The Broncos barely got into their first real training camp work on July 29 before one receiver started turning heads.
Denver’s first de-facto practice of the 2026 NFL offseason was limited, but it still gave a glimpse of where things may be headed. The offense looked sharp in the red zone during 7-on-7 work, and there were plenty of touchdowns to go around. If one player separated himself from the pack, it was second-year wideout Pat Bryant.
Mile High Sports reporter Cody Roark made that clear in his practice note:
#Broncos first acclimation practice wrapped - offense was crisp today in limited on field work.
Lots of TDs in RZ work in 7on7.
If any one player stood out the most, it was second year WR Pat Bryant.
- Cody Roark (@CodyRoarkNFL) July 29, 2026
That early buzz matters because so much of the Broncos’ offseason attention has centered on the addition of Jaylen Waddle. He’s the kind of receiver Denver has been missing for years - a true No. 1 option. Waddle has already put together three 1,000-yard seasons in five years and has topped 5,000 receiving yards since being drafted in 2021, the same class as Patrick Surtain II.
But Bryant’s strong opening practice raises a real question about the rest of the receiver room. He may be the early favorite to claim the unofficial WR3 role, especially with Troy Franklin having made a big leap in production in 2025.
Bryant, though, brings a different profile. He’s bigger, looks like the cleaner route runner, and may have the better hands.
There’s also the way the Broncos finished last season. Bryant began to out-snap Franklin down the stretch in 2025, as Site Expert Sayre Bedinger recently noted. That makes this a situation worth watching closely as camp unfolds.
Denver isn’t going to funnel every target to Waddle and Courtland Sutton. The offense needs a third receiver who can consistently chip in, maybe in the range of 2-4 catches a game. If Bryant keeps building on this start, he could be the one who fills that spot.
And if he does, the Broncos could end up with four legitimate wide receivers in the mix, with Franklin still in the picture too. He’s only 23 years old, even entering his third season, so there’s still room for him to keep developing.
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