The Broncos’ first Week 1 inactive list of the season delivered one of the clearest tells of Monday night: Denver is going with Jonah Coleman.
At Arrowhead Stadium, the fourth-round running back is active for the season opener against the Chiefs, while Badie is the odd man out. Coleman was one of four Denver rookie draft picks to make the initial roster out of camp, but he’s the only one of that group set to suit up tonight.
That decision makes plenty of sense on paper. Denver isn’t keeping four running backs active, and that’s even less likely here with the Broncos also elevating fullback Adam Prentice from the practice squad. The choice points to a real role for Coleman in this game, because the Broncos wouldn’t dress a rookie if they didn’t plan to use him.
Badie, meanwhile, brings value in plenty of areas - including special teams as a returner, a gunner, and a punt protector - which is why the call was notable. Still, Denver went with Coleman.
The other eyebrow-raiser is on the defensive line, where Sai'vion Jones gets the nod over Jackson or Onyedim. That’s especially interesting after the relatively quiet summer Jones had, but the Broncos clearly see more in him than the outside view suggested.
He can rush the passer from the inside, and that’s a trait Denver can lean on against Patrick Mahomes. Jackson and Onyedim are stronger against the run, so the hope for Denver is that the front can still do enough to slow down Kenneth Walker III.
Denver is also carrying all five of its safeties active, which comes at the expense of the defensive line. Casey is the lone offensive line healthy scratch, with Alex Forsyth, Matt Peart, and Alex Palczewski available as depth up front.
Bentley will be inactive for his first NFL game, and that figures to be the pattern for now unless a veteran ahead of him gets hurt. The Broncos are high on him, but he still has plenty to absorb.
Ehlinger is also listed as inactive, though because he’s on the roster, he can dress as the emergency quarterback without counting against the active roster. That newer NFL wrinkle likely played a role in Denver’s decision to keep three quarterbacks.
Kansas City’s inactive list included several players dealing with injuries, among them starting left tackle Josh Simmons and first-team safety Chamarri Conner.
For Denver, the biggest takeaway is simple: Coleman is in, and Jones has clearly moved ahead of Jackson or Onyedim for this matchup. Whether that’s a one-night call or something more, the Broncos are signaling who they trust in a big season-opening test.
In Other News...
Broncos Fans Just Got An Early AFC West Opening
The Broncos are heading into Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season with a timely opening in the AFC West already taking shape, thanks to the way the Chargers stumbled out of the gate. Los Angeles dropped a significant upset to the Arizona Cardinals, and for Denver, that kind of early division shakeup can matter as much as anything that happens on the field in September. It also adds a little extra intrigue to a Broncos opener against the Chiefs, because the division race can start tightening or tilting before most teams have settled in.
For the Chargers, the loss brings back familiar questions about how quickly a team can adjust after coaching changes and whether recent history will follow them again into another season. The Broncos do not need to solve those problems themselves, but they can certainly benefit if Los Angeles spends the fall digging out of an early hole. In a division where every result tends to echo for months, Denver suddenly has a clearer path to make Week 1 count in a bigger way. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Get A Week 1 Opening Chiefs Fans Will Hate
Opening week already looks a little different for Kansas City, and Denver has reason to take notice. The Chiefs have ruled out starting tackle Josh Simmons and starting safety Chamarri Conner for the Broncos visit, leaving them thinner on both the edge of the offensive line and in the back end of the defense as the season begins.
For a Broncos team that is expected to be healthy, that kind of early shuffle can matter. Kansas City is now likely leaning on a less experienced tackle combination and a secondary built around several newer faces, which could hand Denver some favorable matchups for both the pass rush and the passing game when the division rivals meet. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Week 1 Plan Vs Chiefs Is Starting To Take Shape
The Broncos Week 1 roster picture against the Chiefs is beginning to clarify, and it comes with a little bit of familiar roster juggling. Denver is expected to promote fullback Adam Prentice and long snapper Mitch Fraboni from the practice squad to the 53-man roster for the season opener, a move that fits the way the team managed both players through final cuts and back onto the practice squad.
General manager George Paton has already confirmed the roster-management plan, and Sean Payton has also weighed in on how the team is handling the fullback spot. For Denver, it is a small but telling part of the opener prep, especially with the Chiefs waiting and the Broncos looking to settle on the pieces they want in place before the real games begin. [Read more 🡒]