The Denver Broncos are heading into training camp with their roster largely in place, and the biggest wrinkles are already easy to spot. Technically, they’re carrying 91 players because of one international player exemption, but the club’s camp picture is basically set as the end of the month approaches.
Quarterback was one of the clearest examples of Denver standing pat. Even with Bo Nix working through an ankle injury for much of the offseason, the Broncos kept the room intact. All three quarterbacks were on the roster last year, a sign of how much Sean Payton and Davis Webb valued continuity there.
The backfield has a different feel. Denver re-signed J.K.
Dobbins despite his medical history instead of paying more for a healthier option, then added RJ Harvey and Jonah Coleman to the mix. The Broncos are hoping Harvey takes a major step forward, while Coleman was brought in to help lift the floor of the room.
Tyler Badie, Jaleel McLaughlin and Cody Schrader are likely battling for a practice-squad spot or two.
At fullback, Prentice made his case the hard way. He didn’t get many chances as a runner or receiver, but he showed what he can do as a lead blocker and proved his value in all phases throughout the 2025 season.
Receiver is where Denver made its biggest splash, trading for Jaylen Waddle. The Broncos want the drops cleaned up after that became a talking point for Payton following the season. The position is crowded, and that could eventually lead to a trade, but the injuries and drop issues from last year could also push Denver to keep the group together for 2026.
Tight end remains one of the thinnest spots on the roster. Adam Trautman, Evan Engram, Nate Adkins, Justin Joly, Lucas Krull, Dallen Bentley and Caleb Lohner make up a group that has not been meaningfully upgraded, aside from two day-three draft picks in 2026 and the hope that a seventh-round pick from 2025 can develop after playing 57 snaps in college. Blocking was a major problem in 2025, and Denver did not address it there, so this is a room worth watching closely in camp.
Up front, the offensive line is mostly settled. Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey are the starters at tackle, with Frank Crum serving as the swing backup. Tyler Miller’s camp will be about whether he can stick as a fourth tackle, the way Crum did as a rookie, or end up on the practice squad.
The interior line has its own backup battles. Ben Powers and Quinn Meinerz are entrenched, while Alex Palczewski and Kage Casey are the side backups Sean Payton likes to keep around.
Nick Garguilo was on track for a roster spot before a preseason injury last year, so his comeback effort will be worth tracking. At center, Luke Wattenberg and Alex Forsyth sit at the top, with Michael Deiter trying to make a case and Reid Holskey in the mix as well.
Defensive line looks more stable at the top. Zach Allen, D.J.
Jones, Malcolm Roach, Tyler Onyedim, Eyioma Uwazurike and Sai’vion Jones appear to be the first six. The real question is who claims the seventh spot.
Jordan Jackson had it in 2025, but Matt Henningsen has drawn praise this offseason and could make a push.
The edge group is similar. Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Jonah Elliss, Dondrea Tillman and Que Robinson form the core, though the last three names are still fighting for space.
Johnny Walker, Drew Sanders and Dasan McCullough are competing for a practice-squad path, unless something changes with Cooper. A cut or trade involving him would open the door for a new fifth player, and the legal situation surrounding him makes that a possibility to monitor.
Linebacker may be one of the most open rooms on the roster. Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad are the known pieces, but after them the competition is wide open.
Karene Reid may have the best shot because he’s the only other cover linebacker in the group, while Jordan Turner, Levelle Bailey, Red Murdock and Taurean York are more downhill run defenders. Depending on how many Denver keeps, there could be one to three spots available for five players.
Cornerback is another room where a trade could change everything. Patrick Surtain II, Riley Moss, Ja’Quan McMillian, Jahdae Barron and Kris Abrams-Draine headline the group, with Reese Taylor, Jaden Robinson, Brent Austin, Sean Fresch Jr and Blake Cotton also in the mix. The top six appear set, but Taylor may not have a roster path unless Denver makes a move.
Safety brings a different set of questions. Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones anchor the group, but the rest of the room is unsettled. Devon Key, JL Skinner, Tycen Anderson, Miles Scott and Parker Robertson will all be watched closely, especially with questions about whether Key is ready to be the third safety and whether Jones will look more like his 2024 version or his 2025 version.
Special teams is mostly straightforward, though not without a few points of interest. Wil Lutz remains the kicker, and if the kick is inside 40 yards, he’s almost automatic.
His range is the issue, and Denver doesn’t have another kicker in camp to push him. Riley Dixon’s replacement, Jeremy Crawshaw, carries the international exemption as the 91st player and enters camp after a rookie season that showed enough promise for Darren Rizzi to make him his guy at punter.
At long snapper, the Broncos brought in competition, but Jacob Basso will have a hard time unseating Mitchell Fraboni because chemistry and timing matter so much at that spot.
In Other News...
Broncos Fans Wont All Agree On This Marvin Mims Trade Idea
Marvin Mims Jr. keeps popping up in the kind of trade chatter that tends to split a fan base, because his value to the Broncos is easy to see from more than one angle. He has been one of the leagues most dangerous kick returners and has already earned two Pro Bowl nods in his first three seasons, while also flashing as Denvers most consistent deep threat when the offense has let him stretch the field.
Bleacher Reports Moe Moton floated a scenario in which a late-round 2027 draft pick could come back to Denver for Mims, but the timing makes the conversation more complicated than a simple sell-high debate. Mims is still under contract for 2026 and wont hit unrestricted free agency until after that season, so the Broncos would have to decide whether the return now is worth giving up a player who still has room to matter both on special teams and in the passing game. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Week 1 Suddenly Carries A Massive Mahomes Shadow
The Broncos season opener already had the feel of a measuring-stick game, and now it carries a little more weight with Kansas Citys quarterback situation hanging over it. Denver and the Chiefs are set for a Monday Night Football showdown to open the 2026 season, a stage that would have plenty of attention even before the matchup got a fresh layer of intrigue.
Patrick Mahomes has said he wants to be ready for Week 1, but his return is not something he can simply declare on his own. The final call will come down to the medical side and the coaching staff, which leaves Denver with a familiar opponent and an uncertain one at the same time, after the Broncos swept Kansas City in last seasons series. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Just Made An Unusual Bet On An Undrafted Linebacker
The Broncos made a notable small-swing investment in Taurean York, signing the former Texas A&M linebacker as an undrafted free agent for the 2026 season. York arrives with real college credentials, having started for three years and worn a captains badge twice for the Aggies, but his path to the NFL was slowed by questions about his size rather than his rsum.
Denvers interest says plenty about how it views the linebacker room heading into camp. With the roster needing more reliable depth and special teams help, York has a chance to carve out a role if he can translate that leadership and production into pro-ready play, and the contract the Broncos gave him shows how strongly they wanted to get him in the building. [Read more 🡒]