Looking across the roster of the Denver Broncos, the team is going to have some competitive position battles in training camp. It is no secret that Sean Payton is going to take this team in a much different direction, meaning that few guys on the roster are safe.
The team has several new players all across the board. First-round pick Bo Nix and most of the rookie class are going to be part of the team's immediate plans. However, the team had to take a less aggressive approach in free agency due to the impact of the dead money hit brought on by Russell Wilson's contract.
With only 53 spots available on the final roster, the team is going to have some difficult decisions to make, and some of those could involve some players the team just brought aboard.
New Broncos who may not make team's final 53-man roster
Devaughn Vele, Wide Receiver
The Broncos have had some organizational team activities this offseason and one of the guys who has turned heads in those is rookie wide receiver Devaughn Vele.
#BroncosCountry, say hey to @devaughn_vele 👋https://t.co/ozVyfAr4dy pic.twitter.com/5sruGJTs5S
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) April 30, 2024
The seventh-round pick out of Utah has a good combination of size and speed and he fits what Payton usually looks for in his wide receivers. But where does he fit on the roster?
The Broncos have Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., Josh Reynolds, and rookie Troy Franklin likely locked into roster spots. That leaves one, maybe two spots remaining. Tim Patrick, Brandon Johnson, and Jalen Virgil will all figure in as well, so Vele will have a tough hill to climb.
Angelo Blackson, Defensive Lineman
There might not be a bigger opportunity on this roster than at the defensive line position and that bodes well for Angelo Blackson. He was one of the veteran signings the team made in free agency, but he will likely be competing for a backup position.
Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, and John Franklin-Myers figure to be the team's starters so Blackson will compete with Malcolm Roach and Matt Henningsen for playing time. The team has Jordan Jackson, Jordan Miller, Elijah Garcia, and Brandon Matterson as well and though Blackson should have an edge on all of those guys, he will have to earn his spot.
Nick Gargiulo, Offensive Lineman
If there is a strength on this roster right now, it might be the offensive line. The question remains as to who the team's center will be, but aside from that, it's a solid unit.
Nick Gargiulo, who played center at South Carolina, was drafted in the seventh round but it remains to be seen if the Broncos plan to use him as a center or as a guard. Matt Peart, Calvin Throckmorton, and Alex Palczewski are in line to be rotational linemen for the team meaning Gargiulo will have a hard time carving out a spot.
The Broncos have Sam Mustipher and Luke Wattenberg to compete with Alex Forysth for the starting center job, so there are a lot of players in line for roster spots and they won't be able to keep everyone. Throw names like Demontrey Jacobs and Quinn Bailey into that mix and Gargiulo is likely looking at a spot on the practice squad.
Zach Wilson, Quarterback
Zach Wilson is one of the most interesting players on this roster. He could be anything from the Week 1 starter to not even being on the team.
The former No. 2 overall pick is looking to resurrect his career but it's not going to be easy for him to do that with Nix being the man of the future of Jarrett Stidham almost certainly ahead of him on the depth chart ahead of camp.
Wilson will have to silence his critics to be the backup quarterback or at best, the bridge until Nix is ready to go. If none of those things materialize for the recently-engaged QB, his future in the league will be very much in question.
