at halftime. “He’s been moving well at practice and that’s really been the key evaluation. No restrictions. He’ll be ready to go to start the year.”

Nix showed the ability to escape pressure and avoid bad plays.

He attacked down the field.

He took his new top-tier offensive weapon, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, out for a third-down spin, too.

It all added up to a productive night for Nix, who had offensive coordinator and new Broncos play-caller Davis Webb as his voice in the helmet for the first time in a game.

Webb dialed up a good one on third-and-5 from the Denver 40. Waddle, Courtland Sutton and Pat Bryant all lined up to Nix’s right. At the snap, Sutton took off up the sideline and Bryant worked his way across Waddle, who was in the slot.

That pair of routes from the Broncos’ pair of physically imposing receivers left Waddle with all kinds of room to operate as he started up the field. He made a quick cut vertically and left All-Pro safety — and former college teammate at Alabama — Xavier McKinney in his dust. Nix hit him for a 35-yard catch-and-run to set the Broncos up in scoring territory.

Three plays later, Nix saw Harvey beat another terrific Packers defender, inside linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, on a wheel route and put a good throw between the numbers on his jersey for a touchdown.

The Broncos’ second drive and the starting offense’s night ended in a 53-yard Wil Lutz field goal.

That constituted a fine night of work over 14 plays for the group. They played mostly clean, except for a Garett Bolles false start. They scored on both drives. The playmakers they’re going to count on this year beat premium players on the other side.

Denver didn’t operate entirely at full strength, though nearly every player dressed for Payton’s team in its home preseason debut. Center Luke Wattenberg, running back J.K. Dobbins, and wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. were dressed but did not play. Calvin Throckmorton started at center for Denver.

With Dobbins watching from the sideline, Harvey got the first drive with the No. 1 offense and rookie Jonah Coleman handled the second.

Neither saw any playing time once the starting offensive line was out of the game.

Nix said Tuesday that he was “super excited” to get back on the field almost seven months to the day after he fractured his right ankle in overtime of Denver’s postseason win over Buffalo.

“It����ap always a blast to play at home,” he said. “It����ap great to get in front of our fans. It’ll be fun to get out there for the first time this year, put the pads on and go out there and play a game.

“For me, all the games feel the same and so it’ll be good to get some work in.”

The night did not go as smoothly for Vance Joseph’s top defense. The group looked like it had forced a turnover on the second play of the night when Pat Surtain II stripped Packers receiver Christian Watson, but the fumble was overturned and quarterback Jordan Love led a 12-play touchdown drive on his only possession of the night.

Eyioma Uwazurike continues to push for a starting role along the Denver defensive line. He got the nod in base defense, while Malcolm Roach played in nickel and when Joseph had his pass-rushing groups in the game.

Roll call: The Broncos that didn’t dress were mostly players that have been out recently with injuries: OLB Drew Sanders, C Alex Forsyth, WR Michael Bandy and TE Caleb Lohner. Veteran safety Taylor Rapp also did not dress because he just signed with Denver on Thursday.

Then Zach Allen and John Franklin-Myers showed him the light.

Uwazurike, a 2022 fourth-round pick out of Iowa State, was starting to work his way into the Broncos’ rotation for the first time in his career and the first time since missing all of 2023 due to a gambling-related suspension.

Uwazurike has confidence in his own game. That����ap easier when you’re 6-foot-6 and 325 pounds. He’s strong, he’s got athleticism. He calls himself a good pass-rusher.

But how do you deploy that?

“It����ap not just knowing how to do moves against people,” Uwazurike told The Post. “It����ap knowing, ‘OK, this guy likes to set this way. This guy likes to shoot his hands this way. This center leaves this little bit of air here when he does this. Then this is where we need to attack at.’

“Every week we’re switching up moves and going based off what certain teams did. It����ap different than doing one-on-ones in practice. Learning from them and watching them do that last year, that was everything.”

Uwazurike saw first-hand what that preparation looked like. He learned what to look for.

