The Broncos left their preseason opener with a few clear stock-risers, and three names stand out heading into Friday night’s home game against the Packers: Jonah Coleman, Jahdae Barron and Red Murdock.
Coleman’s first NFL game against the Atlanta Falcons did not produce eye-popping numbers, but it did show exactly why Denver was so intrigued by him. The rookie fourth-round pick finished with 24 yards on four carries, and a strong run plus a reception were both erased by penalties. Even so, he came off like a back who belongs.
That wasn’t exactly a surprise to the Broncos’ staff, but it may have pushed the conversation about him into a different gear. Coleman entered camp with real buzz, and his debut only amplified it after he looked like a No.
1 NFL running back in flashes. He had already been viewed as one of the more complete backs in the 2026 draft class, which is why his slide to Round 4 raised eyebrows in the first place.
Sean Payton has been careful not to get too far ahead of himself, even with the comparisons to former Pro Bowl running back Maurice Jones-Drew that have followed Coleman around. Still, the head coach had praise ready after Monday’s practice, Day 12 of camp, pointing to the traits that popped on Coleman’s college tape and carried over to the preseason stage.
“Yes, he had good balance, a real good elusive runner for his size," Payton said of Coleman. "I would say good short-area quickness and good balance, and the other night we had a few good examples of that.”
With J.K. Dobbins’ preseason usage still uncertain, Coleman is one of the Broncos worth tracking closely against Green Bay.
Barron also made a loud statement in Atlanta. After Riley Moss’s strong camp showing, the 2025 first-rounder needed a response in the opener, and he delivered one.
Barron was sharp in coverage, dependable as a tackler and took a pass the other way for a 97-yard touchdown. He also had a chance at a second interception, but couldn’t bring it in after the ball hit his hands.
The performance gave Barron a real boost of confidence, and Zach Allen liked what he saw from the young defender.
"Making plays is the best way to get confidence. And, yeah, it's definitely encouraging, especially when the stuff from the practice field translates to the game," Allen said after Monday’s practice. "So, really happy for him."
Barron’s outing may not have changed the depth chart picture just yet, but it did underline that he has plenty to offer Denver’s defense as he heads into his second year.
Then there’s Murdock, who came out of the opener looking every bit like a player forcing his way into the conversation. This year’s “Mr. Irrelevant” - the final pick in the 2026 NFL draft - led the team with eight tackles, including four solo stops, against a Falcons offense that never found much rhythm.
Murdock had been building momentum through camp, and the week before the preseason opener seemed to sharpen that even more. Denver gave him a heavy workload, and he handled it well alongside Karene Reid, who also played extremely well and tipped the ball that Barron turned into a touchdown.
Payton singled Murdock out on Monday, saying he "did a good job," while also pointing to the value of the snaps for Denver’s depth linebackers, including Reid and undrafted rookie Taurean York.
"They got good snaps, valuable snaps, both on defense, and so it was good," Payton said. "It was good exposure for them, part of the process. But we kind of did a lot of things we wanted to accomplish, and so it was good to see those guys get to work."
Murdock showed up all over the field in the opener, stuffing runs, blowing up screens and staying attached in coverage. Even when he gave up a completion, he was there quickly to limit the damage.
That kind of debut matters, but the next step matters just as much. Denver has two open linebacker spots behind starters Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad, and Murdock appears to have a real shot at one of them, with Reid also in the mix. A strong showing against the Packers would only strengthen that case.
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