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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“So that����ap always a challenge.”

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

Changes from last week’s projection are italicized.

OFFENSE (24)

QUARTERBACKS (3)

Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, Sam Ehlinger

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

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

RUNNING BACK (3)

J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Jonah Coleman

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

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

TIGHT END (4)

Adam Trautman, Evan Engram, Nate Adkins and Justin Joly

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

WIDE RECEIVER (5)

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

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

OFFENSIVE LINE (9)

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

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

DEFENSE (26)

DEFENSIVE LINE (7)

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

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

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

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER (5)

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

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

INSIDE LINEBACKER (5)

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

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

CORNERBACK (5)

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

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

SAFETY (4)

Talanoa Hufanga, Brandon Jones, Devon Key, JL Skinner

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

SPECIAL TEAMS (3)

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

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

The 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 don’t know. You would always want clarity,” Payton said Wednesday after practice. “But, I think we’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 he’s needing. There’s a good chance, better than good chance that — I know how he felt being here – 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 here’s what we know: We’ve played against him,” Payton said. “He’s smart, which is a great trait to have as a safety. He’s a good tackler. He can play down over the slot. He’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 I’m like ‘Coach Webb’ because we’re dang near the same age, but I’m always gonna be respectful,” Sutton said. “He’s gonna be ‘Coach Webb.’ 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 practice 

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

Not present: OL Frank Crum

Justin Simmons played as a rookie in 2016. Cornerback/nickel back/who-the-heck-knows back Jahdae Barron appeared in 30% of Denver’s snaps as a rookie last fall.

So, yeah, it’s safe to say that our old friend No. 31 has seen this movie before. It gets better. He promises.

“It’s very similar to me,” who retired earlier this year after nine seasons in the NFL (2016-2024), told me when I called to ask about Barron. “I’m not trying to compare myself (to him), but when I came into the NFL, I was playing behind the No Fly Zone …

“I had to sit and learn. Even my second year, I didn’t do that well. My third year is when I started to figure it out. The only way to know is to see him and watch him play. I know the coaching staff and (teammates) have confidence in him. And if you ask me as a fan, I would like to see more of him.”

I’ll second that, especially after the stink bomb the Broncos left on the porch last Friday night against the Packers. Sean Payton already knows what he’s got in Riley Moss, who was playing with his hair on fire this month before being removed from the Green Bay scrum with a rib injury. Same for Patrick Surtain II outside and Ja’Quan McMillian inside.

It’s too early in the film to call Barron, who was selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, an orange and blue bust. Simmons played on 92% of the Broncos’ snaps in his second season, 2017, and his comfort level only accelerated from there. The only way to truly smooth out No. 23’s rough edges is with game reps. And you’ve only got one game left that doesn’t count.

With Moss leaving on Green Bay’s first series last weekend, Barron logged 50 snaps during Week 2 of the preseason. Some were, to put it kindly, stronger than others. The former Longhorn made a nice ankle tackle, only to miss another on Pierre Strong Jr. There was a big hit on Packers QB Tyrod Taylor. Yet with 3:07 left in the first half, the game tied at 10-10, the Green Bay signal-caller got the last laugh.

Faced with a third-and-goal from the Denver 2, Taylor took a shotgun snap. From the left slot, Packers wideout Will Sheppard, the former CU Buff, gave Barron a shove with his right hand as he fired off the line, creating enough separation to gain inside position on a short “out” route toward the near left pylon.

Taylor dropped back three steps and arced a jump ball into the corner over Barron and into the mitts of Sheppard, who appeared to scrape both toes along the turf before the Broncos’ stopper shoved him out of bounds. In hindsight, it was a heck of a grab to finish off a near-perfect lob. And yet while Sheppard looked every bit his listed 6-foot-3, it also made Barron appear a little smaller than the 5-11 in your game program.

“(I can work on) just the tools and learning certain things and adjusting to certain things,” Barron told reporters after the Broncos’ 33-13 defeat. “Just, again, small things like tackling, leveraging, stuff like that.”

