A hard culture and roster reset orchestrated by Sean Payton and George Paton. The arrival of quarterback Bo Nix. A top flight defense deployed by Vance Joseph. So on and so forth.

Decidedly not on the list? Denver’s early-season performance in those two seasons.

In fact, if the Broncos get off to a fast start in 2026, not only will it be impressive because of the brutal nature of the club’s first six games, but it will also be the first time such a thing has happened in Payton’s tenure here.

“I’m pretty sure we haven’t,” Payton said last month, knowing full well the numbers. “So I think that����ap going to be important.”

Denver started 0-3 (and eventually 1-5) in 2023 before reeling off five straight wins. In 2024, the team lost its first two. Last year, a 1-2 start was followed immediately by an 11-game heater.

Payton overall is 4-7 in September as the Broncos’ coach. The good news? A 10-3 October mark that follows a career-long trend for Payton, who is 31-30 in September and 54-17 in October as a head coach.

Payton has tinkered with training camp, giving veteran players more frequent off days and eschewing joint practice with other teams altogether this summer.

The hope, of course, is that it all pays off with a faster start than in years past.

In that pursuit, there may be no more important position group on the roster than the Broncos’ offensive line.

Four of the five are going into their fourth season together and Luke Wattenberg enters his third year as the starting center. Payton likes to say that the offensive line is the one group that can permeate a team’s building. This group needs to do that and drive the bus early in the season, too.

The Broncos were among the most efficient teams running the football early in the season last year, but their production dropped off a cliff when J.K. Dobbins was injured in Week 10.

If the frontline can help Denver get back to running the football well out of the gate, that will not only make life easier on Nix, but it also opens up a world of possibilities for first-time play-caller Davis Webb.

“I’ve never been around somewhere that����ap been about to be four straight years of basically the same offensive line,” Webb said recently. “It����ap such a blessing because they’re good dudes, they’re coached well, they’re nasty, they take things personal. I think pass block-wise, they’ve been pretty consistent over the last few years and run-game wise, I think we’re trying to build on that consistency. Not saying it����ap been bad, but we can definitely be more consistent.

“That����ap a goal that we’ve tried to address this offseason. We’re just very blessed in all of our rooms that the offensive line’s been the most stationary. They’re the strength of our offense.”

They’re a key cog in helping to correct two of the trends Payton identified from last year that he’s harped on throughout the offseason — early-down efficiency and run game consistency, which go hand-in-hand.

“I think part of that was health last year when we lost J.K.,” Payton said. … “Per our run game, there’s some really good things I think that we’re doing. Then, ultimately, you kind of settle in on what type of run team you are relative to a zone scheme, a gap scheme and those types of things. So we certainly feel like we’re further along than we’ve been here in my three years, just with the depth in both (the running back and offensive line) groups.”

The Broncos have struggled to settle on one identity offensively in each season under Payton here. That����ap not to say they’ve been bad, but other than having a knack for finding ways to win close games, there hasn’t really been a set of core tenants around which the offense has been built schematically. Webb pointed to last year’s Los Angeles Rams, who eventually tilted toward heavy personnel and had success but took  a few weeks to sort that out before leaning all the way into it.

There will be a learning curve, to be sure. The offensive line can make it shorter and easier to navigate if it comes out of the gate playing the way a group of veterans with years of experience together should be capable of.

“I think it����ap just the understanding of what techniques we’re trying to apply on which plays, which looks, which leverages,” right tackle Mike McGlinchey said. “Just kind of honing in on that. We had a pretty good grasp of all that before, and we’ve done it a long time together. Switching a couple of the techniques in and out depending on the scheme or the play or whatever it is, I think we’ve done a good job. It����ap been a great camp.

“Our group is ready to go, and I’m excited to see where we can go as the season unfolds.”

Not the Super Bowl champs? Well, the Rams were already loaded. Then they traded for Myles Garrett, too. They should be a freight train.

2. Seattle Seahawks

Mike MacDonald’s team will have a ring ceremony at some point and they might not even be the favorites in their own division. Welcome to the NFC West!

