The league needed 76 instead.

The top 75 players in NBA history — and one more because of a tie in the voting — have been revealed, a group that has combined to win 158 NBA championships, earn 730 NBA All-Star selections and score more than 1.5 million points.

The players were not ranked in order, and were announced over a three-day span randomly. And the league didn’t say which players wound up in that tie to determine the final spot.

All 50 of the Top 50 players — chosen 25 years ago, during the NBA’s 50th anniversary celebration — made the Top 75 list as well, a clear indicator that the voters for this team respected the intentions of the selectors a quarter-century ago.

Of the new names on the list, nine were announced during the first two rounds of unveilings Tuesday and Wednesday: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Tim Duncan, Kevin Durant, Kevin Garnett, James Harden, Allen Iverson, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki and Chris Paul.

The other newcomers were all announced Thursday, with a few obvious picks coming along with a few surprises. Dominique Wilkins was a notable omission from the 50th anniversary team but made the 75th anniversary team.

“It took me a while to get over it,” Wilkins said of the snub a quarter-century ago.

He doesn’t have to worry about it anymore.

Nor does Bob McAdoo, another player who didn’t make the Top 50 list 25 years ago but got enough votes to make the Top 75.

“A legend on and off the court,” read a statement from the Miami Heat, commemorating McAdoo’s selection.

The other newcomers to the list, all announced Thursday: Dennis Rodman, Ray Allen, Dwyane Wade, Jason Kidd, Kobe Bryant, Gary Payton, Paul Pierce, Stephen Curry, Reggie Miller, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook.

“I just got chills. I don’t want to be cool and act like this doesn’t mean anything. … It����ap surreal,” Wade said on the Turner Sports telecast of Thursday’s announcement. “It doesn’t even feel real to look at yourself and say ‘I’m one of the best 75 players ever to play this game.’”

Iverson and Anthony spent time playing in Denver.

Kidd had a similar reaction, after being told in a pregame interview before the team he now coaches — the Dallas Mavericks — opened their season against the Atlanta Hawks.

“One, I’m surprised,” Kidd said. “Two, it����ap a surreal moment, right? Seventy-five years, to be mentioned with that list, there’s a lot of great names. I’m just happy they found a way to put my name on that list.”

The NBA’s 75th anniversary team, in alphabetical order:

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; Ray Allen; Giannis Antetokounmpo; Carmelo Anthony; Nate Archibald; Paul Arizin; Charles Barkley; Rick Barry; Elgin Baylor; Dave Bing; Larry Bird; Kobe Bryant; Wilt Chamberlain; Bob Cousy; Dave Cowens; Billy Cunningham; Stephen Curry; Anthony Davis; Dave DeBusschere; Clyde Drexler; Tim Duncan; Kevin Durant; Julius Erving; Patrick Ewing; Walt Frazier.

Kevin Garnett; George Gervin; Hal Greer; James Harden; John Havlicek; Elvin Hayes; Allen Iverson; LeBron James; Magic Johnson; Sam Jones; Michael Jordan; Jason Kidd; Kawhi Leonard; Damian Lillard; Jerry Lucas; Karl Malone; Moses Malone; Pete Maravich; Bob McAdoo; Kevin McHale; George Mikan; Reggie Miller; Earl Monroe; Steve Nash; Dirk Nowitzki.

Hakeem Olajuwon; Shaquille O’Neal; Robert Parish; Chris Paul; Gary Payton; Bob Pettit; Paul Pierce; Scottie Pippen; Willis Reed; Oscar Robertson; David Robinson; Dennis Rodman; Bill Russell; Dolph Schayes; Bill Sharman; John Stockton; Isiah Thomas; Nate Thurmond; Wes Unseld; Dwyane Wade; Bill Walton; Jerry West; Russell Westbrook; Lenny Wilkens; Dominique Wilkins; James Worthy.

As the NFL playoffs begin with the Wild Card round this weekend, here’s a look at all the players and coaches with Colorado ties who still have their Super Bowl dreams alive. This list includes guys who played high school/college football in the state, as well as ex-Broncos.

AFC

Chiefs

DT Mike Pennel (Aurora/Grandview/CSU-Pueblo); OC Eric Bieniemy (played at CU, coached at Thomas Jefferson, coached at CU); Asst. QB Coach Joe Bleymaier (ex-CU offensive quality control coach)… Defensive asst. coach Connor Embree (Superior native).

Bills

WR Isaiah McKenzie (Broncos 2017-18); Asst. WR coach Marc Lubick (ex-Broncos assistant); practice squad WR Tanner Gentry (Aurora/Grandview).

Colts

G Sam Jones (Highlands Ranch/ThunderRidge/Broncos 2018, 2019 preseason), OL coach Chris Strausser (Broncos assistant OL coach 2017-18), practice squad T Jared Veldheer (Broncos 2018).

Steelers

TE coach James Daniel (Broncos coaching fellow 1992).

Browns

FB Andy Janovich (Broncos 2016-19), QB Case Keenum (Broncos 2018), S Tedric Thompson (CU), offensive assistant T.C. McCartney (Broncos QB coach 2019, grandson of ex-CU coach Bill McCartney), WR Rashard Higgins (CSU).

Titans

P Brett Kern (Broncos 2008-09); T Ty Sambrailo (CSU, Broncos 2015-16); WR Kalif Raymond (Broncos 2016); Special Teams Coordinator Craig Aukerman (ex-Broncos special teams assistant); practice squad C Daniel Munyer (CU).

Ravens

DE Calais Campbell (Denver/Denver South), DE Derek Wolfe (Broncos 2012-19), CB Jimmy Smith (CU), injured reserve CB Davontae Harris (Broncos 2019-20).

NFC

Packers

P JK Scott (Mullen); K Mason Crosby (CU); T/G Billy Turner (Broncos 2016-18); injured reserve T David Bakhtiari (CU); injured reserve CB Kabion Ento (CU); practice squad WR Juwann Winfree (CU, Broncos 2019); injured reserve DL Billy Winn (Broncos 2016).

Saints

CB Ken Crawley (CU); WR Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos 2014-19); DC Dennis Allen (Broncos DC 2011).

Bears

LG Arlington Hambright (CU), QB Kyle Sloter (UNC), ILB Danny Trevathan (Broncos 2012-15), DC Chuck Pagano (Boulder native/Fairview).

Seahawks

No Colorado connections, unless you count Russell Wilson (the Rockies’ 4th-round pick in 2010 who played two minor league seasons in the team’s system) and defensive assistant Tom Donatell (son of Broncos DC Ed Donatell).

Rams

DE Morgan Fox (Fountain/Fort Carson/CSU-Pueblo); QB Blake Bortles (Broncos 2020); LB Justin Hollins (Broncos 2019); DC Brandon Staley (Broncos OLB coach 2019).

Washington

QB Steven Montez (CU); DC Jack Del Rio (Broncos DC 2012-14); Asst. DB coach Brent Vieselmeyer (Valor Christian coach 2007-12); Offensive quality control coach Luke Del Rio (Valor Christian); practice squad WR Tony Brown (CU).