It’ll come. On the other hand, the Broncos are in a different place than Simmons found when he’d arrived in Dove Valley. The Super Bowl 50 champs were fading slowly in ’17 and ’18, a franchise in denial, drifting without an owner, direction or accountability. The Broncos of now, by contrast, are on the ascent, a Super Bowl contender trying to cash in on the tail end of a star quarterback’s rookie contract.

“It’s not like Jahdae has been playing bad,” noted Simmons, “He’s playing well. Like, really well.

“J-Mac is playing (like) one of the best nickel backs in the NFL. Riley is getting targeted because he’s got the best corner in the NFL (Surtain) alongside him — but that doesn’t mean Riley is playing bad; You do want to take away the P.I.s and holding penalties, though.”

Besides a pick-6 off a tip in Atlanta two weekends ago, Barron has yet to show in a game that he’s more reliable on the outside than Moss or Kris Abrams-Draine. Or that he can play as angrily and instinctively as McMillian, who’s becoming to nickel corners what Zach Allen is to defensive ends. PS2 is PS2. The only way to find room in this inn is to break down a steel door.

Simmons’ advice?

“Stick to what you know,” he replied. “You look at the guys in front of him — Moss didn’t start off just getting first-team (snaps) … even Pat, and Pat’s the best corner in the NFL, and Pat was splitting reps (with the first team) his first couple of games. J-Mac (McMillian), the same way.

“Just because you were drafted high and other people are going to put expectations on you, you don’t have to live up to anything. Jahdae, from what I saw (in 2025), is a really good player — super-athletic, and has made impactful plays. I would say, ‘Don’t feel like you need to (try) to reach for anything out of the ordinary, and X, Y, Z.’ I would tell him to keep staying the course, man. There’s nothing wrong with being in a loaded secondary.”

Amen. In the big picture? Barron’s got time. The Broncos don’t.

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 they’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����ap 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����ap 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.

Cornerback Riley Moss, who left Friday’s preseason loss to Green Bay on the second play of the night with an injury to his ribs, did not sustain a serious injury, head coach Sean Payton said Monday.

Moss didn’t practice on Monday and was relegated to light conditioning work on the side field.

“He’s doing fine,” Payton said. “It����ap nothing serious. We’re being smart. We’ll see as the week progresses where he’s at.”

Moss nearly came away with an interception on the first snap of Friday’s game, jumping an out-breaking route to Packers receiver Christian Watson and getting both hands on the ball. On the next play, Denver corner Pat Surtain II knocked the ball away from Watson and Moss picked it up, but was hit in the side in the process. Watson was ruled down by contact and Moss didn’t return to the game after that. Most of the Broncos’ defensive starters didn’t play after the first drive of the game.

Frank Crum also hurt Friday, but ‘doing good’

Payton didn’t give specifics on offensive tackle Frank Crum, but did not make it sound like he was hurt badly during Friday’s game. Crum was not seen at practice on Monday.

“He’s doing good,” Payton said. “We’ll have a couple of these guys — so far, we’ve had a few injuries that were costly for some players, but hopefully we can get through this next stretch, you know, relatively healthy.”

Crum, undrafted out of the University of Wyoming in 2024, tied rookie Kage Casey among offensive players Friday by playing 37 snaps. He was in until a 9-yard Sam Ehlinger sack midway through the fourth quarter. After that, Denver ran just two more plays in the final minute to bleed the rest of the clock.

Injury updates

Among the rest of the roster, center Luke Wattenberg and wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. each did team work for the first time since getting injured early in camp. Wattenberg took most of the first-team reps but didn’t have a completely full workload.

Also not practicing: OLB Drew Sanders, C Alex Forsyth and TE Caleb Lohner. Lohner, though, was working out on the side field for the first time since the team reported in late July.

Sean Payton excited about adding veteran Taylor Rapp

The Broncos last week added veteran safety Taylor Rapp to their roster by signing him to a one-year deal. The contract is worth the veteran minimum, $1.3 million, according to NFLPA data and comes with $100,000 guaranteed, a source said.