“Zach, the notes that Zach takes, he knows the opponent����ap middle name,” Uwazurike said. “He knows everything about them. He dissects everything down on how to pass-rush vs. a certain person, a certain team, how the o-line slides.

“They definitely school you when it comes to studying. It����ap been good to learn.”

This fall, he just might get the chance to put it all to work.

Uwazurike has been one of the breakouts so far in Broncos training camp. He’s been disruptive against the run and the pass. Regardless of who he lines up against.

“The leap he’s taking right now is pretty scary,” defensive tackle D.J. Jones said recently, calling Uwazurike, “unblockable.”

Which raises an interesting situation as the regular season approaches: The Broncos have several high-profile players entering the final year of their contracts this fall. Most of the attention has been on whether players like Riley Moss and Ja’Quan McMillian will receive contract extensions this summer. Same for safety Brandon Jones and wide receiver Marvin Mims, Jr.

However high Uwazurike is perceived to be externally on the priority list, it����ap probably not high enough.

The 28-year-old says he’s not thinking about whether it����ap a possibility in the coming weeks. Instead, he’s focused on what ultimately makes him valuable.

“All I can do is learn and — I feel like what I’m doing now in camp, learning from the guys in front of me and all that, that����ap what����ap going to help me get to that point,” Uwazurike said. “Money is made here. Money is made in practice and in the film room. That����ap my main focus. If I do all of that right and play as hard as I can, then whatever comes for me is whatever comes for me.

“That����ap all I can do. That has to be the mindset.”

Uwazurike has seen that approach work for his teammates. Franklin-Myers last year played well for the Broncos and parlayed it into a $21 million per year deal with Tennessee.

The since-departed defensive lineman, though, went out of his way to help Uwazurike.

One misconception about Uwazurike is the notion that he’s always been a run defender first. Really, he says, he thinks of himself more as a rusher. He’s learned the art of stopping the run and, in 2025, did so at a high level.

He got those chances, in part, because of Franklin-Myers.

The veteran saw enough from Uwazurike to go to defensive line coach Jamar Cain and tell him that Uwazurike should take some of his early-down work and help keep JFM fresh for pass-rushing situations.

“There’s a difference between people saying ‘I know that you can do it,’ and actually doing it and showing it,” Uwazurike said. “That����ap what it was. The season before that, my first season with JFM, it was constantly ‘I know you can do it,’ this and that.

“Last year, it was, let����ap put it on film. Let����ap put it on film, let����ap stop some runs and actually show that you belong.”

Franklin-Myers went to defensive line coach Jamar Cain, Uwazurike said, and vouched for Uwazurike to play early downs.

“It allowed him to have more pass-rush opportunities,” Uwazurike said. “When you have that chemistry and stuff opens up like that, it allowed us to be how productive we were last year. More bodies in the game, more air for JFM.”

Now with JFM gone, there is playing time up for grabs. Malcolm Roach is undoubtedly going to take some of that. Uwazurike likely will, too. Jordan Jackson and young players like Sai’Vion Jones and Tyler Onyedim could also force their way into the mix.

Uwazurike, though, looks primed to play a major role.

“He’s always been a big man. Now he’s leaned out, he’s moving very well,” defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said recently. “He’s powerful. … It����ap been fun to watch him improve.”

From the start of practice, the tenor was intense. As it grew more chippy throughout, a scuffle or two felt inevitable.

Rookie tight end Justin Joly was in a scrap during a one-on-one, which the defense apparently did not appreciate. The first time he caught a pass in the ensuing team period, he got rocked.

The real fireworks started in another round of team drills, however.

On the first snap for the top offense, the defensive line collapsed the pocket and ran into quarterback Bo Nix, who got knocked to the ground. He got up yelling at defensive players and spotted Malcolm Roach celebrating. Nix fired the football he was holding at the defensive tackle.

Two plays later, Nix was intercepted by Alex Singleton. On the other side of the field, guard Calvin Throckmorton ended up at the bottom of a pile with his helmet off and the fracas was on.

