The Denver Broncos have opened their rookie Minicamp and soon, we will be talking about training camp and preparations for the upcoming season. The team is going to look quite a bit different this year and there will be some intriguing position battles up and down the roster.
Here are five of those for fans to start thinking about, talking about and keeping tabs on. As the summer progresses, this list will get longer and more interesting.
5 position battles for Broncos fans to start keeping tabs on
Center: Alex Forsyth vs. Luke Wattenberg vs. Sam Mustipher
Despite ESPN missing the boat completely when assessing this position recently, the Broncos have three players who are in line to be the team's new center. Rookie Nick Gargiulo is also there but will need some seasoning before he takes this job.
While both Luke Wattenberg and Sam Mustipher are capable of providing a solid answer for the team, Alex Forsyth's familiarity playing with Bo Nix at Oregon has to make him the favorite to win this job. Unless, of course, the Broncos don't open the season with Nix as the starter.
That may be the only way Wattenberg or Mustipher wins this job.
No. 3 tight end: Lucas Krull vs. Nate Adkins
We can assume that Adam Trautman and a healthy Greg Dulcich will be the top two tight ends on this roster, which leaves Lucas Krull and Nate Adkins battling for the No. 3 spot. Undrafted free agents Thomas Yassmin and Dylan Leonard will have their chance to figure in as well.
Undrafted rookie Nate Adkins made the team. His high school blocking days helped make him Sean Payton’s type of tight end: #9sports pic.twitter.com/FuV6x7ewU6
— Mike Klis (@mikeklis) August 31, 2023
Krull was a player who caught the eye of Sean Payton last season but Adkins was able to make the team as an undrafted free agent, so this will be a great battle. There was also the recent news that the team was looking at Matthew Jester and would try him out during Minicamp and that could make things quite interesting.
Cornerback: Levi Wallace vs. Damarri Mathis vs. Riley Moss
It remains to be seen how the Broncos will look to use their cornerbacks. The only obvious thing is that Pat Surtain II will be the starter on one side. Ja'Quan McMillian, after a terrific 2023 season, will likely remain the team's top nickelback/slot defender. So who lines up most frequently on the other side?
“This was my dad’s favorite team growing up. … It’s definitely a dream come true to play for his favorite team.”
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) April 22, 2024
CB Levi Wallace on signing with Denver: pic.twitter.com/qrlR5A7NJP
Damarri Mathis struggled mightily last season and rookie Riley Moss was a non-factor. The signing of Levi Wallace gives the team a good veteran option if neither of those players is ready to be in this spot.
Inside Linebacker: Drew Sanders vs. Cody Barton vs. Jonas Griffith
Of all of the options on this list, this is the one where the winner needs to be one player and that is Drew Sanders. A lot of fans see him as a guy to put on the outside, but it's not where he's going to be best in the NFL. He struggled on the inside as a rookie too but he needs to be on the inside next to Alex Singleton.
Sanders has great athleticism and could be used as a strategic chess piece once he gets settled in, but if he's not an inside linebacker for this team then drafting him will look worse with each passing day.
As is the case with the young cornerbacks battling Wallace, Cody Barton is a terrific fall-back option if Sanders simply doesn't work out.
QB No. 2: Zach Wilson vs. Jarrett Stidham
We can't forget about this one, right?
The assumption is that Nix will take the field sooner rather than later, leaving the Broncos to figure out who his primary backup will be, and right now, that's basically a coin flip.
As stated when I made my 53-man roster prediction, it would be wise for the Broncos to keep both of these quarterbacks regardless of who wins the job.