Buccaneers

OLB Shaquil Barrett (CSU, Broncos 2015-18); C Ryan Jensen (Fort Morgan/CSU-Pueblo).

— Kyle Newman, The Denver Post

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I know all the pundits are saying the Broncos should take a receiver in the first round, but I disagree. The offensive line is the limiting factor for Denver’s offensive success. How about moving left tackle Garett Bolles to the right side, where I believe he is best-suited. He is a tough dude who may even be able to play guard. Draft a left tackle in round one, and find a receiver in round two or three — a guy like Jalen Reagor or Laviska Shenault. If Javon Kinlaw is available and the top offensive tackles are off the board, take Kinlaw! The defensive line is also in need of replenishing. My point is that games are won in the trenches!

— Kenny Wikler, Lake Oswego, Ore.

The Broncos started addressing offensive line by signing Detroit free agent Graham Glasgow to play right guard, but they still need a starting center. Bolles won’t be moved to right tackle because they want to give Ja’Wuan James another shot and nobody I’ve talked to through the years feels Bolles would be a good guard. The issue with wanting to draft a left tackle at No. 15 — who will be available? Tristan Wirfs (Iowa), Jedrick Wills (Alabama), Andrew Thomas (Georgia) and Mekhi Becton (Louisville) may all be off the board. … Kinlaw: The South Carolina defensive lineman would figure to be a good fit in the Broncos’ scheme. He may go to Jacksonville at No. 9 or Cleveland at No. 10. … Receiver in rounds 2-3: If the Broncos go cornerback or linebacker or anything non-receiver in round 1, there should be several receivers still available. Reagor is likely to be a first-round pick and Shenault should be off the board early in round 2.

Am I the only one in ����apountry who feels the first-round pick must be one of the four top-tier tackles projected to be gone? Ja’Wuan James is injury prone and Garett Bolles is penalty prone. Should Denver trade up to get one of those tackles?

— Dave Urborn, Lakewood����

James is injury-prone (started three games last year and didn’t finish any of them) and Bolles’ penalty problems are well-documented. You make a good point — if the Broncos want one of the top four offensive tackles (Wirfs, Thomas, Becton and Thomas), they will have to move up. If the intent is to immediately replace Bolles or James, the Broncos should position themselves to get one of those four players. If not, they should plug another leak in the lineup in round 1 and then address offensive tackle in round 2 or 3 understanding that player will not start right away.

Setting aside the regular season itself, what part of the NFL year is your favorite to cover?

— David Brown, Lenexa, Kan.

I always enjoy the three days of the draft. It will be different this year since we’ll most likely be covering the event from home and then dialing into conference calls. It����ap interesting to dig into a prospect����ap background and game tape to figure out how he can help the Broncos and how quickly.

Why aren’t the Broncos giving a new contract? How can they justify giving a punter (Sam Martin) more cash? Does not appreciate and reward his undrafted free agents?

— David Ornes, Lone Tree

The system is set up for older players like Martin to make more than younger players like Lindsay. Martin’s three-year, $7.05 million contract is about middle-of-the-pack for NFL punters. The Broncos felt they needed an upgrade over Colby Wadman so they splurged a bit. Lindsay is scheduled to count $755,000 on the cap this year. As an undrafted free agent, he is eligible for a contract extension after his second season (which is now). But the Broncos have no reason to pursue a new deal with Lindsay. First, they signed . Second, we don’t know how John Elway, and Pat Shurmur feel about Lindsay long-term. Short-term, they felt Gordon was a needed addition. Elway signed cornerback after his undrafted free agent deal so he appreciated Harris back then.

If Calais Campbell is such a terrific player, why does he keep getting traded every couple of years? He has been with New England, Jacksonville, Arizona, and now a new team (Ravens).

— Lee Fairman, Green Valley, Ariz.

Geez, Lee coming from the top rope. Campbell never played for New England. He left Arizona for a four-year, $60 million deal with Jacksonville. And the rebuilding Jaguars traded him to Baltimore earlier this month. Terrific players in this league are sometimes on the move because of the salary cap, regime changes, personal preference for a fresh start, etc. Campbell, a Denver native, remains a high-level player.

Why does this front office not prioritize the inside linebacker position? It����ap been a glaring weakness for the last five years and we continue to get beat by tight ends.

— Matthew, Kansas City, Mo.

The Broncos certainly haven’t prioritized it in free agency or high in the draft. Two years ago, they drafted Josey Jewell and Kieshawn Bierria in the fourth and sixth rounds, respectively. Jewell couldn’t take advantage on beginning 2019 as a starter and Bierria is no longer with the team. Assessing the current depth chart, the Broncos have (waivers), Alexander Johnson (undrafted), Jewell, Joe Jones (undrafted) and Josh Watson (undrafted). The Broncos figured free agents Joe Schobert and Cory Littleton were either too expensive, not a fit or both.

Why didn’t the Broncos keep ? The guy has a nose for the ball (seem to remember him saving a touchdown by swiping it at the goal line last year) and was solid all around. Philadelphia brought him home for a dirt-cheap guaranteed $1 million? That’s not much above minimum for a solid player. What gives?

— Donald S. Miller, Boynton Beach, Fla.

That Parks was allowed to leave the Broncos for such a manageable salary shows Elway/Fangio weren’t interested in keeping him and/or Parks was looking for a landing spot that gives him a chance to compete to start. That wasn’t happening here with and in the fold. Conversely, look at what happened with defensive end Shelby Harris. His market didn’t materialize so he and the Broncos circled back and got a one-year deal done. That didn’t happen with Parks.

What do you think about coming to the Broncos as a solid backup quarterback? I still say Bolles must to go. What is your take on Bolles? The Broncos need a solid wide receiver to complement , “Mr. Beast Mode True Hands.”

— Sam Jones, Fairfield, Calif.

Newton: He would be a solid backup, but he’s still looking for a spot where he can contend to start. … Bolles: A lot of GB72 comments this week. I go back to what I said after the season — he was better in second half of the year than he was in the first half. Was that because my expectations were so minimal? Maybe. … Receiver: Agree on needing to add help for Sutton.

Do you think the Broncos have a good chance to make the playoffs this year?

— John Castro, Stockton, Calif.

If the playoffs are expanded to seven teams per conference, they have a better chance than last year. The AFC West goes through Kansas City until further notice, but the Broncos have done some good things in the free agent/trade market to believe they can challenge for a wild card spot. The key is obvious: Don’t start 0-4.

Hey Ryan, what is going on with Juwann Winfree? I remember watching in preseason last year and he hardly ever dropped a ball. Then the regular season comes around and we don’t see or hear anything about him.

— Shane Ellis, Phoenix

Winfree was a sixth-round pick last year and he could never get out of the blocks. He played only three games (15 offensive snaps/49 special teams snaps). The key for Winfree is showing he can be a core special teams player like how initially made his impact. The lineup if the Broncos have five receivers active in the season opener: 1. Sutton. 2. Drafted receiver. 3. Patrick. 4. Diontae Spencer (return man). That leaves one spot for the group of , Winfree and the others.

You can pose a��Broncos- or NFL-related question for the Broncos Mailbag here.��Follow Ryan for more daily updates on��.

