Denver had a championship-caliber defense in 2025. When a defense plays that well, it is usually difficult to keep it together. Denver managed to do it, with tackle john Franklin-Myers being the only significant loss. Great defense starts in the trenches where Denver has many good players, and they use them all. DL Zack Allen’s slump last year was an outlier for Allen not the start of a trend. Linebacker is where the Broncos could stand to improve. Alex Singleton’s 54 solo and 81 assists is a huge issue although he remains a solid every-week starter. Justin Strnad is the second backer and is serviceable option who hopes to up his game The Broncos have a strong secondary that gets a lot of help from the outstanding pass rush an elite corner Patrick Surtain II, a solid number two in Riley Moss, and a play-making nickel in Ja’Quan McMillian. The addition of S Talanoa Hufanga was the piece made everything work. Brandon Jones and Hufanga are one of the best tandems in the league. Like the defensive line, the Broncos are deep in the secondary. Questions to be answered about the 2026 Broncos (SI):

1. Who is the number 2 quarterback? For the first time, Jarrett Stidham hasn’t bee handed the number two job. From the little we’ve seen so far, Sam Ehlinger is ready to push him for the job. IMO, It’s still Stiddy’s job to lose.
2. Who is wide receiver three? Pat Bryant and Troy Franklin will battle for the spot. IMO, Bryant will win the competition, but Franklin will have solid role in the offense.
3. What is the TE pecking order? The emergence of Caleb Lohner, the resigning of Lucas Krull and the drafting of sure handed Justin Joly and Dallen Bentley creates a log jam. IMO, Engram will have a great year and the others will fill their roles.
4. Is Ben Powers Healthy? Torn biceps are tough. Alex Palczewski, rookie fourth-rounder Kage Casey, and Nick Gargiulo, are ready, but Powers is integral to the Broncos' run game efficiency. IMO, Powers will be ready for the season.
5. Who fills the JFM spot? Malcolm Roach already has an important role on defense, but it sounds like he might fill the JFM spot. IMO, watch for Eyioma Uwazurike to emerge.
6. Who takes the number three ILB spot? We won’t know until pads go on, but IMO it will be Red Murdock who is always in the right spot without pads. UDFA Taurean York is a sleeper to make the 53-man roster as he plays well in tandem with Murdock..
7. Which players get extended? The Broncos have several key players entering a contract year: WR Marvin Mims, CBs Riley Moss and Ja’Quan McMillian, S Brandon Jones, and G Ben Powers. IMO, the Broncos will extend McMillian and Jones. They want to keep Mims but he is likely to be too expensive and to want a bigger role on offense.

Training camp opened with two acclimation days that saw full participation by Bo Nix and Jonathan Cooper. The first week delivered plenty of high-energy practice reps as Sean Payton's squad transitioned from initial acclimation periods into intense, full-padded sessions. Entering a crucial contract year, cornerback Riley Moss established himself as the premier defensive standout, consistently locking down receivers and creating highlight takeaways, including a contested interception against Courtland Sutton. On offense, wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. stole the show by regularly getting behind defensive backs on deep routes while showcasing an expanded route tree in pre-snap motion. Tight end Evan Engram also emerged as a refreshed downfield threat featured heavily in the passing scheme, while second-year receiver Pat Bryant built immediate downfield trust with quarterback Bo Nix. Rounding out the week's notable risers, running back RJ Harvey shined in his pass-catching "Joker" role, helping set a competitive, fast-paced tone for the rest of camp.

Orangeman’s Take

The Broncos' postseason run pushed their off season installation back in training camp by a few weeks. That installation process also halts by a joint practice so the Broncos have opted to focus on their own game-planning and use their reps in the preseason to get a different look against an opposing roster. Denver has the most complete roster in the NFL and the best offensive and defensive coordinators in the AFC West. The extra installation time will prove to be a blessing as Denver strives to get off to a faster start than is typical for Sean Payton teams.

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