“Veteran player we liked,” Payton said Monday. “Had good grades on (him) and just, more talent at that position. It wasn’t us pounding the table, ‘‘we need a safety.’ It was, hey, this player is available. Let����ap work him out and sign him if possible.

“I’m glad he’s here. We’ve had experience playing against him. He’s got real good football instincts and awareness that serves you well at that position. I think it was more availability than necessity, if that makes sense.”

The NFL’s deadline for trimming rosters from 90 players down to 53 is now just a week away.

By the time Sean Payton’s team finishes its preseason finale against Minnesota on Friday, those decisions will be right in front of the coaching staff and front office.

Denver is widely regarded as having one of the deepest rosters in football. Even though losing players to waiver claims from other teams is relatively rare — there were 29 total waiver claims at the cut down last year and 27 the year before — the Broncos are the kind of team others around the league will be paying extra close attention to.

A year ago, they saw two players claimed — offensive lineman Xavier Truss and cornerback Damari Mathis — and a repeat performance this year would not be surprising.

So, that����ap the cat-and-mouse game for Payton, general manager George Paton and company. It����ap about putting together a high-quality 53-man roster but also about protecting as many players as possible while getting as many as you can through waivers and to the practice squad.

With that, here’s the Denver Post����ap penultimate roster projection. The last will come following Denver’s preseason finale.

OFFENSE (24)

QUARTERBACKS (3)

Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, Sam Ehlinger

Current picture: Nix has been healthy, and Stidham has taken the lion’s share of the No. 2 reps in practice and in games. He wasn’t sharp in 30 snaps Friday night against the Packers. Can Ehlinger make a last-minute run at the job? And the bigger question for roster purposes is if they keep all three from the outset. The argument against is easy: It����ap a deep roster, and Denver has worthy options at other positions. The argument for, though, is compelling: At the game’s most important position, the Broncos have three players who have started and also been in the system for more than a year. Plus, there is no clear alternative at this point — no young practice squad candidate or somebody who’s been here in the Payton era — meaning if they lose Stidham or Ehlinger and at some point need to play the other, then the backup is someone off the street. Why take that risk with a Super Bowl contender?

Bubble player of interest: The rest of the field at roster cutdown time. Maybe there’s a young player out there the Broncos are hoping gets cut.

RUNNING BACK (3)

J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Jonah Coleman

Current picture: The top three are locked in and have the makings of the best Broncos backfield in a while. In this iteration, the Broncos approach veteran Adam Prentice and ask him to start the season on the practice squad. He then gets added to the 53-man roster after three elevations, if not before based on the team’s injury picture. Prentice, though, has been really good since he arrived at the end of camp last year. It’d be a real surprise if he wasn’t squarely involved from the outset. This is just a creative way of making it happen.

Bubble players of interest: Badie and McLaughlin. If Denver can get one or both through to the practice squad, they’ve got themselves nice depth. If not, there will be a ton of backs out there to sort through on the waiver wire.

TIGHT END (4)

Adam Trautman, Evan Engram, Nate Adkins and Justin Joly

Current picture: Fairly wide open after the top two. You can put together several iterations, squint and see it being the way the 53-man shakes out to start the year. This quartet gives Denver a little bit of everything: The top two that are sure to make the roster, a player in Adkins who can play F and also fullback in a pinch and the fifth-round pick in Joly. It����ap contingent on Adkins getting healthy. He’s been in and out this summer. Dallen Bentley isn’t flashy, but he does the dirty work in-line. It may come down to who’s the player Denver feels best about sneaking through the waiver wire between Adkins, Joly and Bentley. Lucas Krull just keeps hanging around the picture, too.

Bubble player of interest: Caleb Lohner. The second-year man is in a bit of a tricky spot now. Maybe Payton’s spring praise was real enough that he gets back soon and makes the roster from the outset. Otherwise, from a roster perspective, could he be an IR candidate to start the year with a return designation? You only get so many, so they’d have to be counting on him playing at some point.

