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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“So that����ap always a challenge.”

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

Changes from last week’s projection are italicized.

OFFENSE (24)

QUARTERBACKS (3)

Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, Sam Ehlinger

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

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

RUNNING BACK (3)

J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Jonah Coleman

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

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

TIGHT END (4)

Adam Trautman, Evan Engram, Nate Adkins and Justin Joly

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

WIDE RECEIVER (5)

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

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

OFFENSIVE LINE (9)

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

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

DEFENSE (26)

DEFENSIVE LINE (7)

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

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

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

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER (5)

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

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

INSIDE LINEBACKER (5)

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

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

CORNERBACK (5)

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

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

SAFETY (4)

Talanoa Hufanga, Brandon Jones, Devon Key, JL Skinner

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

SPECIAL TEAMS (3)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He attacked down the field.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Physically Unable to Perform list — OL Nick Gargiulo (knee).

Injured reserve — DL Matt Henningsen (Achilles)

Did not practice — WR Jaylen Waddle (muscle strain), WR Marvin Mims Jr., C Luke Wattenberg (shoulder), C Alex Forsyth, TE Caleb Lohner (foot/ankle), OLB Dasan McCullough

Left practice — RB J.K. Dobbins (soft tissue), WR Michael Bandy

Consider Sean Payton officially concerned about the Broncos’ injury situation.

Denver, through its first 11 days on the field, has only lost one player to what is known to be a serious injury — that was Matt Henningsen, who tore his Achilles on Friday — but several key players have missed time with soft-tissue injuries. Receiver Jaylen Waddle strained a muscle last week and hasn’t been back on the field since. Marvin Mims Jr. was in pads Monday after leaving practice Friday. That day, he pulled up while running a deep route and grabbed near his groin on the left side, hobbling off the field.

Then Monday, running back J.K. Dobbins jogged off the field midway through practice with training staff behind. Payton said Dobbins had a “soft tissue” injury.

That continues a trend Payton mentioned off the top Monday.

“We’ve got to get a handle on some of the soft-tissues,” he said. “We’ve had a couple either strains, hamstring or groins. We continue to fight through that.”

Payton said he didn’t think the uptick was due to the heat, but said, “you always try to look at your pre-practice routine. Your hydration, obviously. And it����ap incumbent on the player. It����ap hard for anyone to know your soft tissue. I’m always looking at maybe what we did leading up to the period when a guy had a strain.

Dobbins, of course, has not played a full season due to various injuries in his career, but earlier in training camp, he “pinky promised” he’d stay healthy this fall, play in all 17 regular-season games, and win the NFL’s rushing title.

Payton had the Broncos out for a long practice Monday and finished it not only with some conditioning work — that����ap not uncommon — but also with a “warm-down” period of stretching on the field. That was a first for this training camp for sure and perhaps the first time since Payton became the coach in Denver.

Payton often points out that the Broncos have been among the least-injured teams in the NFL during his tenure here.

“If we’re second in the NFL with fewest games missed, man, that’s extremely important,” Payton said in January after Denver’s season ended. “You guys saw in 2022 (under coach Nathaniel Hackett) where there’s over 125 player-games missed because of injury and no one played in the preseason. There weren’t ever pads on. We’re never doing that.”

Denver’s regular season doesn’t begin for five weeks, but Payton is clearly trying to send a message already.

Elsewhere on the injury front, Mims and center Luke Wattenberg were in pads but didn’t do anything after stretching. They’re each making progress toward full returns, though. ILB Jordan Turner came off the non-football injury list and practiced for the first time.

Bo Nix had a good sequence on a run-heavy day

The Broncos had multiple team periods of all running plays, but quarterback Bo Nix turned in a good sequence later in practice. After starting with an incompletion to Troy Franklin, Nix hit three straight for good gains. First was a quick throw to Pat Bryant for what looked like first-down yardage. Then Nix dropped a perfect back-shoulder throw on Courtland Sutton for about 30. Then he came back to Franklin over the middle for around 20.

Thumbs Up

Center of attention. Veteran Michael Deiter is usually an afterthought in conversations about Denver’s offensive line, but he stepped in and did double duty on Monday with both Wattenberg and Forsyth down.

Deiter took most of the top-unit reps at center and worked in with the second group, too. There are only so many 53-man roster spots if the offensive line group is healthy come September, but Wattenberg and Forsyth have both dealt with injuries in recent seasons. If Deiter’s a trusted third, he’ll probably at least have a standing offer on a practice squad spot.

Kickers are people, too. Wil Lutz had a gripe with reporters and a warranted one Monday. He stepped to the podium after practice and said, “I made a field goal from 73 yards the other day and none of you said a word. But Brandon Jones hits an extra point and my timeline is going off.” Fair point, Wil. It wasn’t easy to see the yardages Lutz was kicking off a stick from last week when he hit from 73, but it was clear he had the fans’ full attention and they were lavishing cheers on him as he kept moving further and further back. Lutz suggested a kicker appreciation day. Next time he hits from 73, it����ap his.

Thumbs Down

Not a day for the snappers. The Broncos had trouble with the snap on Monday. In more ways than one. First, undrafted rookie Gavin Ortega had trouble with some snaps to Jarrett Stidham. Ortega has been playing center in camp but got bumped up the depth chart Monday with both Wattenberg and Forsyth out. Then later in the session, undrafted rookie long snapper air-mailed holder Jeremy Crawshaw on a field goal attempt. Better a Monday camp practice than a regular-season game, but misfires like those aren’t going to help when it comes down to evaluating practice squad spots, position battles and more later in August.

Ball security is… The Broncos also got a look at some of their down-roster kick and punt returning options on Monday with Mims out and Bandy leaving midway through practice. Return ability is one of the key factors Denver used in identifying some of its undrafted wide receiver targets this spring. While Cam Ross has been consistent catching the ball both on offense and in the return game, Kolbe Katsis has struggled with punts and kicks. On Monday alone, he bobbled two.

Odds and Ends

* The Broncos had one of their longer practices of camp Monday, pushing right to 12:29 p.m. before the double horn blew at the end of the “warm down” stretching that closed the session. Payton missed most of Friday and all of Saturday’s practice, but Denver spent just about the maximum amount of time possible on the field for his return. Payton said the Broncos will have a normal camp practice on Tuesday and then spend most of Wednesday’s practice preparing for their preseason opener on Friday in Atlanta.

* Deiter, an eight-year NFL veteran who has played in 92 career games, not only served as Denver’s top center on Monday, but he played well in one-on-ones, too. Twice he was able to anchor against D.J. Jones and hold the rugged nose tackle at bay. Rookie Kage Casey had another good day in one-on-ones, too, and right tackle Mike McGlinchey had a good rep on Jonathon Cooper. Defensively, Zach Allen drew an obvious hold on Ben Powers and Jordan Jackson put a punishing bull-rush on Calvin Throckmorton.

* The Broncos’ run-heavy script on Monday meant a ton of work for RJ Harvey and Jonah Coleman. Coleman’s been more consistent than Harvey between the tackles, but Nix likes what he sees from Harvey so far this training camp, too.

“He’s done a great job of improving in the little things,” Nix said. “It����ap easy for a running back, once he gets the football, to go and be a playmaker. I think it����ap underrated what he does out of the backfield, in protection, in multiple different run looks. We’ve asked him to do a lot more this offseason and in this training camp, and he’s responded really well. You can tell he’s growing and learning more as time goes and it����ap not all new for him.”

* Nix had interesting insight into veteran tight end Evan Engram and what might unlock better production this fall. Engram caught 50 balls for 461 yards last year, but everybody involved finished the season feeling like he had something of an underwhelming first season in Denver. So far in training camp, Nix said, Engram’s been used somewhat differently to the pass-heavy splits in his playing time last fall.