3. Denver Broncos

A lofty position for Sean Payton’s team, but they’ve got continuity, they added Jaylen Waddle and Bo Nix is heading into a critical Year 3.

4. Buffalo Bills

Could this, at long last, finally be Josh Allen’s year? He was foiled at Empower Field back in January, but he’ll have a squad again this fall.

5. New England Patriots

Drake Maye and Co. took full advantage of a strange year and played in a Super Bowl … well, technically. A complete team in Year 2 under coach Mike Vrabel.

6. Baltimore Ravens

The bet here is that former Payton acolyte Declan Doyle will be good for Lamar Jackson, and that Jesse Minter will be an instant success as a head coach. They’ll be fun.

7. Philadelphia Eagles

Starting in 2022, the Eagles have won 14, 11, 14, and 11 games. You know what that means. Fourteen big ones inbound for Nick Sirianni’s team.

8. San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers went from afterthought to nearly capturing the No. 1 seed in the NFC last year. If they can stay healthy, they’ll be a force. Been a big if recently.

9. Los Angeles Chargers

The Mike McDonald and Justin Herbert pairing is one of the NFL’s most fascinating. If Herbert gets comfy, it can be a scary offense.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jags got hot last year and won the division. Imagine how much fun they’d have been with a healthy Travis Hunter. Hopefully 2026 is the year.

11. Chicago Bears

Caleb Williams started to look like a star in the making under coach Ben Johnson. The Bears are really back… and apparently moving to Indiana as well. The only explanation: Duh Bears!

12. Detroit Lions

The Lions went from Johnson to John Morton at OC. It… didn’t work. Drew Petzing should be a good fit for Jared Goff and Co., but Detroit����ap got to play defense, too, in a tough division.

13. Houston Texans

The Texans have perhaps the scariest defense in the NFL. They are an absolute hurricane under DeMeco Ryans. If C.J. Stroud finds his form, this will be an under-ranking.

14. Green Bay Packers

The Packers flamed out again, then extended everybody. At times, Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love look like a Super Bowl waiting to happen. Sometimes.

15. Dallas Cowboys

We know the Cowboys will score with Dak Prescott and those receivers. If former Denver assistant Christian Parker gets the defense straightened out, look out.

16. Kansas City Chiefs

This is destined to be a hilarious under-ranking if Patrick Mahomes quickly returns to form. He probably will. But, for now, questions abound around the all-timer under center.

17. Cincinnati Bengals

Every season Joe Burrow has played 16 or more regular season games, he’s thrown for at least 4,475 yards and 34 touchdowns. Let����ap do that again.

18. Washington Commanders

This team went to the NFC Championship Game in 2024, then Jayden Daniels’ follow-up season was scuttled by injuries. Here’s hoping for a healthy Year 3.

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs will get great play from Baker Mayfield, have weeks where they look like one of the best offenses on the planet and somehow end up 7-8 but in the hunt for the NFC South.

20. Carolina Panthers

Basically the same as above, but just not quite as good at quarterback. Bryce Young, though, has a division title under his belt and a chance to repeat.

21. Indianapolis Colts

Daniel Jones is supposedly going to be healthy at the start or early in the season. That����ap good. Probably. This team was so fun for the first half of 2025.

22. Pittsburgh Steelers

If nothing else, the Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers reunion will be tremendous theater. What if they actually make one more run together?

23. Minnesota Vikings

What a calamity for Minnesota to let Sam Darnold go after a terrific 2024. Now they’ve got a Kyler Murray/J.J. McCarthy situation that feels like a Kevin O’Connell cry for help.

24. New Orleans Saints

The Saints can win the NFC South. That����ap in part because it����ap a bad division but also because Tyler Shough has juice and New Orleans was cooking down the stretch last year.

25. New York Giants

John Harbaugh should bring some instant calm and respectability to the Giants. If he can get Jaxson Dart to take another step, the G-Men will have a bright future.

26. Atlanta Falcons

Kevin Stefanski and Matt Ryan are the new braintrust in Atlanta, but the Falcons have questions at QB and around the roster. They’re quite a way away.

27. Tennessee Titans

Titans Cam Ward did some good things as a rookie and clearly has some moxy to his game. Now, can Robert Saleh help build the rest of it around the young QB?