WIDE RECEIVER (5)

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

Current picture: Pretty much set… unless. Outside of a Devaughn Vele-esque trade from depth, this looks like a darn good quintet for the Broncos. We’ve all become accustomed to Lil’Jordan Humphrey starting the year on the practice squad and then playing a lot, but he legitimately deserves a roster spot the way he’s played this summer. Will it be there for him? Regardless, the role will be. As is, there’s a world in which Humphrey’s elevated from the practice squad early in the year and Franklin is a gameday inactive if everyone is healthy. Enviable depth in this room.

Bubble player of interest: Cam Ross. He got to run with the top group in the first preseason game. Then Friday night vs. Green Bay it was fellow undrafted rookie Dane Key. Kolbe Katsis has come on strong, too. Denver’s got options for the practice squad. There are a ton of receivers out there, but the Broncos could lose one of these guys at the roster cutdown.

OFFENSIVE LINE (9)

Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Luke Wattenberg, Quinn Meinerz, Mike McGlinchey, Alex Palczewski, Frank Crum, Kage Casey, Calvin Throckmorton

Current picture: What has looked like a rock-solid nine for the active roster has its first major question: Is Alex Forsyth going to get enough healthy time to make the roster and, even if he does, has Throckmorton just flat-out outplayed him for the No. 2 center job in camp? For now, we’re leaning yes to the second question regardless of the first. Forsyth has capital built up in the building, though. Payton calls him one of the smartest centers he’s been around. Throckmorton, though, can also play both guard spots, and that flex is valuable. Could be one of the tougher calls on the roster next week.

Bubble player of interest: Tyler Miller. They aren’t exactly household names, but each of the past two years the Broncos have lost a developmental tackle on the waiver wire at the roster cutdown. Last year it was Truss. In 2024, they lost Demontrey Jacobs but had to try to get him to the practice squad because they knew Frank Crum wouldn’t make it through if they waived him. Players are scarce at the position, and Denver knows how to develop them. The bet here is they’ll be quite happy to keep Miller if he makes it through.

DEFENSE (26)

DEFENSIVE LINE (7)

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

Current picture: Denver looks well-situated to replace John Franklin-Myers and keep on rolling with Eyioma Uwazurike and Malcolm Roach. Those two plus D.J. Jones make for a top-flight run-defending group, and if Uwazurike rushes the passer as he has so far in the preseason, this group is going to be really dangerous. The question is if they take seven again like last year. And who would they leave off? If you’re looking for trade candidates in the next week, Jackson would have the chance to draw something real — like, a Day 3 pick rather than just a pick swap, perhaps — from a team that doesn’t have Denver’s depth. He’s made the roster cleanly the past two years and is having another good camp.

Bubble player of interest: Sai’Vion Jones. If you were going to leave somebody from the above group off the roster, Jackson and Sai’Vion Jones are the only two real options. Jackson’s proven he can handle a rotational role, so he’s got that going for him on a championship-minded team. Jones is bigger and stronger than a year ago. It����ap not yet clear he’s fully ready, but Denver also traded up into the third round to draft him just a year ago. It’d be a surprise to cut bait now, especially when there’s no indication they think he’s a lost cause.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER (5)

Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Jonah Elliss, Que Robinson, Dondrea Tillman

Current picture: Straightforward. This group has top-flight production and depth. There’s really no two ways about it. The major question is if Cooper will actually be on the roster Week 1. We’re keeping him on as a placeholder for now, but the reality is there’s a good chance he’s not. He could be suspended in the next eight days and, if the league is still reviewing at the roster cutdown. then perhaps the commissioner’s exempt list comes into play for the interim. Interestingly, the roster cutdown is Aug. 30, and Cooper is slated to be arraigned on domestic violence-related charges Aug. 31.

Bubble player of interest: Drew Sanders. A healthy training camp for Sanders would have made him a compelling bubble player. Perhaps he’s got one more run at it in him over the next week. But after a sack against the Falcons, he didn’t practice all week or play against Green Bay. On this roster, it����ap just going to be really hard to keep a guy who’s in and out as much as Sanders has been. He’s a scary one to let walk, though. If he ever stays healthy, he’s going to make plays.

