The Denver Broncos have opened up OTAs (Organizational Team Activities) and will hold several practices over the next few weeks. The team then has a mandatory minicamp June 11-13. In many ways, this will give fans a first look at the team's 90-man roster.
The Broncos have a young squad with many new pieces acquired both in free agency and the draft. It will be interesting to see how Sean Payton puts things together, but it seems clear that it will look vastly different than the last time we saw this team on the field.
The Broncos have many questions to answer before the 2024 season starts. Fans of the team can start keeping tabs on some of those now. Here are five situations to watch during these OTAs.
Denver Broncos OTAs: Top things to watch
Who will be the No. 1 QB?
Just about everyone in Broncos Country wants to see first-round pick Bo Nix open the season as the starter, but Payton is smart enough to be willing to wait until he is completely ready. That could be in Week 1 at Seattle, but Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham will each have something to say about that.
How does passing game look without Courtland Sutton?
Courtland Sutton wants a new contract, but he is unlikely to get one given the Broncos' current outlook, mainly paying the dead cap of the Russell Wilson contract. It is no surprise that Sutton is not participating in OTAs as these practices are voluntary. But if he continues to hold out into the minicamp starting June 11, the Broncos could technically fine him for those absences.
In the meantime, Nix, Wilson and Stidham will have to get to work with the other receivers on the roster. How will the passing attack look with the likes of Marvin Mims, Tim Patrick, Josh Reynolds and Brandon Johnson, among others?
The middle of the defense
If there is still a major concern on the roster, at least for me, it is the middle of the defense. The defensive front and inside linebacker spots still look somewhat weak and the Broncos need to place a focus on this.
Is there enough help up front? Does the team have enough at inside linebacker, especially with the recent injury to Drew Sanders? Guys like Cody Barton and Jonas Griffith have a chance to shine in these practices and it would be huge if they did.
Tight end position
The Broncos chose not to emphasize the tight end position this offseason, either because they don't see it as a weakness or because they couldn't find a free agent or rookie in the draft that they liked.
"There's one guy that I really, really, really want to see stay healthy that has had issues with [injuries] in the past... Greg Dulcich."
— DNVR Broncos (@DNVR_Broncos) May 21, 2024
— @ZacStevensDNVR wants to see Greg Dulcich stay healthy during OTAs. pic.twitter.com/wG5bgGWqZ5
The Broncos are going to have to get a player to step up at this position. Adam Trautman was re-signed this offseason but he is nothing more than a veteran depth piece, he is not going to be a game-changing option.
The Broncos would like to see Greg Dulcich stay healthy and become that player but if he has the kind of season he has the last two years, a guy like Lucas Krull needs to emerge as an option in the offense.
Trenton Gill
The Broncos quietly added a new punter last week and he is solid competition for presumed starter Riley Dixon. That makes Gill a player to watch in OTAs and throughout the summer. If the Broncos were completely satisfied with Dixon, there is no way this move would have been made.
Is Dixon up to the challenge?
