The Broncos are heading into training camp with real buzz, and a few players have spent the offseason making sure that momentum follows them onto the field.
Rookies are already back in Denver, with veterans set to report on July 28, and the energy around this group feels different after the team’s run to the AFC Championship Game in the 2025 season. If the Broncos are going to keep climbing and chase their fourth championship in franchise history, they’re going to need more players turning offseason promise into something bigger. Four names, in particular, have pushed themselves into that conversation.
Jonah Coleman is one of the most intriguing pieces in the Broncos’ 2026 rookie class, and the reasons are easy to see. The running back was one of the best in his class in the areas that matter most, and the numbers back it up: 1st in the class with a first down or touchdown on 35 percent of his runs, 1st with 71 percent of his yards coming after contact, just 1 fumble on 639 career touches, 1 drop on 123 career targets, a 4th-best pass protection grade, and 1st in the class with 12.4 YAC/reception.
That kind of profile fits a Denver offense that missed those traits when JK Dobbins went down with an injury last season. Coleman looked sharp during OTAs even without pads, and he gives the Broncos a chance to stay balanced if injuries hit again.
Evan Engram is another player who seems to have gained traction during the offseason program. Tight ends haven’t been a major part of Bo Nix’s passing game over the last couple of seasons, which would normally make this a tricky fit, but Denver appears to have made a real effort to get Engram more involved starting in OTAs and minicamp.
He finished third on the team in targets last season, though that felt more like a byproduct of the offense than a true feature role. His connection to Davis Webb also matters here; the two were teammates with the Giants in New York, and now with Webb calling plays, there’s a clear expectation that Engram could finally be used more consistently.
He looked good throughout the offseason work, and Denver may finally get more than flashes from him.
On the defensive side, Jonah Elliss is pushing hard for a bigger role. The only spot that looked truly open on the Broncos’ depth chart entering the offseason program was at defensive end after John Franklin-Myers left for the Tennessee Titans as a big-money free agent.
That opening got even more interesting when Jonathon Cooper was arrested twice during the team’s offseason program, creating a real possibility that his job could be available. Denver even looked at moving Elliss inside to linebacker, but Sean Payton said he’s simply too good off the edge to shift away from that spot.
The message is clear: get Elliss on the field. He enters his third season healthy and stood out in practice, and the talent is there for him to become a full-time starter.
Que Robinson is in a similar lane, even if his path looks a little different. The Broncos have plenty of pass-rush depth, but Robinson has given them another young edge player with real upside.
He played limited snaps as a rookie, yet still flashed enough to make the staff believe he has future starter traits, including his sack in the AFC Championship Game on Drake Maye. He brings explosion, he’s already a top-tier special teams player, and he should have a role right away there.
Defensively, though, the Broncos could be looking at a much bigger workload for him. Robinson was strong throughout OTAs, and Denver has reason to believe he can make a major second-year jump, with the kind of upside that could lead to 7 or more sacks this season.
In Other News...
George Paton May Have Left The Broncos One Season Defining Weakness
The Broncos offseason work at inside linebacker has been more about continuity than overhaul, with Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad both brought back after the team opted to keep its familiar core intact. Denver also added Red Murdock in the 2026 NFL Draft and signed Taurean York as an undrafted free agent, but those moves still leave the position group looking like one that will have to prove it can be more than a holdover from last season.
That matters because the middle of the defense was already the soft spot in 2025, and if it does not improve, the ripple effect could be felt across the entire unit. For a Broncos defense built to carry real expectations, the question is whether the current collection of linebackers can steady the run game, hold up in coverage and avoid forcing the rest of the roster to compensate for the same weakness again. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathon Cooper Issue Is Hanging Over Broncos At Worst Time
With Broncos veterans reporting to training camp Tuesday, Jonathon Coopers off-field situation is still hanging over the team at an awkward moment. The linebacker is scheduled to appear virtually in court over a June 4 domestic violence incident, and the timing adds another layer of uncertainty for a defense trying to settle in for the season.
Cooper recently completed an in-patient counseling and wellness program, but the legal process is still moving forward and the case remains unresolved. For Denver, it is the kind of issue that can linger well beyond the first day of camp, especially when a players status is tied to matters far bigger than football. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Suddenly Have A Camp Dilemma Panthers Could Exploit
Carolinas pass-rush plans took a hit in camp when Nic Scourton went down, and that kind of injury can quickly change the way a team looks at the trade market. If the Panthers decide they need outside help, Denver is one of the clubs that could come up in those conversations, because the Broncos have built real depth on the edge and have enough young rushers to at least listen if the right offer appears.
The tricky part for Denver is that any move involving that group is not a simple roster math exercise. The Broncos have several edge players in the mix, but before they even get to the question of who might be available, they may need clarity on Jonathon Coopers unresolved legal situation, a factor that could shape how aggressively the team approaches any potential deal. [Read more 🡒]