INSIDE LINEBACKER (4)

Alex Singleton, Justin Strnad, Red Murdock, Jordan Turner

Current picture: Still up for grabs behind the starters. Murdock is playing his way into a spot, and the Broncos love his smarts. Don’t overthink it and risk losing him. What����ap interesting is Turner has only been back a week or so off of NFI, but he jumped right into camp work with the top two units, and he was next up next to Reid in the game Friday vs. Green Bay. Denver liked his scout team and special teams work as a rookie last year. He’s going to be tough to leave off the roster. But Reid has been available and consistent all summer.

Bubble player of interest: Reid and Taurean York. Even after losing Levelle Bailey to injury, Denver has a bunch of interesting options. Not all of them can make the roster. Whichever two or three the team thinks can make it through waivers are the ones they’ll let go. But this group in general is worth trying to retain and develop through the season.

CORNERBACK (5)

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

Current picture: There may not be a better, deeper group out there. As long as they’re healthy. Riley Moss left the game Friday with an injury to his ribs, though Payton said he was doing “good.” If he missed any time, that might change the calculus here. Otherwise, the top trio is top-flight, and Barron pairs with Abrams-Draine to provide capable backup and sub play across the board.

Bubble player of interest: Reese Taylor. He’s not a talked-about player, but Taylor was going to make this 53-man projection until the Broncos signed veteran safety Taylor Rapp on Thursday. He still could, depending on how numbers shake out at other positions. Taylor was on the active roster down the stretch last year, is playing on the top line of several Denver special teams units currently and knows the systems for both Vance Joseph and Darren Rizzi.

SAFETY (5)

Talanoa Hufanga, Brandon Jones, Devon Key, JL Skinner, Taylor Rapp

Current picture: Maybe it����ap as simple as starters, special teamers and Rapp. It����ap hard to imagine Rapp would have signed when he did without some indication Denver planned to carry him on the roster to start the season. He’s played in 93 games in his career but tried to battle through a knee injury early last year, didn’t play great through six games and then was put on injured reserve. Key and Skinner are high-level special teamers, and the staff says it trusts Key to play defense if needed.

Bubble player of interest: Tycen Anderson. In this situation, it comes down to Anderson vs. Skinner for a special teams-dominant role, and Skinner wins out via training camp performance and also the production in years past here.

SPECIAL TEAMS (3)

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

Current picture: Pretty much set in stone outside of injury.

Bubble player of interest: Luke Basso has been in camp as a long-snapper, but STC Darren Rizzi said part of the reason is just to take reps off Fraboni during camp. Perhaps more interesting: Could Ross or another young player challenge for time as a returner?

Did you see the touch? Bo Nix’s 21-yard wheel route to RJ Harvey against Green Bay Friday night was feathery enough to stuff a pillow.

Did you see the timing?  Nix’s 35-yard toss to Jaylen Waddle against the Pack looked more like guys who’ve been playing pitch-and-catch together for years, not months.

In his first game back since two offseason ankle procedures, the Broncos’ QB1 looked pretty much as we left him at Empower Field in January, didn’t he? Six pass completions on nine attempts, 76 passing yards, one touchdown — that rainbow to Harvey — with zero picks and a 129.9 passer rating. Two drives against Green Bay’s starters, 10 points scored.

“It just felt, like, exactly where I left off,” Nix said after the game. “I think, honestly, I felt better, I think, over time … . I think the extra clean-up surgery was good for me, just because it put me back to square one, back to base one. And I thought that I felt pretty good. As good as I’ve felt in a long time.”

Nothing more to see here, Sean. Get No. 10 in some bubble wrap and start the prep for Kansas City, baby.

“For the first time back where he’s actually going against a different defense, I thought he was efficient,” the Broncos coach told 9NEWS at halftime of Denver’s 33-13 preseason loss to Green Bay. “He’s been moving well at practice. That’s really been the key evaluation.”