28. Las Vegas Raiders

No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza (eventually) has fun weapons in Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty. Klint Kubiak is a talented offensive coach. It����ap going to take longer than a year.

29. New York Jets

Former Broncos asst. GM Darren Mougey has been wheeling and dealing. They’ve got troves of premium picks the next couple years. It’ll be fun. But those picks can’t play in 2026.

30. Cleveland Browns

Deshaun Watson said recently he’d be open to an extension in Cleveland. That����ap nice. Here’s betting the Browns think $230 million for nine wins (so far) will have been plenty.

31. Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals all the way through the coaching carousel this winter felt a bit like they had nowhere to turn. Eventually it was to Dial-A-McVay Assistant. Or, er, Mike LaFleur.

32. Miami Dolphins

Give the Dolphins credit for going all in on the teardown. But they’re paying $112 million to players on the team and charging $179 million in cap space to players who aren’t.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Or the quarterback.

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

His father was a chef, including for the .

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

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

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

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

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

The Broncos are seasoned, to be sure.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Taylor Rapp, who briefly signed with Denver last month and then was released, had another tryout with the club, according to Friday’s transaction wire.

That workout, combined with the fact that head coach Sean Payton said on Aug. 26 that there was a “better than good” chance Rapp would end up re-signing with the Broncos after needing “a little time at home,” would indicate that the veteran defensive back is moving toward officially rejoining the team. No signing had been finalized by Friday’s wire deadline.

If Rapp does rejoin the team, it could be either as a member of the practice squad or on the 53-man roster. The Broncos have four out of a maximum six vested veterans on their 17-member practice squad, so they’d have to waive a player, but that player would not have to be a veteran.

Rapp, 28, first signed with the Broncos Aug. 20. He did not play in Denver’s preseason game the next day against Green Bay, then practiced only one time — Monday, Aug. 24. He was not seen at practice the next day and was officially released Aug. 26.

After the unusual timeline, Denver head coach Sean Payton said that Rapp “needs a little time at home, and we completely get what he needs. 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.”

At the time he was originally signed, Payton said the move was more about a player they thought had talent rather than an acute need at safety.

“It was early, but here’s what we know: We’ve played against him,” Payton added when Rapp was released. “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.”

Denver kept five safeties on its initial 53-man roster: Starters Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones and reserves Devon Key, JL Skinner and Tycen Anderson. Key and Skinner are backups who double as terrific special teamers and Anderson is also a special teams contributor. Denver also has rookie seventh-round pick Miles Scott on its practice squad.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Golf, whether in the Bay Area while with San Francisco 49ers or in the Denver area, always sounds like a good idea.

Sleep in? Sometimes simple is best.

Kick the feet up and watch a movie, maybe a little bit of film along the way? Indeed, air conditioning feels great after a long stretch of days on the field.

These days, McGlinchey sees none of that.

But, he said, it����ap for good reason. He’s been promoted.

McGlinchey and his wife, Brooke, welcomed their second child the day after the Broncos lost in the AFC Championship Game.

“I would say dad is very much a support player, a role player, the first time around,” McGlinchey said earlier this summer. “All of a sudden, when there’s no free set of hands, dad gets elevated to the starting lineup.

“It����ap fun. My son is almost 2 now. He doesn’t stop moving, he doesn’t stop talking and it����ap a lot of fun. … It����ap a full-time job, man. And I’ve got two of them now. It����ap been a lot of fun and it����ap the biggest blessing in the world.”

That����ap a common theme around the Broncos locker room. The team features a bunch of young dads, including multi-kid veterans like McGlinchey, left tackle Garett Bolles and safety Talanoa Hufanga and also new additions to the ranks this offseason in quarterback Bo Nix and safety Brandon Jones.

Players spend training camp together in a hotel, so family time gets limited. After practice, families and friends of players make their way from the balcony and courtyard viewing area at the new team facility down to the indoor practice field and players make their way up for quick visits. Naturally, then, that����ap how many like to spend their off days, too.

Second-year wide receiver Pat Bryant, who got married this summer during OTAs, said he takes a similar low-key approach on the rare occasion the club gets an off day.