Ryan, who is Brandon Allen and what can we expect from him on Sunday?

— Tyson, Denver

Allen was named the starting quarterback on Monday by coach for at least this week’s game against Cleveland. ’s injury is a herniated disk in his neck and he might be out for several games. Now about Allen: He started for three-plus years at Arkansas and left as the school’s all-time leader in touchdown passes. He bounced from Jacksonville to the Los Angeles Rams to the Broncos, who claimed him off waivers after training camp. What to expect? Who knows. Allen has never taken a regular-season snap. But thinking out loud, Allen is seven years younger than Flacco so maybe they put him on the move a bit more via rollouts.

Why is Joe Flacco complaining about going fourth-and-5 when the Broncos are at first-and-goal and he missed all three attempts just to settle for a field goal? The offensive line coach (Mike Munchak) isn’t helping the cause at all, the quarterbacks coach (T.C. McCartney) needs to work with Flacco on quick release and stop holding the football. No offense, bad play-calling, QB, need to be replaced. Like Flacco said, a 2-6 team what do you have to lose right?

— Sam Jones, Fairfield, Calif.

Ol’ Sam sounds like he wants mid-season changes on the coaching staff. Flacco’s comments after the Colts game were produced out of frustration and when that sets in, the facts are sometimes forgotten. You’re right about the first-and-goal situation. The Broncos called three consecutive pass plays from the 3-yard line and all were incomplete. That����ap when you should at least run it once. But that was aggressive and that����ap what Flacco wants, right? To your other points, Munchak is probably the best in the league and he can’t be blamed for left tackle Garett Bolles not turning a positive corner or right tackle Ja’Wuan James’ inability to stay healthy. McCartney is the quarterbacks coach, but offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello leads the room. At 2-6, the Broncos should treat the remaining games with nothing to lose. Play some young guys. Be bold in the offensive and defensive play-calling. Do something, anything, to create a spark.

Why is still the general manager of the Broncos? He has flopped on draft picks, he can’t pick out a good quarterback to save his life, and he’s not willing to utilize our cap space to pick up talented players. So I guess my other question is, do fans feel the same way or is this just me?

— Alex Florack, Fort Collins

Alex comes in from the top rope regarding Elway. He’s the general manager because he built a champion in 2015 and, well, that continues to carry more weight than the other personnel mistakes. I’ll only balk at the cap space comment since spending on free agency has never been a problem for Elway. It����ap about picking the right free agents. You’re not alone. My inbox fills up after each Broncos loss (and even after a win) that Elway needs to be moved on and a fresh set of eyes need to be put in charge of the football operations.

Why do we choose to have extremely conservative offensive play-calling thinking we can burn the clock and win by one point when we have proved twice we can’t keep a team from marching down and kicking a field goal. Why not play to win (go for broke) versus trying to limp in with a 13-12 lead. Lastly, why hire rookies for leadership coaching positions with no proven multi-year track record? Does the Broncos front office want wins or yes men? I think we are worse than last year.

— Charles Hicks, Denver

Did Joe Flacco submit this question and use a pen name? The Chicago and Jacksonville games were different situations than the Colts loss. Against the Bears and Jaguars, there was no sitting on the lead — the offense drove down the field in the final minutes to take a lead the defense couldn’t hold. On Sunday, the Broncos led 13-3 and, really, I think they only “sat” on the lead on their final drive (not counting the final two-play, end-of-game sequence). That said, Scangarello called a pass on second down. The third-and-5 call, I thought when they lined up, it would be a run play because it would force Indianapolis to use its final timeout. As for rookies in top coaching positions, I don’t buy that as a reason why the Broncos are 2-6.

The Joe Flacco Experiment has beyond failed. Is it something that John Elway can fix or is it a wait-for-Drew Lock-to-get-healthy situation? Also do you think that Elway might shop for after his recent showing in New Orleans?

— Ryan Moss, Fargo, N.D.

Always great to hear from a fellow North Dakotan. As you’ll know by the time you read this, Allen will start for Flacco against Cleveland. If Flacco was healthy and even remotely productive, he was going to hold off Lock for the starting job, as much as fans and I disagree with that. If the season goes down the drain and it����ap circling, giving Lock some run in December would serve a valuable purpose. Elway and The Next Quarterback seems to be an every-year crusade. Bridgewater is going to be a commodity in free agency next March, but why would he choose the Broncos?

What’s the future with Joe Flacco? A neck injury at this stage in his career doesn’t bode well. Does he ride off into the sunset? And if so, isn’t it time to name Drew Lock as our starting quarterback or do we find someone in next year’s draft?��

— Conor, Denver

The future is cloudy for Flacco because he’s 34 and because any injury involving the neck is serious. See Manning, Peyton – Indianapolis 2011. The best course medically may be to shut down Flacco for several weeks and by that time, the best decision is to give Lock a chance, as stated above. Looking ahead, you never know what Elway is thinking about the quarterback position.

You can��. Follow Ryan for more daily updates on��.

Do you see eyeing anyone else in a trade this year?

— JD, La Porte, Texas

Rule nothing out in terms of the Broncos’ player acquisition plan this year. Adding six players to the roster over the weekend shows Elway, coach and the personnel staffs will be constantly churning the back of the roster via the waiver wire. That said, working the wires will be more likely than trading for players unless it����ap a player-for-player deal. The Broncos have five picks in the first four rounds of the 2020 draft and the aim should be to keep those in the cupboard.

Hey Ryan, why did the Broncos cut quarterback Kevin Hogan and pick up Brandon Allen? Is the new guy a significant upgrade over Hogan? I mean, Kyle Sloter and were still out there.

— Tyson Reynolds, Aurora

And don’t forget – was also out there. We kid, of course. The Broncos long ago moved on from Lynch … and Sloter … and Osweiler. Why didn’t Hogan make the team? He wasn’t good enough, period. Elway and Fangio pointed out during Saturday’s press briefing that if upgrades are available, they would be unafraid to shake up the roster. Allen hasn’t played in a regular-season game, but they saw something on tape in terms of how he fit into Rich Scangarello’s offense that made them feel comfortable switching backup quarterbacks a week before the opener.

What’s the biggest surprise for you from the Broncos cuts? I’m a little sad they cut the local kid Sam Jones.

— Mike, Denver

Jones wasn’t a surprise — he hung onto his roster spot throughout last year, but the Broncos liked more as their backup guard/center. Jones signed with Arizona’s practice squad. Once the roster was announced, there were no earth-shattering surprises.

What do you know about Diontae Spencer? Can he cure the Broncos’ problems in the return game? was trash.

— Austin, Golden

Spencer was acquired via waivers from Pittsburgh on Sunday and is expected to be the punt returner Monday night in Oakland. Spencer is 27 years old and is listed at 5-foot-9 and 161 pounds. He has no NFL regular-season experience, but he averaged 11.3 yards on 191 punt returns in the Canadian Football League and 14.7 yards in the preseason for the Steelers. I predict he will improve the Broncos’ punt return game, partly because there is nowhere to go but up (they were last in the league in 2018) and partly because he has a track record of producing — albeit in a different league.