He moved well on Friday, too. For the most part. The closest thing to a “test” for Nix’s surgically repaired right ankle came on the last play of the first quarter. On second-and-16, the Broncos’ QB1 found himself chased by a free Packers defender. Nix spotted the danger quickly — his ability to accurately sense and respond to pocket chaos is among No. 10’s greatest “super powers,” to paraphrase a Payton-ism — and gave himself time to slide right and dump the ball to rookie running back Jonah Coleman, who was dropped a couple of yards short of the line of scrimmage.

The 2023 version of Russell Wilson never sees that Packers defender until it’s too late; the 2025 version of Shedeur Sanders would’ve zig-zagged backward for 15 yards trying to create time to make a miracle. Nix simply accepted a narrow defensive win while making a point of mitigating the damage. The Broncos went conservative, electing a draw to Coleman on third-and-18 to the Green Bay 35 — setting up a 53-yard Will Lutz field goal and a 10-7 Denver lead.

“I would like to play as much as I can,” Nix told me during his media scrum late Friday night, “but I have no control over that.”

Payton should follow Nix’s clear head amid turmoil and pandemonium. Sod the “Bo needs the reps” crowd. Why not play it smart? Why ruin a September from Hades by risking an injury to your QB1 in August?

To put it another way: Did you notice what happened to Riley Moss against the Pack?

No. 21’s juice was there from the jump. Moss matched Christian Watson step for step on the Packers’ first play, mirroring a quick-out cut perfectly and batting away the timing route from Jordan Love. On the second snap, the Broncos cornerback pounced on what he presumed to be a strip by teammate Pat Surtain II on a 14-yard gain by Watson.

Seven plays later, Moss was seen walking to the locker room — questionable to return with a rib injury.

Imagine if Nix is making that walk next week after taking an awkward hit against Minnesota. Or did you enjoy The Jarrett Stidham Experience against a team with a pulse?

Steady Stiddy’s first half: 3 for 7 passing, 31 yards, one pick and a 16.7 passer rating. Love Stiddy. Alas, he appeared to be largely as we left him in late January, too.

Why make a bad night at the office worse? The Packers already knocked a lot of that “start printing Super Bowl tickets” shine the Broncos got from running a bad Atlanta bunch ragged last weekend. Aside from Payton’s first-team offense, Friday went down like spoiled milk weeks past its expiration date, curdling the tongue. You’d hope that a 68-yard Packers kick return in a game that doesn’t count becomes a teaching point for special teams coach Darren Rizzi. Payton’s putting a lot of faith in an old friend, a blind spot that’s burned him, on occasion.

With a few exceptions, the Broncos’ reserves appeared to be going through the motions in the preseason. Moss’ replacement, Jahdae Barron, had a rollercoaster night that typified the occasion. The former first-round pick took Packers QB Tyrod Taylor to the woodshed in the second quarter, only to get beat by the Green Bay signal-caller on a short touchdown pass to ex-Buffs wideout Will Sheppard that capped the drive.

At least two-and-a-half quarters to forget was preceded by a quarter-and-a-half of Bo being Bo, just like old times. Davis Webb to Nix? Smooth as silk. Nix to Waddle? If Friday was the appetizer, those two could become one of the AFC’s tastiest combos.

On the hosts’ third play, Waddle beat Green Bay safety Xavier McKinney off the line, snared a short pass from Nix, and then shifted to a different gear. Then two gears. Then three. The Broncos had a 35-yard gain out of a 10-yard-ish dump.

“It’s all chemistry, and I think we’re still building that chemistry,” Waddle noted later, “And we’re just going to continue to build (that) in practice and give him the quality of reps that he needs.”

Three plays later, Nix dropped back again, then waited for Harvey to get two steps past his man on a wheel route up the right boundary. No. 10 rain-Bo-ed it over the defender for a 21-yard touchdown — the first of what’ll be many for Nix in The Webb Era. One drive, 3-5 passing, 60 yards through the air, 2-for-2 on third-down conversions, one touchdown, zero panic.

“He’ll be ready to go,” Payton told 9NEWS, “to start the year.”

He’s ready now, dude. No need to push your luck.

Green Bay came to Denver and thumped Sean Payton’s team, 33-10, on Friday night. It marked the Broncos’ first preseason loss since San Francisco prevailed, 21-20, on Aug. 19, 2023.