“His ability to strengthen the run game is what����ap showing right now,” Nix said. “He’s a willing blocker. Last year we used him a little bit more as a vertical pass threat, but I think him getting in the box and blocking is going to open some more things up. That����ap a game-plan thing, that����ap a coaching thing to put him in that position. But I also think he’s willing and able and that����ap part of his game I think he’s really going to be able to show off this year and not have to be on and off the field. He’ll just be able to play, he and (Adam Trautman) will be able to roll and just be able to do anything we ask them to do from that position.”

Next: 10 a.m. Tuesday. Parking opens at 8 a.m. and gates at 9 a.m.

Physically Unable to Perform list: OL Nick Gargiulo (knee).

Non-football injury list: ILB Jordan Turner.

Did not practice: WR Jaylen Waddle (muscle strain), WR Marvin Mims Jr., C Luke Wattenberg (shoulder), TE Nate Adkins, TE Caleb Lohner (foot/ankle), DL Matt Henningsen (Achilles), OLB Dasan McCullough, CB Sean Fresch, Jr., K Wil Lutz (at Hall of Fame).

Load management: CB Pat Surtain II, DT Zach Allen, RT Mike McGlinchey, TE Evan Engram.

Left practice: DL Eyioma Uwazurike.

Uwazurike’s injury happened right near the end of practice in a two-minute situation. He walked to the team’s facility without issue, though he was shaking out and flexing his hand, while a member of the medical staff followed him. It����ap worth monitoring in particular because Uwazurike has been one of the stories of camp. The 2022 fourth-round pick has been outstanding in both run support and rushing the passer and looks primed for a breakout season after blossoming into a trusted rotation piece last year.

Mims and Adkins watched practice Saturday, one day after each left with injuries. Mims appears to have avoided serious injury when he pulled up on a deep route Friday.

Waddle moved up to some jogging, progress from previous days after he sustained a muscle strain earlier in the week.

Henningsen (Achilles) was placed on injured reserve Saturday, which officially ends his season.

Bryant, in the midst of a monster camp, made the play of the day

The Broncos staged the closest they’ll get to a scrimmage during camp, though it was still parsed into situations and sets of plays, like a normal camp practice. But after stretch and individual periods, nearly everything Denver did on a blistering-hot Saturday morning was 11-on-11.

Perhaps not surprisingly given the way training camp has gone so far, second-year wide receiver Pat Bryant made the play of the day.

Operating in the red zone, Bo Nix faced quick pressure in the pocket after the snap and had no play but to throw the ball up. He lofted it almost blind into the back-right corner of the end zone. Bryant, working toward the corner, went up high over both Ja’Quan McMillan and Jahdae Barron, high-pointed the ball and toe-tapped near the back pylon for a touchdown.

It was a terrific play, maybe the best of camp so far, and a continuation of an impressive training camp for the 2025 third-round pick out of Illinois.

“Man, ‘Patty Ice’ has had some really, really good practices,” offensive coordinator Davis Webb said Saturday. … “Pat is very, very savvy. Smart. When he catches the ball his feet are on the ground. Those are the things we were attracted to when he was coming out of Illinois. It����ap really, really cool to see him take another jump this early into Year 2.”

Davis Webb’s nickname for Pat Bryant: “Patty Ice.”

— Parker Gabriel (@ParkerJGabriel)

Consider defensive coordinator Vance Joseph sold. Entirely sold.

“He made two (plays) today that were unbelievable, but that����ap been all camp,” Joseph said. “That����ap what he can be. He’s the guy in that room, in my opinion — he blocks, he catches the ball in traffic, he can track the ball vertically, he’s great in the red zone. He’s the complete package. He’s got great size, and he loves to play. He’s the same player every day.”

Thumbs up

A bounce-back play. This has not been a glorious training camp for former UFL receiver Hakeem Butler. He’s failed to secure contested catches — not great considering he’s 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds — and in general hasn’t made many plays. He made a terrific one on Saturday, though, jumping high over veteran corner Sam Webb down the sideline to haul in a jump ball from Sam Ehlinger.

Safety valve. The Broncos were rotating through a ton of different players at safety on Saturday with Talanoa Hufanga on a veteran rest day, Brandon Jones not taking a full load of reps and Devon Key working early in practice on the side field. Undrafted rookie Parker Robertson made the most of it in a team period with the No. 3 unit when he closed on a ball thrown behind the receiver over the middle of the field and came down with an interception. Denver quarterbacks haven’t thrown many in team settings during camp so far, but Robertson capitalized.

Thumbs down

Rookie moments. Few positions are more difficult to make an impact at than tight end. Justin Joly is learning about the steep climb. He hasn’t made many splash plays in camp — though coaches say they’re encouraged by the work he’s done overall — and on Saturday the fifth-round pick flat-out dropped a ball on his hands in the middle of the field. It looked as though Joly perhaps lost concentration as outside linebacker Jonah Elliss closed in for what, in a game, would have been a crunching hit.

Odds and ends

* One day after Nix led a surgical two-minute drive for a touchdown, the Broncos defense prevailed twice in nearly identical situations. This time around, Nix and the top offense had 1:22 left, trailing by 4 and 62 yards to go. Nix and Co. pushed the ball into the red zone thanks in part to a 24-yard completion to Troy Franklin, but stalled out there. Nix had to spike the ball after that play to stop the clock, then Courtland Sutton may have been held on second-and-goal, but the ball to him in the end zone fell incomplete. Then Sutton couldn’t haul in what looked like a catchable ball along the sideline on third down. Nix tried Franklin again in the back of the end zone on a do-or-die fourth-and-goal, but he was double covered from the start and reserve safety JL Skinner knocked the pass down easily to notch a win for the defense. Sam Ehlinger led the second group and took them briskly down to the 8-yard line before three straight incompletions — third down was a broken play from the start — and a fourth-down sack thanks to Que Robinson and Dondrea Tillman.

* Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph ran practice Saturday along with special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi because Sean Payton was in Canton for Drew Brees’ Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement. Joseph, though, laughed off any sense that he had much more responsibility than normal. “Sean left a great plan in place,” Joseph said. “It was more than me. It was the staff, the players. It����ap been scripted for a week and a half. So we all fell in, did our jobs, and now we’re done.”

* No team wants to punt the ball a lot, but when the Broncos do this fall, they appear to be in good care with second-year man Jeremy Crawshaw. He’s been booming the ball more consistently during camp and on Saturday pounded several high spirals with 5-second-plus hang time. Not only that, but he successfully angled several of them toward the sideline, leaving returners with very little or no chance at returning the ball. Last summer, Payton felt the need to rush the punt team on in the middle of offensive periods multiple times to try to give Crawshaw more game-like feeling because he was shanking far too many. A year later, he looks to be on the right track.

* With McGlinchey getting a rest day Saturday, the Broncos split tackle reps between Alex Palczewski and Frank Crum. They’ve both had heavy workloads in camp and, not surprisingly, the Broncos clearly want each to be comfortable playing multiple positions. Crum has played a lot of reps at both left and right tackle, while ‘Palcho’ has seen extensive time at right tackle and left guard. They, in some combination.

* A non-exhaustive list of players who have contributed or been in the picture for the Broncos who appear to be having solid training camps, but haven’t made the kind of eye-popping plays that generate buzz or headlines: TE Lucas Krull, WR Michael Bandy, ILB Levelle Bailey and RB Jaleel McLaughlin.

* The Broncos are always looking for talent at cornerback, and undrafted rookie Brent Austin has done some good things in camp. He’s not likely to make the 53-man roster, but the former Cal corner looks like a player worth trying to stash and develop.