How much will Malik Reed and Josh Watson play this year? Both dudes were balling all preseason.

— Keith, Fort Collins

Reed should be active for Week 1 and Watson is on the practice squad after he was waived on Sunday. I would find a way to get Reed on the field as a situational pass rusher, but not at the expense of taking snaps away from (of course) and (of course). Moving Chubb inside (still in a stand-up alignment) and having Miller/Reed coming off the edges would be a good look.

Ryan, I feel confident in our team’s defense — I mean, it’s one of the league’s best — but there’s plenty of concern about the offense, especially after watching them in the preseason. Do you think we’ll have enough firepower to propel ourselves into the playoffs? We can’t win if we can’t get in the end zone.

— Bryan F., Parker

The problem for the Broncos’ offense in the preseason: they didn’t score touchdowns when they got into the red zone. But you’re right, as it����ap currently constructed, this needs to be a team that finds a way to get a lead and then leans on their defense to carry them home. If the defense stays healthy, they do have a chance to be elite. And let����ap hold off a final judgment on the offense until we’ve seen the starters play for a bit and with a full game plan.

Ahead of Saturday’s 2 p.m. deadline to establish an initial 53-man roster, here is a final projection of who stays and who goes:

Quarterback (3)

In: , Kevin Hogan and Drew Lock.

Out: Brett Rypien.

Comment: Lock’s right thumb injury meant keeping Hogan as the No. 2 entering the season. The guess here is Lock is placed on injured reserve on Sunday, meaning he can return later this year.

Running back (6)

In: , , , , (FB) and George Aston (FB).

Out: Devontae Jackson, Khalfani Muhammad and .

Comment: One more tailback and fullback apiece than the Broncos would normally keep. Riddick (shoulder) and Janovich (pectoral) are injured reserve candidates on Sunday.

Tight end (4)

In: , Noah Fant, and .

Out: Orson Charles and Moral Stephens.

Comment: Charles could spend 24 hours off the Broncos roster if they wait until Sunday to place Butt on injured reserve. Charles would then take Butt����ap roster spot.

Receiver (5)

In: , , , and Juwann Winfree.

Out: Trinity Benson, Fred Brown, , Steven Dunbar, Brendan Langley and Kelvin McKnight.

Comment: The extra numbers at tailback and fullback prevent the Broncos from keeping a sixth receiver. But that could change by Monday after the injured reserve is filled out.

Offensive line (7)

In: Garett Bolles (LT), Dalton Risner (LG), ( C), (RG), Ja’Wuan James (RT), (OT/G) and (G/C).

Out: Quinn Bailey (OT), Don Barclay (G), Adam Bisnowaty (OT), Jake Brendel (C/G), Ryan Crozier (C ), Chas Green (OT), Sam Jones (G), Tyler Jones (OT), John Leglue (OT) and Jake Rodgers (OT).

Comment: The Broncos would be smart to look at the waiver wire offensive tackles since Wilkinson will need to continue working at right guard as long as Leary’s knee keeps on barking.

Defensive line (5)

In: (DE), (DE), Shelby Harris (NT), Dre’Mont Jones (DE) and DeShawn Williams (NT).

Out: Mike Purcell (NT), Deyon Sizer (DE) and DeMarcus Walker (DE).

Comment: Zach Kerr’s release on Monday creates a roster spot for Williams as the backup nose tackle. The Broncos give up on Walker, a 2017 second-round pick.

Outside linebacker (4)

In: , , Justin Hollins and Malik Reed.

Out: Ahmad Gooden and Dadi Nicolas.

Comment: Hollins and Reed were going to be on the roster even before veteran Dekoda Watson was released on Monday. Nicolas could be a candidate to be signed on Sunday after the injured reserve moves create room.

Inside linebacker (6)

In: Josey Jewell, , Alexander Johnson, Josh Watson, and Joe Jones.

Out: Jamal Carter and Joe Dineen (IR).

Comment: Davis (calf) hasn’t practiced since July 18 and Jones (triceps) hasn’t practiced since the Aug. 1 game against Atlanta. Watson makes it as an undrafted free agent.

Cornerback (5)

In: , Bryce Callahan, Isaac Yiadom, De’Vante Bausby and Trey Johnson.

Out: Rashard Causey and Linden Stephens.

Comment: Pretty clear cut throughout camp and the fact Callahan (foot) went through practice on Monday-Tuesday is a sign he’ll be ready for Week 1 and a fifth corner doesn’t need to be kept.

Safety (5)

In: , , , Alijah Holder, Shamarko Thomas and Trey Marshall.

Out: Su’a Cravens and Dymonte Thomas (IR).

Comment: We throw a curveball by adding Holder to the roster because he worked some at safety in the San Francisco preseason game and provides a better special teams presence than Cravens.

Specialists (3)

In: (K), Colby Wadman (P) and (LS).

Out: None.

Comment: McManus, Wadman and Kreiter had no competition on the roster once the preseason games started.

Did not practice: LB Todd Davis (calf). He was injured late in Thursday’s practice.

Returned to practice: TE Bug Howard (illness) and P Colby Wadman (personal) were back after missing Thursday.

NEW INJURIES

WR Romell Guerrier did not practice.

THUMBS UP

*CB De’Vante Bausby. Two interceptions in as many days for the cornerback trying to win a reserve roster spot. “He’s had a pretty good first couple days,” coach said. “He’s been doing better. Hopefully, he is a guy slowly but surely maturing and growing into being a professional football player.”

*LB Alexander Johnson. With ILB Todd Davis out several weeks, Johnson got the first chance to work with the starters.

*WR Courtland Sutton. He bounced back with a quality practice on Friday, including a leaping catch near the sideline in which he also had the awareness to get his feet in as he fell out of bounds.

THUMBS DOWN

*QB Kevin Hogan. When does Drew Lock get a significant chance with the No. 2 offense? Hogan was intercepted three times during 11-on-11. “Why can’t you look at those as good plays by the defense?” Fangio asked/half-joked. “It����ap way too early to start any thoughts (of moving Lock up).” Fangio said the coaching staff hasn’t finalized a plan for which quarterback plays how much during the preseason.

*Pass protection. We charted six aborted plays that were whistled to a stop because of pressure on the passer. Hogan’s third interception came via forced throw when OLB Dekoda Watson won around the corner. How is the depth? “I think our O-line is in good shape,” Fangio said. “Hopefully we have a good unit in our front five. We’re looking for the next guys.”

*No music. But Fangio is giving himself a thumbs up for this decision. “Anybody that����ap been a position coach, they don’t like music because it makes it hard to talk to your guys,” he said. “I don’t see the benefit of having music out there. … When it comes to the point where we need to simulate crowd noise, which we will do, it will be noise and not music. Noise, by definition, is annoying. Music sounds nice.”