Denver head coach Sean Payton regularly emphasizes the importance of competing in everything and, therefore, the importance of winning in the preseason.

That, however, is not the primary objective in the grand scheme. First and foremost is using the three preseason games to figure out the 53-man roster puzzle that must be completed by Aug. 30 and also preparing the team for a 17-game regular season.

There were positives, too. Quarterback Bo Nix returned to the field for the first time in seven months, led a touchdown drive and finished 6 of 9 for 76 yards and a touchdown.

With two of the three games now in the books, here are five more takeaways from the first outing of the year at Empower Field.

Payton once said sometimes a coach has to “create a crisis.” This isn’t one, but…

You wouldn’t know it the way Payton talked after the Packers finished drubbing his team.

The Broncos opened with two scores behind Nix and then did very little the rest of the game.

“I can’t think of one area where we played them (even) or out-played them, honestly,” Payton said.

Payton seethed that all three phases had a hand in the lopsided score and he was right.

Denver committed 10 penalties, including several on the offensive line. Jarrett Stidham turned the ball over. The starting defense surrendered an opening touchdown drive and the Packers scored on seven of their nine possessions overall. A week after dominating Atlanta at the line of scrimmage, the Broncos got out-rushed 118-70.

The average length of Denver’s 12 third-down attempts: 9.5 yards.

Good luck telling Payton it����ap just a preseason game.

“You can’t not pay attention to these games, these scrimmages, these important steps toward the beginning of the regular season,” Payton said.

Payton wants to win at everything. He undoubtedly had no fun standing on the sideline as his team got beat by three scores.

When he was asked after the game about whether Nix and other starters would play in Denver’s preseason finale next week against Minnesota, he gave a little bit of a peek into how he felt in the moment.

“I’m not getting into next week. I want to play them all into the third quarter next week,” he said. Of course, leveler heads will probably prevail on that front in the coming days.

“Let����ap figure out the tape tomorrow,” Payton continued, “see where we’re at, and let����ap do what����ap best for us as we prepare for the Chiefs.”

Even as the immediate frustration recedes, though, expect Payton to use Friday night����ap performance for longer than just a day or two.

In fact, it����ap a safe bet this will not be a particularly enjoyable week around the Broncos facility in general.

Payton learned the “create a crisis” play, like many in his quiver, from Bill Parcells.

Early in his tenure here, he explained that “you trust your instincts with each week in our league — where your team is at and what you think they need. I don’t know that there’s a book for that, but experience certainly helps.”

He’s undoubtedly not happy about losing, but the score doesn’t actually matter in the long run. Now, the key is extracting as much as possible out of the day.

A lot of that will be film study, but some, too, will be message-sending to a team that dominated in preseason Week 1, expects itself to be a contender, has had a fairly straightforward training camp so far and also has not been able to generate fast starts to the regular season under Payton.

In fact, for as surly as Payton was after the game, somewhere in there he probably convinced himself that it set him up perfectly to hammer home to his team that they’re not good enough to be anything other than on the screws every week.

Buckle up if you work at Broncos Park this week.

Jahdae Barron looks like the next man up outside and in the slot

It can be dangerous to read too much into preseason personnel rotations. The coaching staff has an idea going into a game in terms of who is going to play how many snaps and when. That goes into account when a player is injured or something unforeseen happens.

Still, it was interesting to note that the Broncos’ 2025 first-round pick was the first man in when starting cornerback Riley Moss injured his ribs on the second play of the night. Barron is playing a jack-of-all-trades role so far in camp and has seen time on the outside, in the slot and as the team’s primary dime back when defensive coordinator Vance Joseph puts six defensive backs on the field.

Barron has no obvious competition for the dime job or as the No. 2 nickel, but he’s competing against Kris Abrams-Draine to be the primary back-up for Moss and Pat Surtain II on the outside. When Surtain missed three games last year, the Broncos used Barron, a sure tackler, on early downs and Abrams-Draine in more obvious passing situations. They could certainly go back to that arrangement this year in the regular season, but perhaps Barron is making a run to claim that job outright.