* The roster churn is on for the Broncos. In addition to placing Henningsen on injured reserve, Denver also released cornerback Sam Webb. Those moves followed the waiver Friday of injured corner Jaden Robinson. The three new players: Receivers Kyree Duplessis and Kyrese Rowan — they each practiced Saturday— and cornerback Ricardo Hallman. Hallman worked out for the Broncos the same day as Webb last week, but Denver at that time opted for Webb. Now they’ll get a look at Hallman next week instead.

* A true VIP was on hand at Broncos practice Saturday: Mikaela Shiffrin. The world’s most decorated downhill skier watched the latter stages of practice from the sideline and was presented with a No. 110 Broncos jersey. The number, of course, is a nod to the Vail native’s record number of World Cup victories.

Welcome to , !

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos)

Next: 10 a.m. Monday. Parking opens at 8 a.m. and gates at 9 a.m.

Did not practice: Physically Unable to Perform list — OL Nick Gargiulo. Non-football injury list — ILB Jordan Turner. Did not practice — WR Jaylen Waddle (muscle strain), C Luke Wattenberg (shoulder) , TE Caleb Lohner (foot/ankle), OLB Dasan McCullough. Left practice — LG Ben Powers

The Broncos really got mostly good news on the injury front Thursday. They were not in pads, but star outside linebacker Nik Bonitto returned to practice in a limited capacity, taking walk-through reps. Bonitto watched when the team went full speed and 11-on-11.

Wide receiver Courtland Sutton was limited for a third straight day, but Payton and Sutton each insisted it was due to a workload management plan the club has for the veteran.

Waddle has “a strain,” according to head coach Sean Payton, but is expected to return to practice in four or five days.

Wattenberg didn’t practice but had cleats on and a harness on his left shoulder. He did side field conditioning work.

Powers started off practicing but left midway through and wasn’t spotted in the later parts of the session. A source said Powers had a planned partial rest day. He, of course, missed nine games with a torn bicep last year and played the final five with a Lisfranc fracture in his foot.

Payton said several players are going to have their workloads managed over the next three days.

RJ Harvey is dynamite in the passing game, but what����ap next?

The Broncos clearly have three running backs pacing the room at this point in J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey and rookie Jonah Coleman.

The question is how those three – assuming good health – will fill roles. Dobbins is the lead back, to be sure. Coleman’s pass protection experience in college might give him the inside track for third-down work over Harvey, but Payton said recently he thinks Harvey is squarely in the mix for that work, too. The Broncos would love it if he’s ready to handle the protection stuff in third-down and two-minute situations because he is dynamite in the passing game and has made a series of big plays as a receiver out of the backfield in training camp already.

What does making a jump in that department look like?

“RJ is certainly starting to see how we’re (identifying the Mike linebacker) and where that puts him,” Payton said. “Some of that is just the (college) they come from. But I think he gives us a lot of versatility. …

“Technique is one thing, and I think that����ap the easy part. The challenging part is the front and the pieces (to the puzzle). Who the line is going to. Who are you left with? And if you’re not careful, you get left staring in the backfield, and you should be out right now. Being able to get into the pattern and then recognize where the pressure is coming from. And how to see it. Usually those back-end safeties are going to move to where the pressure is coming from. All of that is part of it. But the technique, if you have the stature — and he does — that part of it you can quickly polish up on.”

Top play

Two candidates from a little further down the depth chart in the middle of a six-day work week.

First, nickel Reese Taylor made a heck of a play to break up a pass from Jarrett Stidham to Michael Bandy over the middle. Bandy leapt and stretched out to try to snag the ball, and for a moment it looked like he would, but Taylor recovered, got his hands on the ball and knocked it away as they went to the ground. He flies under the radar, and the path to the 53-man roster is a rough one, but Taylor was on Denver’s active roster down the stretch last season and was a special teams contributor. He’s a valued player, even if he doesn’t make the initial roster in a few weeks.

The other: A pretty deep ball from Sam Ehlinger to undrafted rookie wide receiver Cam Ross. Ross has started to make more plays the past couple of days and is probably running alongside Kolbie Katsis — he also had a long catch Thursday — as Denver’s most impressive undrafted receivers.

“Cam’s doing really good,” fellow receiver Marvin Mims Jr. told The Post this week. … “The biggest thing for him is just trusting his ability, trusting his speed. It����ap a lot coming in here, especially when he had some injury stuff earlier. Come out here, try your hardest and we’ll coach it up in the (meeting) room after practice.”

Thumbs Up

Jahdae Barron, hello. Jahdae Barron hadn’t been off to a particularly bad start in training camp, by any means. He just hadn’t made many splash plays, either.

That changed Thursday. In one team period alone, Barron knifed in front of Pat Bryant on a short catch for what would have been, at minimum, a jarring hit just after a catch. Then on the next snap he broke up a pass over the middle to Lil’Jordan Humphrey. The 2025 first-round pick, like his rookie season, is playing all over. He’s Denver’s dime like last year, he’s getting extensive run at outside corner with the second unit, and he’s Ja’Quan McMillian’s backup at nickel.

“He’s got a lot more patient,” cornerback Riley Moss said. “It����ap a lot different — you throw a guy in, and he’s playing dime and then nickel and then outside, it����ap totally different. The job description is DB, but it is totally different. He’s done a great job of being a little more patient, his eyes have got a lot better, and he’s just a great athlete. It just takes time to get used to the outside stuff, but he’s doing a great job.”

Thumbs Down

Frustration bubbling. As training camp progresses, a lot of different factors wax and wane. The length and physicality of each practice, for example. Players who stand out. Who’s getting the No. 2 reps at quarterback. So on and so forth. One thing that����ap been consistent: The Broncos’ defensive front has dominated. Particularly so in the run game, but they’re generating pressure, too. On Thursday, Broncos offensive linemen were visibly frustrated. They talked among themselves and in small groups after sets of repetitions. Tight end Evan Engram joined in at one point. Thursday was a different kind of day because, without pads, there’s not as much of a true line play evaluation to be had. The OL is rotating through several veterans seeing limited reps, but so, too, is the defense. D.J. Jones didn’t do much team work Thursday, and Zach Allen had the same treatment earlier this week. Still, the defensive front has clearly been a handful for Denver’s veteran offensive line.

Odds and Ends

* If there’s a player having a better camp than Riley Moss, the list is short. He’s been sticky in coverage, and Denver’s deep receiving room has had its hands full against him, no matter who he’s covering.

* Payton on Thursday said there are eight total Broncos staffers and players leaving Friday night to head to Canton, Ohio, for Drew Brees’ Pro Football Hall of Fame induction. Payton, of course, has many more New Orleans connections on his staff than that, from assistant coaches Zach Strief, Ronald Curry, Joe Vitt, John Morton, Willie Snead IV and Darren Rizzi, strength coach Dan Dalrymple, VP of player health and performance Beau Lowery and VP of player personnel Cody Rager. Players who played with Brees in New Orleans include tight end Adam Trautman, receiver Lil’Jordan Humprprey, kicker Wil Lutz and defensive lineman Malcolm Roach.

* Speaking of the Hall of Fame, former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan was in attendance on Thursday. He chatted with Payton for a while early in practice and saw the new training facility. Payton has stumped for Shanahan to be in the Hall of Fame and said there’s frustration with the difficulty of getting coaches enshrined the past couple of years. Still, Payton said it����ap a matter of “when, not if” Shanahan’s inducted.

* The Broncos had Shawn Hochuli’s officiating crew in town for practice each of the past two days. Payton said it’s a quiet year on the officiating emphasis front — there were no major rule changes this offseason. Hochuli’s crew presented to players and staff Wednesday night.

Next: 10 a.m. Friday, lots open at 8 a.m., gates open at 9 a.m. The Broncos are expected to be back in pads.

The Broncos are headlong into a stretch in which they’ll be on the practice fields 10 of 11 days.

After that comes a shorter week of practice before a trip to Atlanta for Denver’s Aug. 14 preseason opener against the Falcons. The roster cutdown isn’t until more than two weeks after that.

