The Broncos’ 30-13 preseason loss to the Packers gave a clearer look at who helped themselves and who stumbled when the competition stepped up in Game 2.
Up front, Alex Forsyth’s injury opened the door for Quinn Bailey, and that shuffle pushed Matt Throckmorton into the first-team center role. He made the most of it.
Among the Broncos’ depth linemen, Throckmorton stood out as one of the few who put together a strong outing, and his work at center kept showing that his value goes beyond guard. That versatility is starting to matter.
A little further down the line, Frank Crum had a steadier showing than his raw résumé might suggest. He was the third or fourth right tackle to get in the game and looked solid, a good sign for a toolsy undrafted rookie who still has plenty of development ahead of him.
Alex Palczewski’s night was more uneven. He spent most of his snaps on the right side, which is not his usual spot, and the problems showed. The brief time he worked on the left side looked much cleaner, so he may be one of those players who simply fits better on one side than the other.
The defensive line had its own mixed bag. Eyioma Uwazurike was the sixth lineman to enter, and it came on a clear passing down before he was pulled and had to wait longer for another shot.
It was a rough game for him overall. He got moved around in the run game and never really found a way to affect the passer.
A different rookie, Jordan Onyedim, came back strong after a quiet showing against the Atlanta Falcons. He was active in the backfield against Green Bay, blowing up multiple plays on one Packers touchdown drive before eventually finishing off a run stop. He didn’t offer much as a pass rusher, but his run defense showed up throughout his snaps.
At running back, Audric Estime once again outplayed Tyler Badie and Jaleel McLaughlin despite sitting near the bottom of the depth chart. The question now is whether the Broncos will give him work earlier in games instead of waiting until the fourth quarter, when the opposing defenses are leaning on third- and fourth-stringers. That would tell the team a lot more about whether he can keep separating from Badie and McLaughlin.
The receiver room had a quieter night for Kyrese Manjack after he flashed against the Falcons. He didn’t make much noise against the Packers, and with limited special teams value, he could be falling behind even in the race for a practice squad spot.
At linebacker, Blake Murdock moved from fourth on the depth chart against the Falcons to fifth against the Packers, and he didn’t have the same splash plays he delivered a week earlier. Jordan Turner, back from injury, stepped into that fourth-linebacker role and performed well.
On the back end, Kahlef Hailassie had earned attention with his play against the Falcons, and against Green Bay he at least handled himself fine. He had a decent punt return, but no big splash plays. For a corner, that can work if it comes with clean football, and he avoided major negatives.
The toughest outing belonged to Kendall Sheffield. He made a real impact as a run defender, but coverage was a different story. He had a hard time staying attached to his assignment and gave up several big completions, including plays that moved the chains.
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