“It����ap a couple things to do around here that are fun, but my main focus is getting rest,” said Bryant, who has had a terrific training camp and appears poised for a Year 2 breakout. “Get as much sleep as possible, hang out with the wife for a couple hours and just kick my feet up and relax.”

All-Pro right guard Quinn Meinerz is a man of many hobbies, but he said recently that he used a weekend day to see released on 70-millimeter film by director Christopher Nolan this summer. You can also find Meinerz on an off day at the bowling alley, checking out avian variety with his birdwatching setup and app or, after dark, peering at the night sky through his telescope.

Players on the team have all kinds of other hobbies and things they like to do with their downtime during the summer or even during the regular season. If there’s a fishing spot to be found, Bolles may be there. Same for kicker Wil Lutz, who is also a high-quality golfer. Players in the offseason find unique, do-it-yourself workout routines, even if they’re also using the Broncos facilities. Veteran inside linebacker Alex Singleton set himself up with a sauna and cold plunge at his house and is a big believer in mobility-based training. Jaleel McLaughlin said he regularly made the trip to Colorado Springs to conquer the Manitou Incline. On the other end of the team’s weight spectrum from the diminutive running back, so, too, did Meinerz make the incline climb.

That’s all well and good, but training camp is a different story. In the heart of it, the Broncos were on the field 10 days in an 11-day stretch. The prep for 10 a.m. practices starts early and the last of the meetings goes well into the evening. It can feel like Groundhog Day.

When asked which day the previous week the team had gone together to see the new “Spider-Man” movie, All-Pro outside linebacker Nik Bonitto said he wasn’t even sure what day it was at that very moment.

There’s just not much downtime. After the Broncos’ preseason-opening win at Atlanta, the team’s charter landed back at Denver International Airport a little after 1 a.m. Saturday morning. Head coach Sean Payton said they had a practice scheduled for that afternoon. Not a taxing one, but back to it nonetheless.

That’s why rest and relaxation often win out when a rare camp-off day pops up on the schedule. You’ve got to be prepared for the grind, especially when your reason for playing starts to expand.

“Just being married give you a little extra job knowing that here soon I’m going to start a nice family,” Bryant, the 24-year-old receiver said with a smile recently. “Overall, it����ap been great knowing I’ve got my wife in the stands, her family, my family. I’m looking forward to spending the rest of my life with my wife.”

Oh, right, there’s one more staple of a camp off-day: The honey-do list.

Bryant’s sure-handed in that regard, too.

“I took the garbage out before we were married,” he said.

“Earlier or later, I don’t know…. I don’t know,” Payton said. “I think you have to be ready and prepare for what you know is his best, and that����ap in the pocket, that����ap the extended plays, that����ap him running. You don’t give a lot of thought to it because you can’t control it.”

Payton and the Broncos will open their 2026 season against the two-time MVP on Monday Night Football in Kansas City on Sept. 14. While the division rivals are familiar with each other, the season opener will feature several unknown variables.

Both teams’ quarterbacks are returning from major offseason surgeries, each franchise changed offensive coordinators this winter, and for the first time in almost a decade, the Chiefs will not open the season as the reigning AFC West champion.

But Mahomes is a constant. Despite coming off an ACL tear eight months ago, he fully practiced in training camp and is expected to play against Denver.

And the three-time Super Bowl champion has traditionally played well in Week 1. Since taking over as a full-time starter in 2018 , he’s thrown for 22 touchdowns and just two interceptions, while averaging 290 passing yards per game and completing 68% of his passes. . He is 6-2 in season openers.

Over the last 30 years, Mahomes has posted three of the 20 highest passer ratings in Week 1 by a quarterback with at least 28 passing attempts, according to .

“(Stopping Mahomes) is as big of a challenge as there is in the league,” Broncos defensive lineman Zach Allen said after the Broncos’ practice Wednesday.

The Broncos have a few factors working in their favor, though. Since Vance Joseph returned to Denver as defensive coordinator in 2023, Mahomes has struggled against the Broncos’ defense. Over four games, he has thrown three touchdowns to four interceptions, completing 67% of his passes for an average of 272 yards per game and an 81.2 passer rating. The Chiefs averaged fewer than 16 points per game in those four games.