Bottom line: The action is just getting started. The vast majority of the Broncos’ work remains ahead. There is no light at the end of the tunnel, as head coach Sean Payton is fond of saying.

As Denver heads into the heaviest workload of the summer, it����ap as good a time as any to take a look at the roster and what a potential 53-man group could look like. Injuries will change the picture some over the next month. So, too, could trades, free agent signings or just good old-fashioned competition.

There is also always the dance the Broncos and teams do around the deadline to retain as many of their players as possible. This is an inexact science.

We’ll run this exercise again at least a couple of times — after a preseason game is in the books and again ahead of the cutdown — but for now here’s a look at how a group could shake out.

OFFENSE (25)

QBs (3): Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger

Quickly: Two questions that go hand-in-hand: Who’s No. 2? And do the Broncos keep three despite a deep roster elsewhere? Early stab at answers: Ehlinger and yes.

RB (4): J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Jonah Coleman, Adam Prentice (FB)

Quickly: The top three are solid. Does Denver have room for Tyler Badie or Jaleel McLaughlin on the 53? It����ap hard to see with three QBs, but maybe one gets to the practice squad. Prentice gets the nod unless Nate Adkins gets a lot of FB time in training camp.

TE (4): Adam Trautman, Evan Engram, Justin Joly, Dallen Bentley.

Quickly: The back of this room feels wide open. Caleb Lohner is promising but has missed the first two days of camp. If he returns and plays well through August, he’ll be tough to leave off. Bentley over Adkins for now based mostly on size and play profile.

WR (5): Courtland Sutton, Jaylen Waddle, Marvin Mims Jr., Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant

Quickly: This group is straightforward unless injury or trade shakes it up in a major way. Lil’Jordan Humphrey will factor in, too, even if he begins the year on the practice squad.

OL (9): Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Luke Wattenberg, Quinn Meinerz, Mike McGlinchey, Alex Palczewski, Frank Crum, Alex Forsyth, Kage Casey

Quickly: Payton and Co. like Matt Peart, too, but in terms of 53-man spots, the four reserves listed above all have versatility and fairly clearly defined roles. ‘Palcho,’ Crum and Casey all feel like potential future starters in Denver.

DEFENSE (25)

DL (7): Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, Malcolm Roach, Eyioma Uwazurike, Tyler Onyedim, Sai’Vion Jones, Jordan Jackson

Quickly: Seven is heavy, but this group remains a strength of Denver’s roster despite John Franklin-Myers’ departure. He’s replaced on the roster and in number by the rookie, Onyedim. Perhaps in the starting lineup, too.

OLB (5): Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Jonah Elliss, Dondrea Tillman, Que Robinson

Quickly: Cooper may not actually be on the initial 53 if he’s suspended by the NFL, but the Broncos clearly appear to be moving forward with him as part of their plan after a pair of June arrests on domestic violence-related charges, including felony assault. A healthy Drew Sanders would be a wild card regardless of Cooper’s status.

ILB (3): Alex Singleton, Justin Strnad, Red Murdock

Quickly: Yes, three is light for an initial roster. The Broncos, though, can likely get multiples of Levelle Bailey, Jordan Turner, Karene Reid and Taurean York to the practice squad. And Elliss’ versatility gives them some flex, too, if they were to get caught short on a gameday early in the season.

CB (5): Pat Surtain II, Riley Moss, Ja’Quan McMillian, Jahdae Barron, Kris Abrams-Draine

Quickly: Reese Taylor did nice special teams work for the Broncos last year and was on the roster the second half of the season. Can they get him to the practice squad? Tough to see much more room beyond the five guys Denver trusts in just about any situation.

S (5): Talanoa Hufanga, Brandon Jones, Devon Key, JL Skinner, Tycen Anderson

Quickly: On the field, the major question is who Denver’s third safety is. It could be Key or Skinner. The most interesting option might be Barron. In terms of roster construction, what the reserves in this room lack in proven defensive chops they make up for on special teams. Key is a first-team All-Pro and Skinner and Anderson are both high-end guys, too.

SPECIAL TEAMS (3)

PK Wil Lutz, P Jeremy Crawshaw, LS Mitch Fraboni

Quickly: Pretty straightforward here. The same trio as last year and a group that has a chance to give Denver consistent, high-level play.

On the roster (4): Wil Lutz (PK), Jeremy Crawshaw (P), Mitch Fraboni (LS) and Luke Basso (LS)

How many on the 53? Three

Most impactful offseason move: Rewarding Lutz with an extension in November.

OK, so this isn’t an offseason move. We’re stretching it a bit here. At the time Lutz agreed to a three-year, $16.1 million extension back in November (along with Luke Wattenberg and Malcolm Roach in the same stretch), we wrote that it was essentially getting ahead of free agent work, so we’re making an exception. Lutz has delivered stability and a host of big kicks in Denver since he arrived via trade ahead of the 2023 season. He’s been head coach Sean Payton’s kicker for a decade, now, and the two have a trust between them. Lutz isn’t perfect — he had a couple of missed chances in the AFC title game, including a 46-yarder that would have tied the game that was tipped in the midst of a swirling whiteout.  But he’s steady, he’s got range, and he’s not afraid of the big moment.

Biggest question to answer in camp: Is Crawshaw ready to make the jump to elite?

The Broncos’ second-year punter has a big leg. He had a wild training camp last summer but overall punted well for Denver over the course of the year. Then he was nails in the postseason. This summer — as low-pressure as it gets, to be fair — he pounded kick after kick that looked and sounded… different. Obviously no team wants to punt a lot and Denver needs to punt less than it did last year when Crawshaw was third in the NFL (75) behind only Cleveland and Tennessee’s punters. Those teams each won four games. If Crawshaw is able to harness his raw talent a little bit more, though, he can be a real weapon on special teams.

Battle to watch: A hot one at long snapper

Fraboni has been Denver’s long-snapper every game for the past three seasons and last year earned a three-year contract extension. He’s the clear favorite to keep the job going into 2026, too. The Broncos did, however, sign Basso as a college free agent out of Oregon right after the draft. They’ve kept him on the 90-man roster through the summer and now as training camp approaches. He’s in the building, so he’s got a chance. If nothing else, his presence should keep Fraboni sharp through camp — and fresh, too.

Under the radar: Denver’s plans in the return game

This could be as simple as continuing to roll with All-Pro Marvin Mims Jr. as the punt returner and trying to funnel as many kick return chances as possible to him, as well. When Denver got short on receivers in the postseason, the Broncos took him off of return duty because they needed him in an expanded offensive role. That could happen this fall, too, though Jaylen Waddle’s addition to the receiver room makes it a bit hard to see Mims — or any of the other receivers — playing substantially more offensive snaps than he did last year. Even if Mims is the punt returner, the Broncos must find an effective second kick returner. The combined group finished No. 21 in kick return average in 2025.

Months earlier, he had little idea what was going on.

He was one of a few newcomers to the Broncos’ offseason program in 2025, and felt like it, finding his place as one of the levers and pulleys in Vance Joseph’s defensive system. So Hufanga would glance across the field at his safety partner Brandon Jones. Or north, at All-Pro cornerback Pat Surtain II.

“Like, ‘Hey, what are we running right here?'” Hufanga recalled in June. “‘I’m still learning the defense.'”

He is not, anymore. Few consequential members of Joseph’s defense are still in the elementary stages, entering the coordinator’s fourth season in Denver. These Broncos will head into training camp for the 2026 season still carrying 10 of the 11 defenders who started Week 1 in 2025, and those 10 starters average out at 28 years old. Not long in the tooth, exactly. But far beyond baby teeth.

That organization-wide emphasis on retention, though, has embroiled Joseph in a unique paradox after a second straight year crafting a top-three NFL defense.