ODDS AND ENDS

• The Broncos ran 63 snaps of 11-on-11 and 30 snaps of 7-on-7.
• Quarterback snaps (11-on-11): 26, Kevin Hogan 17, Drew Lock 14 and Brett Rypien six. Quarterback snaps (7-on-7): Flacco nine, Hogan six, Lock 10 and Rypien five.
• Interceptions: CB De’Vante Bausby, S Su’a Cravens and LB Joe Jones.
• WR Emmanuel Sanders (Achilles) and TE Jake Butt (ACL) were again limited to individual drills.
• RB David Williams signed with the Broncos Friday morning and took part in all parts of practice.
• LB Josh Watson was attended to by trainers midway through practice but returned to team work.
• Flacco’s was 3 of 3 during his first segment of 11-on-11 work: A diving catch by WR Juwann Winfree and catches by WR DaeSean Hamilton and RB Devontae Booker. His second segment ended with an incomplete pass intended for TE Noah Fant when the timing was disrupted by a low shotgun snap from C Connor McGovern.
• Hogan’s first segment of 11-on-11: RB Royce Freeman carry, Jones interception, RB Devontae Jackson carry and aborted play (bad shotgun snap by C Austin Schlottmann). On the interception, Hogan was looking for an intended receiver in the left flat and slightly under pressure.
• Highlights from 7-on-7: At one point, the quarterbacks completed 14 consecutive passes. Having 3-of-3 passing segments were Hogan (twice) and Lock/Flacco (one apiece). The streak ended when Rypien threw wide of TE Bug Howard. On the next play, Howard made a nice play to high-point the football in traffic.
• Good insight from Fangio about Lock’s ability to adjust his arm angle to make a throw. “A quarterback that can change his arm angle is a positive, when it����ap needed. I don’t think you want to do it when you don’t have to. If I’m strong in the pocket, I want to throw over the top, nice and strong and not rely on (the) sidearm. His college offense (at Missouri) really had no carryover to pro offenses and he was under duress a lot of times so a lot of plays, he was running around. I don’t think he’s as far along being a ready NFL quarterback as he could have been. He’s not a quarterback yet. He’s a hard-throwing pitcher that doesn’t know how to pitch yet. The faster he (learns), the better off he’ll be and we’ll be.”
• Penalties emerged late in practice. DE Adam Gotsis jumped off-side and then the third-team offensive line was called for two false starts.
• Catching punts from the machine early in practice: WR Brendan Langley, RB Phillip Lindsay, WR Kelvin McKnight, WR River Cracraft, RB Devontae Jackson and WR Trinity Benson. Catching punts from P Colby Wadman (no live returns): McKnight, Jackson, Cracraft and Lindsay.
• The third-team offensive line: LT John Leglue, LG Sam Jones, C Ryan Crozier, RG Chaz Green and RT Quinn Bailey. On the second-team offensive line, LT Elijah Wilkinson moved to right tackle for parts of practice. Late in 11-on-11 work, Jake Brendel took some of the first-team snaps from RG Ron Leary.
• Rypien ended practice with a long touchdown pass to running back Khalfani Muhammad.
• Fans attending Sunday’s practice are encouraged to wear purple in support of Alzheimer’s Awareness Day. All fan donations, which can be made at camp or online at www.dbron.co/alz, will be matched by the Broncos. The Broncos raised $40,614.13 last year on Alzheimer’s Awareness Day. Owner Pat Bowlen died due to Alzheimer’s on June 13.

SATURDAY’S SCHEDULE
9:15 a.m.-noon practice (open to the public).

Did not practice: TE Bug Howard (illness) and P Colby Wadman (personal reason). Coach said Howard became ill on Wednesday and it was likely food poisoning.

Returned to practice: TE Jake Butt (ACL) did 7-on-7 work, WR Emmanuel Sanders (Achilles) was limited to individual drills and RB Phillip Lindsay (wrist) participated in all parts of practice.

NEW INJURIES

LB Todd Davis (calf) was headed for a post-practice MRI, according to a source. Davis walked gingerly from the sideline to a golf cart for a ride back to the locker room. On Thursday night, a league source said Davis sustained a calf strain that could keep him out 3-4 weeks. With a full recovery, Davis could still be available for the Week 1 opener at Oakland. For the time being, though, Joe Jones and Kieshawn Bierra will see first-team snaps.

TOP PLAY
During QB ’s second segment of 11-on-11 play, rookie WR Juwann Winfree made a fine diving catch on a pass to the left side.

THUMBS UP
*CB De’Vante Bausby.��Intercepted a pass thrown by QB Kevin Hogan and tipped by LB Alexander Johnson. “I had the ‘squat’ (zone coverage) so I gave my guy a shove and then (safety) Su’a Cravens took his vertical route,” Bausby said. “There was nobody in my vicinity so when (Hogan) checked down to the running back, (Johnson) tipped it — I was in the right place at the right time.”

*RB Phillip Lindsay. So much for being eased into practice. Lindsay took the first hand-off of 11-on-11 and did not appear to be limited. “He had his legs (during recovery from wrist surgery) so I shouldn’t be surprised,” Fangio said. “But he was chomping on the bit to get out there.”

*The weather. If the scorching temperatures continued to be on the forecast, they didn’t arrive during the Broncos’ practice. “The heat wasn’t bad,” Fangio said. “You have to remember, I spent nine years in New Orleans, some in South Carolina (where the Panthers trained) and Houston. They would pray for a day like this.”

THUMBS DOWN

*WR Courtland Sutton. A few drops during individual drills. “I kind of ride him and tease him a little bit so I’ll take advantage of that,” Fangio said when asked about Sutton’s day.

*QB Joe Flacco. Criticizing the starting quarterback on Practice 1 of camp? There were a few overthrows on routes over the middle.

*Broncos’ 2016-18 product. A crowd that can be politely described as “thin” showed up for the first day of camp. The fanbase’s way of saying, “Show us.” The announced attendance was 1,257.