Mahomes’ injury also prevented him from until July 24. While Denver is preparing for a full-strength Mahomes, it will be the quarterback’s first game action since Dec. 14, 2025.

Although the Broncos and Chiefs are familiar opponents, each franchise made some key changes this summer. Kansas City welcomed back offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, added running back Kenneth Walker III and lost both starting cornerbacks in the offseason. The Broncos returned a majority of their roster, but new offensive coordinator Davis Webb could add a new wrinkle to Denver’s offense.

The battle between Webb — in his first game calling the offense — and longtime Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will be fascinating to watch.

“We play Kansas City first and ‘Spags’ could do whatever he wants to do,” Webb said in June.

Those changes could create some unfamiliarity amongst the divisional opponents in Week 1, Payton said. While the two teams know each other, each is likely to make some changes from last year.

Denver has opened the season 1-2 under Payton, averaging just 18 points per game against non-playoff teams. But for a team with Super Bowl aspirations, the players say they are excited for an immediate test.

“Doing it in primetime is really cool. And the history between the two organizations just amps it up even more,” Allen said.

He did the night Nix was drafted, saying at No. 10 as part of trying to ensure Nix made it to No. 12.

He did last summer in proclaiming that Nix would be one of the top four or five quarterbacks in the NFL in the next two years.

This summer, Payton took to social media to lambaste an NFL analyst who said Nix looked like the same player he was in college, writing, “PAYTON.” After Denver’s preseason finale, he called that assertion “crazy”,” referenced “basement podcasts with the beer logo,” and said, “Everything is the opposite of what he was saying.”

Asked Wednesday why others had such mixed opinions on his quarterback — — Payton had thoughts.

“It����ap hard for me to answer that, but there’s two things I think can happen,” he said. “You can predetermine based on how you saw him coming out (of the draft) and slow to move off your draft opinion, which is very normal. And then oftentimes you’re not exposed to certain players based on television.”

Veteran tight end Evan Engram said Wednesday that he gives “no energy” to what other people think about Nix and said, “We know what we’ve got.”

Payton thinks so, too, of course.

“It����ap the one cool thing about our sport, though,” Payton said. “You can argue, any position, top 10, all those discussions. Generally, time will give you those answers. We love what we’re seeing (from Nix). They’re measured by wins and measured by certain things and ultimately that����ap how history will be written about any of them, but quarterbacks specifically.”

ESPN’s list did feature five Broncos: DT Zach Allen at No. 79, OLB Nik Bonitto at No. 56, RG Quinn Meinerz at No. 53, LT Garett Bolles at No. 37 and CB Pat Surtain II at No. 7.

Taysom Hill? Not at the moment

Payton earlier this offseason said he planned to check on long-time New Orleans tight end Taysom Hill after he was released by the Saints earlier this offseason.

Payton did talk to Hill at Drew Brees’ Hall of Fame induction ceremony last month, he said Wednesday, but said there hasn’t been any movement toward Hill potentially playing for Denver.

“No updates. Nothing. I would let you know if we had anything,” Payton said. “I talked to him at the Hall of Fame, but it was really just with a group of people.”

Payton, though, said he believes the Broncos’ current group of tight ends can operate at a high level.

“I kind of like where we’re at,” he said. “I thought retaining Lucas (Krull) was important to the practice squad. I like where that room’s at.”

Jarrett Stidham is the Broncos’ No. 2 quarterback

The Broncos have three quarterbacks on their active roster, but Jarrett Stidham is still the backup, Payton said Wednesday.

After Friday’s preseason finale, Payton was noncommittal between Stidham and Sam Ehlinger as the primary backup to Bo Nix.

On Wednesday, Payton said Stidham would be the second into a game, “now.”

J.K. Dobbins is ready to roll

Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins was one of a small group of players who did not see any snaps in the preseason.

Dobbins missed one day of practice with what Payton called a “soft tissue” injury, but otherwise has been healthy through camp.

“He’s moving well and he’s doing really well,” Payton said Wednesday.