“I think the challenge is human nature,” Joseph said in June. “I told the guys the very first day (of the offseason) that we’re not chasing what we’ve done in the last two years, but we’re chasing the process that got us there.”

This Broncos defense has little room for complacency, now, largely betting on the same personnel in 2026 to capitalize on a Super Bowl window that the outfit opened in 2025. An entire offseason came and went without any obvious on-paper upgrades to Joseph’s units; instead, Denver actually moved on from two notable contributors in John Franklin-Myers and Dre Greenlaw to cut costs. The gang’s mostly back, as the rest of the NFL has retooled.

“Starting over and chasing the process is our goal,” Joseph said, “and being better than we were last year.”

But how does one of the league’s most fearsome defenses — tied for fifth all-time in single-season sacks in 2025 — improve without actual personnel upgrades? Much of that will fall on Joseph, in yet another audition for an eventual second chance at a head-coaching job. Much of that, too, will fall on individual growth within his depth chart, as All-Pros like Hufanga and edge rusher Nik Bonitto are a year older and a year wiser.

As veterans are set to report for training camp this coming Tuesday, that depth chart looks awfully similar to the one the Broncos finalized at the end of 2025’s camp. But there are still a handful of key positional battles to play out — with a particular mind to cornerback.

Here’s an early two-deep defensive projection before the Broncos march into the start of the (pre)season.

Defensive line

�ٷ�:��Zach Allen, Sai’vion Jones

����:��D.J. Jones, Malcolm Roach

�ٷ�:��Eyioma Uwazurike, Tyler Onyedim

Starting point:��Here’s where roster shifting will be felt the most on Denver’s defense. John Franklin-Myers’ time as a Bronco expired the minute his contract did, through no fault of his own. Can’t pay everyone. The Broncos, evidently, felt they had enough quality depth in the room to cobble together snaps to fill Franklin-Myers’ 7.5-sack void, and drafted to their defensive line in April by taking a body-type carbon copy in Onyedim in the third round.

The process of recongealing, though, might not be so smooth.

“Anytime you lose a great player, you know there’s gonna be a big hole that you gotta replace,” Roach told reporters in June, at a charity softball event. “But also, when you lose a great friend, a great brother, it kinda hits hard.”

It could hit Allen the hardest, a bona-fide star who’s made two straight All-Pro teams and knocks around opposing quarterbacks more than anyone in the NFL. As the Jones-Roach rotation seems stable at nose tackle — even as the ascending Roach could continue growing in his versatility — the most movement here during camp will happen at boundary end, with a few hungry mouths awaiting.

The 28-year-old Uwazurike figures to play a massive role in 2026, after a mini-breakout last season: a 36% defensive snap share, 3.5 sacks, 49 tackles in 19 total games. He’ll be the stabilizer. Onyedim, meanwhile, looked instantly ready for serious NFL snaps this summer before Denver even put on pads, and figures to play at least a rotational role. Keep an eye on Sai’vion Jones here, the Broncos’ 2025 third-round rookie who now will have a serious shot to wreak havoc on passing-down snaps with his 82-plus-inch wingspan. Denver will likely give veterans Jordan Jackson and Matt Henningsen long looks in camp for 53-man spots, too, given the potential reliance on youth here.

Outside linebacker

������:��Nik Bonitto, Que Robinson

������:��Jonathon Cooper (?), Jonah Elliss

Cooper’s mere presence on this roster — let alone his outlook for 2026 — is in flux, after he was arrested multiple times in June in relation to a physical altercation with his girlfriend. That, correspondingly, leaves the Broncos’ entire edge outlook here in flux, as Cooper has racked up 27 sacks and 49 quarterback hits across 51 straight regular-season games as a starter in Denver.

However Cooper’s legal process and potential league and team discipline plays out, though, there’s still an overwhelming amount of talent in this room — enough to leave key contributor Dondrea Tillman off this two-deep entirely. If Cooper is suspended for any part of the 2026 season, expect Elliss to get the first crack at playing alongside two-time Pro Bowler Bonitto, who should be set for another leap in his own right. Head coach Sean Payton went public earlier this offseason proclaiming the Broncos would look at the 23-year-old Elliss to shift inside, only to walk that back months later and make clear that wasn’t an option simply because of Elliss’s talent playing the edge.

Another glaring breakout candidate here, too, is Robinson, enough for him to supplant Tillman as a rotational rusher beyond the Broncos’ top duo. His sack of Drake Maye in the AFC Championship Game made waves and his closing speed and upside are both ridiculous. Denver has some flexibility here.

Inside linebacker

������:��Alex Singleton, Red Murdock

������:��Justin Strnad, Jordan Turner

Utter crapshoot here behind a completely stable duo of Singleton and Strnad. Both veterans re-upped with the Broncos on multi-year deals in free agency as certified Joseph guys, and they head into camp as the unquestioned starters. They know it, too. Strnad, after all, told The Denver Post flat-out in January that he didn’t think he’d re-sign in Denver if he didn’t anticipate starting at ILB in 2026.

After two straight seasons of spot-starting at ILB, now Strnad will step fully into a featured role in the middle of Denver’s defense. And Singleton, for one, said in May he expects a “huge leap” from his running mate.

“You have that confidence where — a team finally gives you what you deserve, you have that confidence all offseason,” Singleton said. “So he’s had that already. There isn’t that question of, ‘Oh, what snaps am I going to play?’”

That question comes further down, in what projects as a slight mess of a depth chart. Red Murdock (2026 pick No. 257), Taurean York (2026 undrafted free agent), Jordan Turner (2025 undrafted free agent), Karene Reid (2025 undrafted free agent), and Levelle Bailey (2024 undrafted free agent) don’t have a single NFL start between them. Strnad, as the team’s third ILB, has wound up playing a rather important role the past two seasons; the Broncos need one or two youngsters to step up in camp. Murdock should have an inside track, a loyal Buffalo product with a mean streak and a fast processor. Turner impressed the Broncos so much at 2025’s rookie minicamp that he earned a contract, then earned a practice-squad spot in camp, then earned a full-time roster nod down the stretch; he’s a third-ILB candidate to watch.

Cornerback

���:��Pat Surtain II, Kris Abrams-Draine

���:��Riley Moss, Jahdae Barron

����������:��Ja’Quan McMillian, Reese Taylor

Here’s where the most eyes will fall in any defensive realm this August. Barron was the No. 20 overall pick in 2025’s draft, spent most of his season playing in dime and specific nickel packages, and left quite a few fans wondering about the Broncos’ long-term plan for him. The short-term plan, at least, seems clear: have he and Moss duke it out for a CB2 spot to determine who Denver could extend long-term between Moss and McMillian.

Barron couldn’t beat out McMillian as a rookie for Denver’s starting nickel job, though, and supplanting Moss to play opposite Surtain will be no easy task. The 26-year-old Moss went public plenty of times in 2025 for a variety of pass-interference flags, but also surrendered just a 58% completion percentage despite seeing a ridiculously high volume of targets. Barron would need to showcase a leap from an uneven rookie season to win Moss’s job, particularly after playing limited doses of outside cornerback in 2025.

McMillian’s hold on his nickel duties, meanwhile, seems ironclad after a standout 2025 season. Abrams-Draine is an interesting piece here, a rising third-year cornerback who would likely be good enough to compete for a starting job on a handful of NFL teams.

Safety

��:��Talanoa Hufanga, Devon Key

��:��Brandon Jones, JL Skinner

The Hufanga-Jones marriage landed on hiatus in December, when Jones suffered a pec injury that ended up knocking him out for the season. Year 2 of their partnership could prove even better than Year 1, with Hufanga’s nose for the ball and Jones’ ranginess in coverage. The one glaring caveat there: the two have missed nearly 20% of their cumulative regular-season games throughout their career, putting obvious importance on Denver’s third-safety position after veteran P.J. Locke signed with the Cowboys.