Jarrett Stidham didn’t make a strong claim on the No. 2 job

The possession count for Denver’s three quarterbacks on Friday night looked like this:

Bo Nix: 2

Jarrett Stidham: 5

Sam Ehlinger: 2

Stidham and the No. 2 offense, however, struggled to find anything resembling a rhythm. The first four trips generated just two first downs and featured an interception on a ball that looked like a miscommunication between Stidham and tight end Lucas Krull.

The veteran’s final line: 9 of 15 for 82 yards, the pick and a passer rating of 47.1.

“Anytime you play, you want to win,” Stidham said. “Tomorrow we’re going to have a great chance to look at the film and see what we can do better individually and as an offense. As a group. It’ll be good to obviously take some things away that we can improve on and, going into next week, the last week of preseason and then, you know, beyond that.”

Ehlinger got one real drive that covered just 9 yards in seven plays. His second possession started with 1:05 remaining and Denver ran the ball twice to kill the clock.

As camp has progressed, Stidham has dominated the No. 2 reps in practice. Ehlinger’s run the No. 2 unit twice all of camp and didn’t this past week.

In the end, perhaps there won’t have been all that much to decide in the race outside of whether to keep all three quarterbacks.

Payton, though, wasn’t near ready to say that yet Friday night.

“We’re still working through it,” he said when asked if next week’s game against the Vikings matters in the decision-making process. “Yeah. It matters. It matters. We’re watching those guys.”

The Broncos offense is going to hear about penalties. A lot.

One area that had Payton particularly peeved postgame: Penalties.

Denver had 10 enforced for 79 yards and a Frank Crum holding penalty declined. Of the 11 flags total, five were on the offense and all were either holding or procedural.

Crum, fellow offensive lineman Alex Palczewski, tight end Lucas Krull and fullback Adam Prentice all got called for holding and left tackle Garett Bolles false started.

During Tuesday’s practice, offensive coordinator Davis Webb yanked Bolles, Mike McGlinchey and Evan Engram from a drill because of false start penalties.

Payton was similarly annoyed on Friday.

“Some of them we keep seeing in practice, we’re seeing the same penalties in the games,” Payton said. “Saw them last year. We’ve got to get that cleaned up.”

Overall, it was an up-and-down night for the offensive line, which is going to be counted on to be among the roster’s strongest suits.

Not on this night, though.

“Wasn’t good. Wasn’t good,” Payton said. “We had too many minus plays, too many penalties offensively. I don’t know how many third and 10-or-mores we had, but quite a bit, right?”

RJ Harvey should have your attention as a pass-catching threat

The Broncos look poised to roll out a diverse set of offensive options when the regular season begins.

That was apparent early Friday night when Jaylen Waddle was on the field with Courtland Sutton and Pat Bryant at receiver, Evan Engram at tight end and RJ Harvey in the backfield.

Denver should also have J.K. Dobbins, Jonah Coleman, Marvin Mims Jr. and others ready on Sept. 14 against Kansas City, as well.

Don’t forget about Harvey, though.

He scored 12 touchdowns as a rookie and, though he’s not the most refined runner between the tackles yet, he is special in open space and in the passing game.

The second-year man out of Central Florida showed that again Friday, ripping past standout Green Bay linebacker Edgerrin Cooper for a 21-yard touchdown on a wheel route.

“Well, honestly, he was like that last year, so the growth I haven’t seen much because he started so far out in front as a pass-catcher,” Nix said after the game. “I knew when he came in last year, seeing him for the first time at practice, that was going to be his strongest ability.

“The catch he made wasn’t necessarily easy. He’s just done that his career here so far, just over a year and some change. I’m excited to see him continue to develop. He’s a special football player.”

Harvey caught 47 passes on 58 targets for 356 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie. He’s got more competition for playing time this year with the way Coleman has looked in his first professional training camp, but Payton knows exactly how to use players with Harvey’s skill set, Webb knows what he’s got as a pass-catching threat and there should be more opportunity for favorable matchups with Waddle’s addition to the mix.