The biggest decision of Broncos camp is in the can. Rookie Bo Nix is the starting quarterback.
There are many more calls, however, to be made between now and Tuesday’s roster cutdown deadline.
Sunday provides the final real batch of data points when Denver hosts Arizona in the preseason finale. Less than 48 hours after kickoff, the Broncos and the other 31 NFL teams must go from 90 players down to 53.
Head coach Sean Payton indicated he’s likely to hold Nix and a sizable set of starters out of the game. Still, some of the players who see snaps Sunday are probably already safely on the roster. Others are likely to be let go no matter what happens. Then there’s a group trying to make a final statement either for Denver or to catch attention somewhere else in the league.
In the end, Payton talks all the time about finding the “right 53” for the roster. This year, particularly on offense, that means building around Nix.
With that in mind, here are five questions still outstanding as camp winds down. Sunday’s game may not directly provide answers to them, but every piece of the puzzle counts.
What will Sean Payton decide at QB?
Payton this week sounded like a coach who is seriously entertaining the idea of keeping all three quarterbacks on his roster.
“I’ve said this and I’ll say it again: I like the room,” Payton reiterated on Friday, when he added the club would “certainly” entertain the notion of keeping three.
Jarrett Stidham, Payton said, will be “a great resource” to Nix. The excitement around Zach Wilson’s progress has been made clear — maybe conspicuously clear — in recent weeks.
Could there be a trade before Tuesday’s deadline? It shouldn’t be categorically ruled out. Could Payton decide to roll with two, cut Stidham and save a bit of money in the process? It’s possible.
In the end, though, remember this: For as much as the roster crunch gets talked about this time of year, only 24 players were claimed on waivers last year league-wide after the cutdown. A quarter of them (three apiece) came just from San Francisco and Buffalo, teams with among the deepest rosters in the NFL. Otherwise, teams mostly have their choice of who they bring back to the practice squad.
So if there’s trade value on the table and you like it, that’s great. Go for it.
If not, one way to frame the question is to ask if the Broncos’ 54th man is likely to get claimed or is more valuable to Denver than keeping its quarterback room as-is. That’s up to the brass to figure out, of course, but the answers from the outside are: no and no.
Is the WR picture as straightforward as it seems?
Payton has been really excited about Denver’s depth at wide receiver this summer.
“The depth in competition at that position group, we potentially have guys that may end up playing for another team,” he said Aug. 15.
They’ve got all shapes and sizes and any given week there’s been a guy making plays in camp like Lil’Jordan Humphrey, David Sills IV or Michael Bandy. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Broncos try to stash a handful on the practice squad.
But for all of the competition, it’s difficult to shake the notion that — barring a trade — the group is pretty well set.
Courtland Sutton, Josh Reynolds and 2023 second-round pick Marvin Mims Jr. have been locks since the team arrived in camp. Tim Patrick has played with the No. 1s the entire way and has a budding connection with Nix. Then there are the two rookies. Seventh-rounder Devaughn Vele played his way onto the roster with a terrific camp. Fourth-rounder Troy Franklin has mostly struggled, but Payton’s said multiple times they had a second-round grade on the former Oregon star and the Broncos traded up in the draft to get him. That guy makes the roster, even if he’s in for a redshirt season or partial season.
Barring a major surprise among that group, that’s six. Seven isn’t impossible but doesn’t seem feasible, particularly if you’ve got three quarterbacks on the roster.
So, is it as simple as those six being the group, or is there a big twist in the story to come?
Does Denver have enough depth on the OL?
An interesting scene in Sunday’s game against Green Bay, although admittedly not exactly a headline-maker: tackles Matt Peart and Alex Palczewski each getting relatively extensive run at guard in the second half.
The Broncos’ reserve offensive line units struggled against the Packers, and the personnel mostly lines up to make for a bit of a tricky puzzle to put together. The starting five should be among the team’s strengths. Assuming Luke Wattenberg wins the center job, then Alex Forsyth is the sixth man and might be the top reserve at the three interior spots. Peart and Palczewski have been the No. 2 left and right tackles, respectively. Perhaps those are the eight, especially if Palczewski is a viable option at guard.
“It looks like it’s been a really good fit,” offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said Thursday. “He has played well there.”
Did a young guy like Demontrey Jacobs show enough to earn a spot? They like the talent, and he spent 2023 on the practice squad. Plus, if there’s a position that could get scooped up on the waiver wire, it might be tackle, considering the dearth of depth around the league. But you’ve got to be willing to put him in a game if need be.
Simultaneously, offensive line might be the position where the Broncos are most likely to make a claim of their own or find a veteran who gets released.
Can Nate Adkins provide a two-for-one at TE and FB?
If Denver is looking to save a roster spot, here’s one possibility: Second-year man Nate Adkins could be the fourth tight end and also the team’s fullback. He’s got time at both positions throughout the preseason. He’s one of the team’s most reliable blockers, and he’s good on special teams.
This is where the decision on Nix helps start to clarify the picture. How many two-back personnel does Payton plan to deploy this fall? Sumer Sports put Denver at No. 8 in the NFL last year in 21 personnel (two backs, one tight end) but still just 94 snaps. Fullback Mike Burton got 189 offensive snaps total but also 290 on special teams. Payton trusts him. The special teams coaches trust him. They like his presence.
At the same time, Adkins is younger and has shown the ability to do both jobs and play special teams. If they think they’re playing a fullback less frequently this fall, saving a spot and cutting Burton becomes a possibility.
Is Samaje Perine the odd man out at RB?
If the Broncos keep three quarterbacks, if they keep Burton or certainly in a scenario where they do both, it seems likely that somebody’s getting left out at running back.
It’s just difficult to make the numbers work with four backs plus a fullback. Maybe it comes down to Perine vs. Burton for a spot rather than Burton vs. Adkins. But Perine played 200 fewer special teams snaps than Burton.
Perine has quite a bit going for him. He made Denver’s two-minute operation go last year. He’s a reliable third-down back because he’s good in pass protection, and he’s just got a knack for moving the chains. All attractive qualities for an offense led by a rookie quarterback.
At the same time, Denver hasn’t built the room very well if a combination of Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin and Audric Estime can’t capably handle those responsibilities.
The Broncos have some depth, too, with the seemingly always productive Tyler Badie and rookie Blake Watson as strong practice squad candidates.
One thing is certain: There’s not room for everybody. Maybe Sunday turns into a showcase outing for Perine to try to drum up interest from somewhere else.
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Originally Published: August 23, 2024 at 3:48 p.m.