Veteran Tycen Anderson, signed away from Cincinnati, could be a contender for Locke’s vacant job. But Denver hasn’t had much recent luck with signing impact-special-teamer safeties on the open market in recent years, cutting Sam Franklin at the end of last year’s camp and signing-and-cutting former All-Pro J.T. Gray midseason. Instead, look to Key, who has earned widespread organizational trust after a franchise-great season as a special-teams tackler in 2025.

Skinner, meanwhile, has played all of 54 regular-season defensive snaps in a Broncos uniform after Denver drafted him in the sixth round in 2023. The 6-foot-4 safety, though, could earn a foothold in camp with Locke gone, and was trusted by Joseph to play deep in hyper-specific closing-game situations last season.

Special teams

K: Wil Lutz

��:��Jeremy Crawshaw

LS:��Mitchell Fraboni

If the Broncos had a 2025 playoff MVP, it might well be Crawshaw, who improved over the course of his rookie season in Denver and promptly deposited five of 10 playoff kicks inside the opponent’s 20-yard-line. The 2025 sixth-round pick could — relative to punting — be in store for a monster sophomore year.

Lutz, meanwhile, will serve as Payton’s kicker for a fourth straight season in Denver and 10th season overall. That takes a rare breed.

They have very few starting spots up for grabs, at least on paper.

They have, relatively speaking, very few question marks.

And yet, Sean Payton’s fourth team will have plenty of competition throughout the early portions of the summer and into training camp.

There are, by The Post����ap count, somewhere in the neighborhood of seven to nine spots up for grabs on the 53-man roster at the moment and a pool of perhaps 18-20 players vying for them. Those counts come before any of the inevitable injuries that will crop up between now and the end of August.

This early projection comes before any potential substantial roster move, of which Denver has typically made at least one between OTAs and the start of the regular season. A year ago, for example, the Broncos signed running back J.K. Dobbins in June and then traded receiver Devaughn Vele in August.

It also comes before any big training camp surprise, a young player who makes a strong push or a veteran who suddenly appears out of gas.

Before Payton’s team starts OTAs on Tuesday, here’s an early attempt at a 53-man roster projection. The point of this exercise at this calendar waypoint is merely to mark a starting point and to attempt to determine where the most uncertainty — and opportunity — lies on the Broncos’ current 91-man roster.

Finding 53 among this group requires tough decisions even before any actual football activity has started. There are players that were difficult to leave off the roster and some groups — offensive and defensive lines, in particular — that are deep enough to impact other spots. Payton and general manager George Paton have shown time and time again they value quality players in the trenches.

There are a handful of veterans who could theoretically be considered cut candidates because of a combination of depth and salary, like tight end Evan Engram ($14.14 million cap hit) and left guard Ben Powers ($18.16 million). Denver could trade a veteran or quality player from a position of strength to help fortify elsewhere or accumulate future draft capital.

Among the players who look from this distance likely to exist somewhere around the bubble, however, none has a bigger cap number than offensive lineman Matt Peart����ap $2.39 million or more guaranteed money than quarterback Sam Ehlinger’s $1 million.

So, away we go. Players in the bubble conversation, both above and below the roster cut in this exercise, are in italics.

OFFENSE (25)

Quarterback (3)

Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger

The question, really, with Denver’s quarterbacks is this: two or three? Denver started last year with two when Ehlinger agreed to start the season on the practice squad. If a similar scenario plays out — he’s got $1 million guaranteed — then the Broncos could well take two. Denver values Ehlinger, though, and he’s going to get a bunch of work in OTAs and likely minicamp after Bo Nix had a second ankle procedure last month. This makes for tougher calls at other spots on a deep roster, but let����ap not mess around with the quarterback position when you’ve got players you like. If nothing else, using three as the starting point in this exercise ups the difficulty level the rest of the way.

Running back (4)

J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, Jonah Coleman and Adam Prentice (FB) 

Also: Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie and Cody Schrader

Coleman’s selection in the fourth round changes the complexion here by quite a bit. He’s a potential third-down back right away and the Broncos are high on him if he’s needed beyond that early on. With a cleaner-fitting trio of backs, McLaughlin and Badie both have a tough road to the roster. If Denver wanted four plus Prentice, McLaughlin probably heads into the summer with the lead.

Tight end (4)

Adam Trautman, Evan Engram, Justin Joly and Caleb Lohner 

Also: Dallen Bentley, Nate Adkins and Lucas Krull

One of the toughest projections. Lohner gets the nod for the moment after Payton raved about him earlier in May, especially because Payton was particularly impressed with Lohner’s physicality and blocking. This, like many bubble decisions, could come down to who Denver thinks it can get to the practice squad between Lohner and Bentley, the No. 256 overall pick in April. With a bounce-back summer, Adkins could re-establish himself as a key role player. He could end up competing for a spot with Prentice, though, as much as it seems he could play some fullback; the Broncos just haven’t asked him to do it much so far in his career.

Wide receiver (5)

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

Also: Michael Bandy, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Michael Woods, Cam Ross, Kolbie Katsis, Joseph Manjack and Dane Key

Assuming no trades, it����ap hard to see how anybody besides the top five makes the initial 53-man roster. Waddle was the Broncos’ big offseason splash and, though he will impact playing time for the rest of the room, Denver’s brass has been consistent in saying they’re not looking to move on from any of the regulars. Bandy and Humphrey are no strangers to starting the season on a practice squad and eventually seeing time on the 53-man roster. It’ll be interesting to see if an undrafted rookie like Ross can make the Broncos think twice about going status quo, but that����ap a tall task.

Offensive line (9)

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

Also: Matt Peart, Nick Gargiulo, Calvin Throckmorton, Tyler Miller, Gavin Ortega, Michael Dieter and Nash Jones

The Broncos have enviable depth on their offensive line, but, like with wide receiver, the roles are defined enough that it����ap difficult to imagine a ton of wiggle room. Palczewski and Crum are valued depth and development pieces and Casey, a fourth-round pick, joins them in a similar mold. Forsyth has been the clear No. 2 center for two seasons behind Wattenberg. That����ap nine. Peart and Throckmorton are veterans who have stepped in and played, while Gargiulo showed some promise before a bad preseason knee injury last summer. Miller and Ortega are interesting undrafted rookies but, outside a rash of injuries or major training camp push, it����ap reasonable to think they’re ticketed for the practice squad.

DEFENSE (25)

Defensive line (7)

Zach Allen, DJ Jones, Malcolm Roach, Eyioma Uwauzurike, Tyler Onyedim, Sai’Vion Jones and Jordan Jackson

Also: Matt Henningsen, Jordan Miller and Kristian Williams

A key part of the rationale for going heavy here again: Each of the past two years the roster cutdown has passed and Payton and Paton have made it clear that Jackson made the 53-man roster easily. We’ll bet for now that the same ends up happening this summer. They might decide they just have to have a player at another position. Maybe somebody else is a surprise cut, though among this group 2025 third-rounder Sai’Vion Jones is the only real candidate and that would be a major surprise given they traded up for him and also liked his development last season. So, Payton and Paton instead stick to their principles and go heavy up front once again.

Outside linebacker (4)

Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Que Robinson and Dondrea Tillman

Also: Drew Sanders, Johnny Walker and Dasan McCullough

The first three are absolute locks and there’s not much doubt about Tillman, either. The going gets tough from there. Health has been a major obstacle for Sanders, but if he plays all summer, he’ll probably be productive enough to make the roster. The numbers just get tight elsewhere in a hurry. Keeping four here is really 4.5 in a way because Jonah Elliss can play on the edge if needed, plus a deep defensive line group can help take some work off the edge guys against heavier teams. Sanders is a training camp wild card, though.