ODDS AND ENDS

• Quarterback playing time (11-on-11): Joe Flacco 22 snaps, Kevin Hogan 22 snaps, Drew Lock 17 and Brett Rypien four.
• Quarterback playing time (7-on-7): Flacco seven, Hogan six, Luck six and Rypien two.
• Teams can’t put on pads during camp until after three practices, which means Sunday is the first available workout. As for Thursday, coach Vic Fangio said: “I thought it went good. That practice was basically very similar to what we were doing in OTAs structure-wise — it was maybe 10 minutes longer than that. (Friday’s) will be similar and we’ll eventually build up to where it will be longer and get more plays in as we go.”
• WR Emmanuel Sanders started camp on the active roster (and not PUP), which allowed him to lead the receivers in individual drills. “It����ap a testament to all of the hard work I’ve put in, all the pain I’ve gone through that I’m here standing and saying, ‘I feel really good,’” Sanders said.
• TE Jake Butt estimated he played “5-6 snaps” of 7-on-7 in his first non-individual work since tearing his ACL last year. “I have to shake off some rust,” he said. “It����ap been awhile. It feels like I’ve been fighting an uphill battle overcoming this third (ACL). It����ap going to take some time and that being said, it����ap still really early. But I’m a competitive guy and hold myself to a higher standard. Dropped a ball — no excuse.”
• The first unit offensive line: LT Garett Bolles, LG Dalton Risner, C Connor McGovern, RG Ron Leary and RT Ja’Wuan James. Don Barclay subbed for Leary on some 11-on-11 snaps.
• The second unit offensive line: LT Elijah Wilkinson, LG Sam Jones, C Jake Brendel, RG Barclay and RT Jake Rodgers.
• A new scoreboard with time, score, down-and-distance, etc., was installed at the top of the berm opposite the Broncos’ facility.
• Flacco’s first drop-back didn’t happen. On his third play of 11-on-11, Flacco mishandled what appeared to be a fine shotgun snap from McGovern.
• TE Noah Fant����ap first intended target (from Hogan) was broken up by S Will Parks.
• On Flacco’s second segment, Sutton had a completion broken up by CB Chris Harris, but Sutton caught an out route on the next play.
• A nice play from Lock late in practice. After the snap, he rolled to his right and adjusted his throwing motion (3/4th delivery) to flip a pass to WR Fred Brown.
• The first unit kickoff coverage: CB Isaac Yiadom, RB Devontae Booker, LB Dekoda Watson, S Jamal Carter, S Shamarko Thomas, WR Tim Patrick, LB Joe Jones, LB Kieshawn Bierria, FB Andy Janovich, Parks and K Brandon McManus.
• Lock’s final 11-on-11 segment was with the second-team offensive line. He threw incomplete and handed off to RB Khalfani Muhammad.
• The Broncos made three roster moves on Thursday. Before practice, they signed receiver Steven Dunbar, who appeared in one game for San Francisco last year. After practice, they waived offensive lineman Nathan Jacobson and signed running back David Williams. A seventh-round pick by the Broncos last year, Williams started 2018 on the practice squad before signing with Jacksonville’s active roster and playing in six games (eight rushing attempts).
• Before practice, the Broncos announced that three coaches will join the team during camp as part of the Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship. Jason Belser played in the NFL for 11 years and is a coaching consultant at Independence High in South Riding, Va. Lamar Owens is entering his first year as the assistant receivers coach at Georgia Southern. And Will Tukuafu played 50 NFL games for San Francisco (2011-13) and Seattle (2014-16).

FRIDAY’S SCHEDULE
9:15 a.m.-noon practice (open to the public).

New coaches, armed with new schemes, want to turn over a depth chart that fits their view, appropriate considering the Broncos have missed the playoffs three consecutive years.

But how many of those new guys will stick on the initial 53-man roster? Will coach wave good-bye to drafted players he inherited? Will more than one undrafted free agent make the team?

Now that the Broncos’ offseason program is complete and the players are off for the next month, it����ap time to predict how the roster will look after cutdown day. Here’s my best guess:

OFFENSE (25)

Quarterbacks (3)

In: , Drew Lock and Kevin Hogan.

Out: Brett Rypien.

Analysis: The first of many decisions that was difficult to finalize. Two or three quarterbacks? Hogan took all of the second-team snaps during the Broncos’ minicamp. If the coaching staff exits the preseason confident Lock could help them win a game if forced to play, it makes Hogan expendable. If Lock’s sledding is tough in August during training camp, it creates a need to keep Hogan. Rypien should be ticketed for the practice squad either way.

Running backs (5)

In: , , , (FB) and George Aston (FB).

Out: Khalfani Muhammad and Devontae Jackson.

Analysis: Yes, two fullbacks! Janovich is entering the final year of his contract, creating the need to keep Aston around to use as a pass-catching fullback and get him ready for full-time duty in 2020. It����ap a long shot, but we think the fullback will be a big part of coordinator Rich Scangarello’s offense. Three tailbacks sounds reasonable, but if Janovich/Aston are both active and Freeman becomes well-versed enough in pass protection to also be a third-down back, does that make Booker a healthy scratch?

Receivers (5)

In: , , , and Juwann Winfree.

Out: , Trinity Benson, Brendan Langley, Aaron Burbridge, Kelvin McKnight, Fred Brown and Romell Guerrier.

Analysis: The extra fullback keeps the Broncos from keeping a sixth receiver. Winfree makes the team as a sixth-round pick if he can win the punt return spot. Converted from cornerback, Langley has the athleticism to maybe develop and he could merit practice squad consideration. The key is Sanders. If he is deemed healthy for the season opener, but doesn’t play much in August, that may force the Broncos’ hand to keep Cracraft or Langley, at least to start the season.

Tight ends (4)

In: Noah Fant, , and .

Out: Bug Howard and Austin Fort.

Analysis: The Broncos figure to run a lot of two-tight end personnel, which creates a spot for Fumagalli if he can make it through training camp/preseason healthy after missing all of last year. Fant, the first-round pick, should emerge as the lead pass-catching tight end and Heuerman can deliver consistent blocking. Butt is a wild-card who will make the team, but whose role will be defined by how he comes back from his ACL tear sustained last October.

Offensive line (8)

In: Ja’Wuan James (RT), Garett Bolles (LT), (C), (RG), Dalton Risner (LG), Don Barclay (G), (G/T) and Sam Jones (G/C).

Out: Chaz Green, , Nathan Jacobson, Ryan Crozier, Jake Brendel, Jake Rodgers, John Leglue and Quinn Bailey.

Analysis: We went with eight linemen instead of the nine most teams carry. The caveat is the Broncos could be scouring the waiver wire on Labor Day Weekend looking for a back-up tackle.�� There appears to be decent interior depth since Barclay is experienced. Wilkinson started games last year at guard, but is best suited to being a swing tackle.

DEFENSE (25)

Defensive line (6)

In: (DE), (DE), Shelby Harris (NT), Zach Kerr (NT/DE), Dre’Mont Jones (DE) and (DE).

Out: DeMarcus Walker, Mike Purcell, DeShawn Williams, and Deyon Sizer.

Analysis: The top five spots are pretty much locked in. That leaves the sixth position for Winn in our projection. Walker was a second-round pick only two years ago, but will start camp on the bubble. If the Broncos are loathe to not give up on Walker, he could get the slot we have reserved for the 10th linebacker. Overall, this should be a good group. Wolfe, Gotsis and Harris are entering their contract years, Kerr is a reliable rotation player and Jones, the Broncos’ third-round pick, showed flashes during the offseason program.

Outside linebacker (5)

In: , , Justin Hollins, , and Jeff Holland.

Out: Malik Reed and Ahmad Gooden.

Analysis: Miller and Chubb will be expected to match or exceed last year’s combined total of 26 1/2 sacks. But getting some production from the back-up players will help. We listed Hollins as an outside linebacker although he also learned the sub-package inside linebacker spot after being drafted in the fourth round. Watson will make the team because he is viewed as a core special teams player. Holland is one to monitor. Can he defend the run if asked? He certainly has the pass-rushing pop to contribute. He will need a productive preseason to convince the new coaching staff to keep him.

Inside linebacker (5)

In: , Josey Jewell, Joseph Jones, and Joe Dineen.

Out: Alexander Johnson, Aaron Wallace and Josh Watson.

Analysis: Davis and Jewell will enter training camp as the starters and could both be every-down players if Fangio decides nickel (five defensive backs/four linebackers/two defensive linemen) is his best sub-package option and Hollins isn’t viewed as ready. They will stay on the field in those situations if they can cover receivers. Things then get interesting. We settled on 10 total linebackers because that����ap what Fangio’s opened up with last year. Jones and Bierria will be special teams contributors and we opted for the undrafted Dineen over the unproven Johnson.