Nik Bonitto ran to the pile and appeared to jump on right tackle Mike McGlinchey. Nix ran after and grabbed Bonitto by the leg, trying to pull him off the pile.

Nix, for his part, downplayed the whole thing after practice.

“I love it. It����ap football,” Nix said. “It����ap getting me ready for the games coming up. It����ap a physical practice out there played by physical people. It got intense and we were just really enjoying it.

“Sometimes in the dog days of summer, practice gets long and the intensity runs high.”

Any apologies issued afterward from his end?

“Uh, no,” Nix said with a smile.

It took a minute or two to pull the groups apart and tempers clearly ran high. McGlinchey and Nix both had to be walked away from defensive players. Throckmorton was bleeding from his face and was taken back into the facility with a bag over his eye by training staff.

Several veterans stood by themselves for a couple of minutes once the No. 2s were in.

It was as spicy a scrap as there’s been here since Payton’s been the head coach.

“It����ap going to happen. We just can’t cross the line,” offensive coordinator Davis Webb said. “Sean said that and I agree. I’m glad we’re fiery. I love the competition out here. It����ap been unbelievable to watch both sides of the ball win some plays and win some periods. But we can’t cross the line.

“That����ap offense and defense. … We all had a part in that. We’re going to handle this in that meeting.”

Vance Joseph said there will be a reminder not to hit the quarterback, but he also wants his side of the ball to play aggressively.

“When we’re playing our style of football, it����ap aggressive and it����ap downhill,” Joseph said. “But you can’t hurt your team. ..

“Bo’s our quarterback and we don’t want anyone near Bo.”

On with the rest of the camp report.

Attendance

PUP — OL Nick Gargiulo.

IR — DL Matt Henningsen and OL Michael Deiter.

Did not practice — OLB Drew Sanders, C Alex Forsyth, ILB Levelle Bailey, WR Michael Bandy, TE Caleb Lohner.

Left practice — C Calvin Throckmorton.

Several key Broncos appear to be moving back toward full participation but aren’t there yet. C Luke Wattenberg did individual work but not the live inside run drill or team periods. Same for WR Marvin Mims Jr. Other veteran players had modified workloads Tuesday including DT Zach Allen.

Forsyth is one to watch because, after nearly getting the green light to play Friday, he was back to full participation on Monday. Then he wasn’t seen at practice Tuesday. Sanders, who has only played in four regular-season games the past two seasons, has not practiced the past two days after registering a sack Friday at Atlanta.

Defenses closes the day with dominant stretch

After the fight, the Broncos closed practice with a two-minute situation. The offense started at its own 36-yard line with 1:19 on the clock and trailing by seven.

Joseph’s group thoroughly dominated.

Nix’s set of plays with the No. 1 offense started with a McGlinchey false start — more on that later — to set up first-and-15.
From there, it was four-and-out for the offense with three break-ups by the defense. Pat Surtain II easily knocked down a pass for Courtland Sutton on first down. Brandon Jones followed with a break-up against Jaylen Waddle in the middle of the field on second-and-15. Then after a 6-yard completion to RJ Harvey on third-and-15, Ja’Quan McMillian finished the series with by knocking the ball away from Troy Franklin on fourth-and-9.

Jarrett Stidham got the next series with the offense and the No. 2s, too, went four-and-out.

Davis Webb said they saw the 13-yard run from Jonah Coleman in the preseason game and on the headset everybody said “we’re good.”

— Parker Gabriel (@ParkerJGabriel)

Thumbs Up

Webb lays down the law. Mistakes happen all the time in football, but some errors are less forgivable. When McGlinchey false started to open the late two-minute drill, Webb pulled him out of it. Alex Palczewski took over. McGlinchey then was put back in with the No. 2s for the next run. Earlier in practice, Webb did the same to LT Garett Bolles and TE Evan Engram. Those three, mind you, have a combined 26 years of playing experience under their belts.

That doesn’t change Webb’s approach. You jump, you’re getting yanked.

“That’s not our standard,” he said. “There’s been really good offensive production here through the history of this organization and we went through it in OTAs.