Inside linebacker (4)

Alex Singleton, Justin Strnad, Jonah Elliss and Red Murdock 

Also: Jordan Turner, Karene Reid, Levelle Bailey, Taurean York

Once again, this is about roster management and who makes it to the practice squad after the top three. Murdock was Mr. Irrelevant in the draft at No. 257, but forced 17 fumbles in his college career at Buffalo. Turner’s got real promise, so it was not an easy call to leave him off. Reid was a special teams regular after making the initial roster as an undrafted rookie last year, but this is maybe a tougher roster to make despite the release of Dre Greenlaw earlier this spring.

Cornerback (5)

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

Also: Reese Taylor, Jaden Robinson, Brent Austin, Ahmari Harvey and Paul Manning

Pretty straightforward here. The major storyline is more about beyond 2026, as McMillian and Moss are both entering contract years. For now, though, this is one of the deepest and most talented cornerback groups in football. Taylor has been a regular on the practice squad and was promoted to the active roster from mid-November on last year. The only question is if new secondary coaches Rob Livingston and Doug Belk see any of the personnel differently than Jim Leonhard and Addison Lynch previously.

Safety (5)

Talanoa Hufanga, Brandon Jones, Devon Key, Miles Scott and JL Skinner

Also: Tycen Anderson and Parker Robertson

There will be competition across multiple position groups based on special teams output. You can put Skinner, Anderson, Scott, Taylor, Turner, Reid, Sanders and more all into that group. The Broncos gave Anderson $650,000 guaranteed in part to be a key special teams player, so he might well make it. But over who? That signing was before Denver drafted Scott. Skinner is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is at a critical point in his career. The way coaches have talked about Key this offseason, he feels like the early favorite to replace P.J. Locke as the No. 3 safety. Denver signed Sam Franklin and gave him $1.34 million in guarantees last year, then cut him in August.

SPECIALIST (3)

PK Wil Lutz, P Jeremy Crawshaw and LS Mitch Fraboni

Also: LS Luke Basso

Not much mystery here. The Broncos signed the rookie Basso as summer competition, but Fraboni’s been solid and is under contract through 2027.

The thing about windows, though, is that they close. Denver has two more seasons before it has to start thinking about a massive extension for quarterback Bo Nix, which will put considerable strain on their long-term cap. It’s no secret. The world knows it. Those inside the Broncos’ facility know it. Their time to strike is now, heading into 2026 free agency with roughly $28 million in current cap room — — and plenty of levers to pull to create more space and throw money around in the market.

It’s also no secret that the Broncos need more skill talent. They need to add a running back, tight end, and potentially wide receiver. They need a linebacker either in free agency or the draft, and quietly have some options at safety. In January, owner Greg Penner described Denver’s approach with a phrase that’ll come to define this offseason, whatever size of swing the front office takes: “We’ll be opportunistically aggressive.”

The legal tampering period of free agency, when teams can officially make contact with players and agents, begins at 10:00 a.m. MT Monday. New contracts can officially be signed come 2:00 p.m. MT on Wednesday. Here’s The Denver Post’s position-by-position Broncos guide to 2026 free agency, informed via numerous conversations with NFL agents and sources across the past two weeks.

Quarterback

Who Denver has: QB1 Bo Nix, QB2 Jarrett Stidham

Who Denver could lose: QB3 Sam Ehlinger

What Denver needs:��Another QB in the room, and to re-sign Ehlinger

Key market options (former team in parenthesis): Zach Wilson (Dolphins), Sam Howell (Eagles), Teddy Bridgewater (Buccaneers)

This will depend entirely on whether the Broncos actually shop Stidham, and potentially save themselves $6.5 million in corresponding cap room. If they trade Stidham to a quarterback-needy team for some draft capital, Denver could easily look to re-sign Ehlinger and promote him to Nix’s official backup, after Ehlinger stuck to Davis Webb’s hip in 2025. The Broncos would clearly need another name to push Ehlinger in such a circumstance, though.

If that wouldn’t be a young draft pick, the Broncos could look to bring back Zach Wilson, who was part of a tight-knit group with Nix and Stidham in Denver in 2024. Paton also did plenty of work on longtime backup Howell in the 2022 draft, and former Bronco Bridgewater was Sean Payton’s trusted backup in New Orleans in 2018 and 2019.

Running back

Who Denver has: RB1/RB2 RJ Harvey, RB3 Tyler Badie (likely to sign ERFA deal)

Who Denver could lose: RB1/RB2 J.K. Dobbins, RB4 Jaleel McLaughlin

What Denver needs:��A true RB1 or Harvey complement, and depth

Key market options: Kenneth Walker III (Seahawks), Travis Etienne Jr. (Jaguars), Rico Dowdle (Panthers), Tyler Allgeier (Falcons), Kenneth Gainwell (Steelers), Emanuel Wilson (Packers)

Here’s the spot that’ll draw the most buzz next week. The Broncos have already been connected to some of the top names on the market, clearly needing an upgrade in the room even if Denver brings back Dobbins on the cheap; the oft-injured veteran simply can’t be relied upon to play a full season. The Seahawks elected not to give Walker a one-year, $14 million franchise tag after a Super Bowl MVP, and the star RB could easily command upwards of $12 to $14 million on the market.

Would Denver swing on that price, though? Walker wasn’t good in pass protection last year (two sacks and nine pressures in 51 pass-blocking snaps, per PFF), and the Broncos need a third-down back whom Nix trusts. The 5-foot-11, 215-pound Etienne is a highly intriguing fit for Denver, a bigger back who’s dynamic in the passing game (six receiving touchdowns in 2025). The 25-year-old Allgeier is a power back without excessive tread on the tires who could be available at a lower price, but expect Denver to look elsewhere.

Don’t be surprised if the Broncos walk away with Dobbins, Harvey and a supplemental piece instead of swinging big here. Wilson is an interesting name, a 226-pound RB who ran for 496 yards in Green Bay last season.

Wide receiver

Who Denver has: WR1 Courtland Sutton, WR2 Troy Franklin, WR3 Pat Bryant, WR4 Marvin Mims Jr.

Who Denver could lose: WR5 Lil’Jordan Humphrey

What Denver needs:��A high-upside complement to Sutton, or at least another trustworthy WR4/5 option

Key market options:��Alec Pierce (Colts), Jauan Jennings (49ers), Wan’Dale Robinson (Giants), Rashid Shaheed (Seahawks), Mike Evans (Buccaneers), Stefon Diggs (Patriots), Romeo Doubs (Packers), Jahan Dotson (Eagles), Jalen Nailor (Vikings)

The Broncos like their current receiver room. The Paton-Payton braintrust has made that clear this entire offseason, and their firing of receivers coach Keary Colbert and hire of longtime Payton associate Ronald Curry signal that Denver believes in unlocking the potential of its current group rather than needing a drastic personnel overhaul. That being said, they need to add a piece here, whether in free agency or via a deep draft class.

Pierce is the true difference-maker on the market. There are few in the NFL like him, a 6-foot-3 deep-ball extraordinaire who racked up 1,003 yards last year on 21.3 yards per catch. Denver got an up-close look at him in a Week 2 loss to Indianapolis. But one agent The Post spoke with pinpointed Pierce’s likely market value at $27 to $30 million, which would be a steep price for a team already giving Sutton $23 million yearly. Don’t expect Denver to get into a bidding war for him.

The rest of the market is somewhat iffy. Jennings has the frame (6-foot-3), blocking prowess and red-zone ability (nine TDs in 2025) that Payton would love. Robinson will likely land somewhere in the $10 to $15 million range, and would bring a high-volume slot weapon that Denver doesn’t currently have.