Cornerback (4)

In: , Bryce Callahan, De’Vante Bausby and Isaac Yiadom.

Out: Horace Richardson, Linden Stephens, Trey Johnson and Alijah Holder.

Analysis: ’s ability to play cornerback in general and cover the slot receiver, in particular, gives the Broncos roster flexibility. Harris and Callahan will be the starters entering camp assuming Jackson is at safety. Bausby has experience in Fangio’s scheme, which is an obvious plus. Holder could squeeze his way onto the roster if his preseason performance makes it too big of a risk to put him on waivers. The Broncos have to think about the future since Harris is a free agent next March.

Safety (5)

In: , Kareem Jackson, , Shamarko Thomas and Jamal Carter.

Out: Su’a Cravens, Dymonte Thomas and Trey Marshall.

Analysis: Simmons and Jackson are the projected starters and Parks is expected to be the second safety in nickel when Jackson moves to cover the slot receiver. If the Broncos are committed to nickel instead of dime (three safeties/three cornerbacks), does that require an extra cornerback and only four safeties? Something to watch in the preseason games. Carter was on track to make the team last year until a hamstring injury in the preseason opener. Cravens ended 2018 as a healthy scratch so we think his bubble will burst. We chose Shamarko Thomas over Marshall because of Thomas’ special teams ability.

SPECIALISTS (3)

In: (K), Colby Wadman (P) and (LS).

Out: Tyler Bertolet (K).

Analysis: Pretty simple here. McManus, Kreiter, and Wadman will enter their sixth, fourth and second seasons, respectively, with the Broncos.

Even with the Broncos making Ja’Wuan James the richest right tackle in the game during free agency, Denver’s biggest addition with the offensive line in mind might have been luring coach Mike Munchak into the fold. He helped turn an underachieving unit into one of the best in the NFL after taking over, and his work in Denver will be crucial with several questions up front.

The biggest one now is how the starting five will look come August and September. That question might not be able to be answered until the completion of the draft, which could add to the competition inside. Garett Bolles and James appear to be your tackles, but at least two of the three starting spots on the interior are up in the air.

Prospective left guard is coming off an Achilles injury. , perhaps a better guard, is lightly penciled in as the starting center. Converted tackle has even filled in at guard. Sam Jones, a 2018 sixth-rounder, could be in the mix at center or guard.

The Broncos at least made nominal attempts to re-sign and , and they struck out in trying to land free-agent center Mitch Morse, who took more money in Buffalo. This suggests there is more work to be done, and the draft appears to be the best method of upgrading the talent and competition.

2019 draft outlook

We believe there are some quality starting options at both guard and center but it will be fascinating to see which college tackles also will be moved inside to perhaps further bolster the talent.

(For the sake of these reports, we are considering Alabama’s Jonah Williams, Florida’s Jawaan Taylor and Oklahoma’s Cody Ford — three potential first-round picks — as offensive tackle prospects, even though some teams might opt to try them inside.)

A few players on the interior will hear their names called in Round 1, but the strength at these positions might be on Day 2 of the draft. The depth and skill drops off precipitously at center and guard thereafter, but there are some worthwhile investments to be made in the right spots.

Here are our top five interior OL prospects for the 2019 class:

1. Garrett Bradbury, North Carolina State (6-foot-3, 306 pounds)

Pros: A former high-school tight end, Bradbury moved to guard and then center after his first year in the Wolfpack program and thrived as a blocker. Last season, he was named first-team All-ACC and won the Rimington Trophy, given to the nation’s top center. Bradbury received an overall grade of 84.4 from Pro Football Focus last season, which was the third-highest among all centers (minimum of 300 snaps played) in college football, and he helped anchor a line that allowed only 13 sacks in 13 games.

Bradbury was a standout at the Senior Bowl and NFL scouting combine, where his outstanding movement skills were on full display. He’s an ideal fit in a zone-blocking scheme where he’d be asked to reach block, get out in space and use his quickness to get up to the second level. Bradbury is a fluid, agile blocker with great flexibility and an underrated punch.

He stood up to strong competition and excelled during the pre-draft process, winning over teams with his maturity and intelligence. Bradbury is well-coached, extremely smart, mentally and physically tough and versatile (able to play all three interior spots). He’s a clean evaluation with a high floor.

Cons: Turning 24 years old in June, Bradbury is on the older side for a prospect. He’s also below the ideal marks for size at either guard or center, which includes his lack of height, a narrow wingspan and a lack of great bulk (one scout feels Bradbury is physically maxed out, or at least close to it). Most of Bradbury’s strength development might come down to maintaining a good weight.

In a power-based scheme, Bradbury would be less effective – he occasionally can get blown back by massive, powerful defenders, making him a far better fit in a zone system. He’s a well-proportioned athlete but lacks great core power. Bradbury also is a little grabby at times and might not get away with it as often in the NFL, and his aggression will sometimes backfire against him.

How he might (or might not) fit with the Broncos: We easily could view Bradbury as a strong fit in Denver, given the scheme the Broncos want to run, thanks to his positional versatility and the maturity/toughness factor. had no trouble drafting Bolles as a 25-year-old rookie, so we wouldn’t imagine Bradbury’s age is a negative in the Broncos’ eyes. But the question becomes: Is he worth taking at No. 10 overall? We say no, although the Broncos sliding back a handful of spots certainly would change that perspective.

2. Chris Lindstrom, Boston College (6-foot-4, 308 pounds)

Pros: Four-year starter, primarily at guard (with one season at tackle), who became a rock for the Eagles’ offensive line. He’s an exceptionally clean pass blocker who combines terrific technique and great balance and athleticism to shield off rushers and keep them at bay. Lindstrom uses strong hand work, and his light feet were on full display during the NFL scouting combine positional drills. He also had a good week of work at the Senior Bowl, especially in the one-on-one pass-rush drills that tend to favor the defensive players.

His experience and high floor suggest that Lindstrom should enter almost any NFL facility with a strong chance to start from Day 1. He’s athletically gifted, has long arms and plays with an edge. Lindstrom hits moving targets well in the run and screen games and would be a great fit in a movement-based, zone-heavy scheme. He reads as a very safe pick but carries potential in the right system and with the proper strength gains.

Lindstrom comes from a football-obsessed family and lives and breathes the spot. He showed his toughness in starting 48 games and displayed enough versatility to kick out to tackle for most of one season and hold up very well. NFL teams believe he’ll put in the work in the weight and film rooms to maximize his full upside.

Cons: Lindstrom might not be quite as appealing to heavy man-blocking teams because of his lack of true power and girth, and he could stand to make gains in an NFL weight program for at least a year. Despite the long arms, his overall size is below the ideal benchmark for a guard. He bulked up from 235 pounds in high school and is not naturally massive. And despite playing tackle for a year in college, he might be best served to play inside at guard strictly and only pinch-hitting outside in case of emergency.