“If we’re not up to that standard, you will be taken out. I don’t care if you’re a starter or a back-up.”

The false starts aren’t good, obviously. But a first-year offensive coordinator laying down the law with veterans who are just about his age? That’ll pay off.

Thumbs down

Make the play. Rookie tight end Justin Joly hasn’t made many splash plays in camp, though he did add a good one ot his reel Tuesday. He got out in front of a wide receiver screen and did a good job running cornerback Brent Austin out of the play. That allowed wide receiver Kyree Duplessis to catch the ball, get up the field and score.

Overall, though, it was a rough day for Joly. He started the chain of events that led to the boiling over in team late in practice. He also had a chance to make an impressive catch over the middle when he went up high to haul in a pass from Jarrett Stidham. He had both hands on it when he hit the ground, but couldn’t reel it in. In a wide open tight end room, Joly is a pretty good bet to make the roster as a fifth-round pick, but there are still a lot of machinations to go in that room.

Vance Joseph on Jahdae Barron: “He plays multiple spots for us and that����ap going to be valuable. He’s a nickel, he’s a dime, he’s sometimes a safety. Last year when Pat was out for three games he played corner. That����ap his role right now. He wants more and I want more for him.”

— Parker Gabriel (@ParkerJGabriel)

Odds and ends

* Allen appeared to play a limited number of snaps in team settings Tuesday. DT Tyler Onyedim stepped in and made a play in his absence. The third-round pick out of Texas A&M ripped through on the first 11-on-11 snap of the day and probably had a sack — at least a pressure — on Nix. Onyedim had a quiet day stats-wise in his preseason debut Friday, but has shown signs of his potential through camp.

“I just try to take everything from (Allen’s) game,” Onyedim told The Post last week. “Just seeing him on film, seeing himi work between periods and things like that, it����ap real motivating. Seeing the great things he’s done over the past years and just wanting to be the next one up. I try to ask him all the questions I can ask him and take it all in. It����ap been great.”

Allen was a third-round pick who worked his way to All-Pro status and a $100 million contract. That����ap the kind of thing that gets noticed by a rookie third-round pick who plays in the same position group.

“He tells me all the time that he feels like I’m doing good and just keep going,” Onyedim said. “Play fast and we’ll figure out the rest out later.”

* It����ap been said more than once during training camp, but Riley Moss is playing at a really high level.

After an interception on Friday night in the preseason opener against the Falcons, he kept at it Tuesday. Moss during one-on-ones easily blanketed Troy Franklin as Nix waited and waited to deliver the ball. Finally he did, and Moss batted it down.

* A good news/bad news moment unfolded for undrafted rookie wide receiver Cam Ross on Tuesday. Ross got some run with the top offense, which meant he found himself on the receiving end of a target from Nix. In the second half of August, that����ap a good sign. Except on Tuesday, Ross dropped the ball. Not so good.

All the same, Ross got run with the top offensive group against the Falcons, too. His two catches went for just a yard, but he also got a carry that went for 28 and he’s a capable kick and punt returner. He’s one to watch the next couple of weeks.

* The Broncos run of center depth issues continued Tuesday. Wattenberg appears near a return but was still limited. With Forsyth out, Throckmorton stepped into the No. 1 role. But then he needed attending to after the fracas, which meant undrafted rookie Gavin Ortega got the call for the two-minute situations late in practice. Reid Holskey also took snaps early in practice Tuesday. He’s doing what he can to get in the mix for a practice squad spot. He spent most of last year on the New York Giants’ practice squad and has played tackle, guard and center this summer.

* The Broncos final open practice of training camp is Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. Lots open at 8 a.m. and gates at 9 a.m.

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

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

The roster cutdown is three weeks away.

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

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

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

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

The Broncos offense is going to feel… different.

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

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

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

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

The Broncos defense is going to look mostly the same

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

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

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

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

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

Uwazurike might be a real problem for opposing offenses

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

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

“He’s doing really well.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Payton thinks he finally has the Broncos running back room right

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

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