Doubs is a definite potential fit for the Broncos here; Denver has interest in the former Green Bay receiver, an NFL source told The Post. He’s a big-bodied target who doesn’t demand the ball but has good red-zone production and can play in a variety of alignments. Keep an eye on Dotson as a potential depth piece, too, as Dotson’s agency CAA also represents Nix. He’s a former 2022 first-round pick whose production stalled out in Philadelphia, but he can block, play from the slot and hasn’t dropped a pass since 2023.

Tight end

Who Denver has:��TE1/TE2 Evan Engram

Who Denver could lose:��TE1/TE2 Adam Trautman, TE3 Nate Adkins, TE4 Lucas Krull

What Denver needs:��A legitimate in-line TE who can complement Engram as a pass-catcher, and stay on the field on any down

Key market options:��David Njoku (Browns), Isaiah Likely (Ravens), Cade Otton (Buccaneers), Chig Okonkwo (Titans), Dallas Goedert (Eagles), Daniel Bellinger (Giants), Charlie Kolar (Ravens)

Denver can’t simply run it back from 2025 and expect better production from Engram, who caught 50 passes for 461 yards in 2025, under new play-caller Davis Webb. The Broncos need a versatile weapon whom they trust as both a blocker and a matchup-threat receiver. Otton might just be that guy: he played in-line (attached to the offensive tackle) on nearly half his snaps in Tampa Bay in 2025, according to Pro Football Focus, and has caught 59 passes in each of the last two seasons.

Otton’s yearly value has been pinpointed in NFL circles somewhere around Jake Ferguson’s four-year, $50 million extension with Dallas in 2025. If Denver wants to spend at TE, he and Likely would be the most well-rounded options on the Market. Njoku and Goedert are likely past their primes, and Okonkwo’s not a blocker.

Bellinger had 88 yards and a touchdown for the Giants against Denver in Week 7, and is seeking $7 to $8 million yearly. Kolar is the most intriguing upside swing here, a 6-foot-6 blocker who was stuck behind multiple TEs in Baltimore in the receiving game.

Offensive line

Who Denver has:��LT1 Garett Bolles, LG1 Ben Powers, C1 Luke Wattenberg, RG1 Quinn Meinerz, RT1 Mike McGlinchey, OL2 Alex Palczewski, OT2 Matt Peart, OT2 Frank Crum, C2 Alex Forsyth

Who Denver could lose:��Nobody

What Denver needs:��Maybe another swing tackle

Key market options:��Wide-open

Denver doesn’t need to spend here, with its current starting offensive line set again for 2026. The Broncos could always look to cut or deal Powers to create cap room and have a ready successor in Alex Palczewski, whom they inked to a two-year extension Thursday. It’s more likely they look to the draft to bolster depth here, although they could certainly cut Peart to save over $3 million in cap room and target another backup tackle in free agency. Players like former Vikings veteran Justin Skule or Seahawks backup Josh Jones could be good value there.

Defensive line

Who Denver has: DE1 Zach Allen, NT1 D.J. Jones, OLB1 Nik Bonitto, OLB2 Jonathon Cooper, DE/DT2 Eyioma Uwazurike, DT2 Malcolm Roach, OLB2 Jonah Elliss, OLB2 Dondrea Tillman (likely to sign ERFA deal), OLB3 Que Robinson, DE/DT3 Sai’vion Jones

Who Denver could lose:��DE1 John Franklin-Myers, DE/DT3 Jordan Jackson

What Denver needs:��A cheap, productive interior defensive lineman to push Uwazurike, Roach and Jones

Key market options:��Logan Hall (Buccaneers), David Onyemata (Falcons), Calais Campbell (Cardinals), Sebastian Joseph-Day (Titans), Rakeem Nunez-Roches (Giants)

The Broncos already have massive amounts of money tied up in their defensive line, and Franklin-Myers is already all but gone. His likely landing spot is Tennessee, where recently-acquired defensive end The thinking from agents who spoke with The Post is that Denver could bring in depth to help supplant Franklin-Myers, but will likely rely on its pieces already in the building to fill the void.

Ironically, the Broncos’ movements in the defensive-line market will depend on Franklin-Myers’ own movements. Agents are completely across the board on projecting Franklin-Myers’ yearly value in a weak class; one suggested $12 to $14 million, one suggested $16 to $18 million, and one went as high as $20 to $22 million. If teams end up bidding closer to that higher end, it could price the Broncos out of what they’d be willing to spend for another body in the room. Onyemata, Joseph-Day and Nunez-Roches could all offer cheap, veteran depth.

Inside linebacker

Who Denver has:��LB1 Dre Greenlaw, LB2/LB3 Karene Reid, LB2/LB3 Jordan Turner, LB2/LB3 Levelle Bailey, LB2/LB3 Drew Sanders

Who Denver could lose:��LB1 Alex Singleton, LB1/LB2 Justin Strnad

What Denver needs:��An instant-impact starter, or at the very least a high-end LB3.

Key market options:��Devin Lloyd (Jaguars), Nakobe Dean (Eagles), Quay Walker (Packers), Quincy Williams (Jets), Kaden Elliss (Falcons), Alex Anzalone (Lions), E.J. Speed (Texans), Bobby Okereke (Giants)

It’s a great year to need a middle linebacker. Denver could certainly look to a strong draft class to address this spot. But an NFL source who met with Denver at last week’s NFL Combine told The Post that the Broncos will have a “significant appetite” in the free-agent linebacker market.

That could mean they’ll take a monster swing on Lloyd, a 2025 All-Pro and the kind of playmaker that Vance Joseph would have a field day with in the middle of Denver’s defense. It could also mean they’ll re-sign Singleton as their green-dot defensive leader — he’s been pinpointed by multiple NFL sources at somewhere between $5 to $8 million yearly — and add another piece to compete for a starting job. Strnad is likely headed for new pastures, as he told The Post after the season he wouldn’t be back in Denver unless it was in a clear starting role.

The Broncos have interest in Anzalone and Speed, sources said, both potential green-dot options or LB3 pieces who will come in below the top of the market, where NFL sources pinpointed Lloyd likely to come in between $15 and $17 million annually. Dean is another interesting and versatile option who told The Post at the Super Bowl he likes watching the Broncos’ defense and would be interested in Denver in free agency if the price was right.

Secondary

Who Denver has:��CB1 Pat Surtain II, CB1 Riley Moss, NB1 Ja’Quan McMillian, NB2/CB2 Jahdae Barron, CB2 Kris Abrams-Draine, S1 Talanoa Hufanga, S1 Brandon Jones, S2 Devon Key (likely to sign ERFA deal), S2 JL Skinner

Who Denver could lose:��S2 P.J. Locke

What Denver needs:��A third safety to replace Locke and potentially push Jones

Key market options:��Tony Adams (Jets), Dane Belton (Giants), Kyle Dugger (Steelers), Andrew Wingard (Jaguars), Alohi Gilman (Ravens), Ifeatu Melifonwu (Dolphins), D’Anthony Bell (Panthers), Rodney Thomas II (Colts)

A notable Broncos development to track in free agency: Denver has expressed interest in adding a safety, several NFL sources told The Post this week. Locke is likely headed elsewhere after a nice fill-in stretch for the injured Jones late in 2025, and the Broncos want to add another piece to replace him, as Hufanga and Jones are both injury risks. Wingard is a name to watch here, a seven-year Jaguars veteran who recorded 84 tackles and nine passes defensed as a full-time starter in 2025.

The Broncos also did work on Melifonwu in last year’s free agency, and Denver tracked Bell’s status on the waiver wire as the Seahawks pulled him between the practice squad and active roster in 2025, sources said. At the very least, expect Denver to sign a depth safety who can also be a special-teams contributor.

Special teams

Who Denver has:��K1 Wil Lutz, P1 Jeremy Crawshaw, LS1 Mitchell Fraboni

Who Denver could lose:��Nobody

What Denver needs:��Nothing

Key market options:��Wide open

Denver need not spend much time here on specialists.