Lindstrom also can get upright in his stance and give defenders too much of his body. He also can struggle to sink into his blocks and will try to “catch” defenders too often. His hands are good, but he can be a bit late trying to win the battle inside. Lindstrom draws more stalemates than he earns dominant one-on-one reps and will tend to get his weight out in front of him and not underneath him when trying to combat longer rushers.

How he might (or might not) fit with the Broncos: If Lindstrom is still on the board at the No. 41 selection and Denver has not yet taken an offensive lineman, he might be a great fit. The lack of positional versatility is a bit limiting, but the instant return of adding an experienced, ready-made blocker might be very appealing — especially considering he would appear to fit the type of system Denver wants to operate. He’s an option you cannot rule out.

3. Dalton Risner, Kansas State (6-foot-5, 312 pounds)

Pros: Risner is a feisty, confident blocker who backed up his talk with excellent play over four years for the Wildcats. After starting his career there at center as a freshman, Risner moved out to right tackle and was one of the team’s pillars — a rare three-time captain. Despite playing mostly outside, he projects to being an interior blocker in the NFL, with starting experience at center and practice work at guard.

Risner did excellent work as a pass blocker, not allowing a single sack since Week 5 of the 2016 season against West Virginia, which spanned his final 33 college games. Good, natural strength and toughness define his game. Risner lives in the weight room and overcame offseason shoulder surgery during his junior year to come back strong as a senior.

He’s scheme-diverse and carries a pro-ready mentality — unafraid of the dirty work. Risner loves to try to dominate his opponent and had a great showing at the Senior Bowl, where he was one of the standouts during the heated practice sessions. His tenacity and demeanor are enough to overcome some concerns about his athletic limitations.

Cons: His thickly built frame can be considered a positive, but Risner’s lack of top-end athleticism likely means he’ll have to kick inside in the NFL. He hasn’t played center since his freshman season and he only practiced sparingly at guard, so there might be a transition period before he’s up to speed. Risner can play stiffly and lack good waist bend, and he needs to speed up his process a bit off the snap. From what we’ve seen, he’s not a great projection for a zone-heavy system, as he’s sluggish getting out into space and working up to the second level.

Risner has battled injuries in both of his shoulders and was only able to put up 23 reps on the 225-pound bench press at the NFL scouting combine. He might not be in line for a 12-year career if the health issues mount, and like Bradbury, Risner’s age — he turns 24 in June — could be an issue for some teams.

How he might (or might not) fit with the Broncos: As good a player as Risner is, he appears to be a better fit for another team unless the Broncos work in a heavier dose of man-blocking concepts into the offense than we’re expecting. He’s tough, smart and versatile, but at the range in which he’s expected to go off the board — somewhere between No. 25 and 50 overall, we’d guess — it might be a less-than-ideal fit in Denver.

4. Erik McCoy, Texas A&M (6-foot-4, 304 pounds)

Pros: McCoy might have arrived in college as a bit of an unheralded recruit, but he left the Aggies as a three-year starter (38 games) and senior captain at the highest level of competition in college football in the SEC. Despite not being named first- or second-team all-conference during his career, McCoy faced a battery of terrific defenders in one-on-one battles — including first-round talents such as Alabama’s Quinnen Williams, Mississippi State’s Jeffery Simmons and Clemson’s Dexter Lawrence and Christian Wilkins, along with possible 2020 first-rounder Derrick Brown from Auburn — and held up well. In addition to a strong week of practice and game performance at the Senior Bowl, McCoy provides a level of comfort as a prospect.

He can play guard or center, we believe, and has excellent athletic traits, running the fastest 40-yard dash (4.89 seconds) of any lineman at the NFL combine. His other workout numbers were mostly very good to great, too, and it translated to McCoy’s tape, where he can be seen leading the way on draws and screens and handling interior quickness as a pass blocker.

McCoy has overcome a lot in his life to get to this point, and his dependability and toughness are two major plusses as he arrives in the NFL.

Cons: McCoy’s game lacks some power and explosion, and he’s viewed more by NFL scouts as a highly efficient player and less of a dominant one. His athletic template is overall strong, but he turned in a shockingly slow three-cone drill time (8.28 seconds) that had scouts going back to the tape to see what they had missed. He also has short arms and lacks great bulk, unable to punch and shock defenders or truly move them off their spots in one-on-one battles.

McCoy had some real issues with shotgun snapping in college at times, although it improved over the years. Some NFL teams like him better as a guard prospect, so his versatility can’t be oversold. McCoy could stand to spend more time in the weight room overall, although you’d be hard-pressed to say he’s unprepared athletically right now.

How he might (or might not) fit with the Broncos: The fact that the Broncos — at least based on what Elway has said recently — might not be a shotgun-heavy team bodes well for McCoy’s possible projection to Denver. McCoy has been mentioned as a possibility to leak into the latter stages of Round 1, although he certainly could be in play for the Broncos’ second-round pick. We wouldn’t rule it out.

5. Elgton Jenkins, Mississippi State (6-foot-4, 310 pounds)

Pros: Jenkins played in 49 games and started 34 of them for the Bulldogs, and he has extensive experience at four of the five offensive line positions: 26 starts at center, five at left tackle, two at left guard and one at right tackle. That����ap rare versatility, making him a possible five-position projection in the NFL, which adds value for teams that typically only carry seven active linemen on game days. He held up at a high level of competition in the SEC and had great weekly battles in practice against Simmons (who was considered a high first-round prospect prior to suffering a torn ACL).

Intelligence and efficiency are two hallmarks of Jenkins’ game, as he made multiple all-conference academic teams and, per PFF, allowed only one sack in his 762 pass-blocking snaps at center over his final two seasons combined. Jenkins comes from humble roots and was well-liked and respected by his teammates, and NFL evaluators believe he’d be a great fit, personality-wise and with a strong work ethic, in just about any locker room.

Cons: Jenkins doesn’t exactly light up the game tape with dominant flashes. He doesn’t carry the upside of the players ahead of him on this list and is considered more of a bump-and-steer blocker than a dominator. Jenkins could stand to be a bit more assertive in his blocking and play more consistently low and with power. Spending more time with a quality offensive line coach might tap into some hidden reserves (and he’s a willing learner, but he hasn’t quite reached a consistently elite level in his play yet).

Although he has good natural athleticism, quality base strength and enough movement skills to merit a Day 2 draft pick, Jenkins’ issues with shotgun snapping and snap-count issues (see the Alabama game) have some teams wondering if he might not be better off as strictly a guard. Although he has shown he can handle playing inside or out, his build suggests he might not thrive against quality edge rushers and could be confined to the interior. He’s also set to turn 24 years old at the end of his rookie season in the NFL.

How he might (or might not) fit with the Broncos: With a teacher such as Munchak, Jenkins would be in good hands — and there’s an excellent chance he’d be put in the best possible position to succeed. There has been some Round 2 buzz for Jenkins, and that����ap ultimately where we think he’s likely to land. But if he somehow were to slip into the early parts of Round 3, we absolutely believe he’d be a strong target for Denver, able to fit in a zone-heavy scheme with a projection to becoming an eventual starter at center or guard.