The Denver Broncos will have some terrific position battles to watch when training camp opens this week and most of those will go deep into the preseason without a winner.
The Broncos are a team with plenty of unanswered questions heading into the 2024 NFL season but one thing is for sure... Sean Payton wants a winner. For him to achieve that goal, building this 53-man roster is going to be key.
The Broncos hit the reset button when they released Russell Wilson this offseason and will now look to construct a winner from the pieces they have. That is going to take some diligent work, which starts with this camp.
Predicting who wins key position battles for the Denver Broncos
Fifth wide receiver
It may seem insignificant to be the fifth wide receiver, but in today's NFL, a full 53-man roster (and usually more) is needed for teams to be successful.
We can assume that Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., Josh Reynolds, and Troy Franklin are going to make this squad. For the fifth spot, Tim Patrick will be competing with a good list of names for the final spot. That list includes Devaughn Vele, Lil'Jordan Humphrey, Brandon Johnson, and Jalen Virgil.
It could be any of those players who get it, but Patrick, who hasn't played in two full seasons, is still the man to beat. The rookie Vele turned some heads in OTAs and both Humphrey and Johnson have stepped up for the team before.
This will be exciting to watch, but Patrick will have enough to hold off the younger crowd.
Prediction: Tim Patrick
Punter
The punter position will be decided between Riley Dixon and Trenton Gill. Dixon held the job last season in his second stint with the team but he didn't play well enough because if he did, there would have been no reason to sign Gill this offseason.
This is a coin flip, but the fact that the team brought in competition is telling, so the pressure is on Dixon.
Prediction: Trenton Gill
Fourth running back
The Broncos may not even keep four running backs but if two of them are Jaleel McLaughlin, a second-year player and Audric Estime, a rookie, Payton is likely to want more experience.
There is a thought that Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine are competing for one spot, but Payton will find a way to keep them both as these four running backs hold off undrafted free agent Blake Watson.
Ultimately, the decision will come down to Perine or Watson as Williams, McLaughlin and Estime all make the team.
Prediction: Samaje Perine
Starting center
This will be one of the most-watched battles this summer as the starting center spot is up for grabs and multiple players could grab the job. Luke Wattenberg is there. Second-year player Alex Forsyth is there. The team brought in a veteran in Sam Mustipher and used a seventh-round pick on Nick Gargiulo.
It could be any of these guys and they will be graded and assessed all summer long. In the end, it will be the familiarity of Forysth and Bo Nix from their Oregon days that wins out.
Prediction: Alex Forsyth
Starting inside linebacker
Alex Singleton will be one of the starters, but who will be the other? Jonas Griffith and Cody Barton figure to battle it out and it could easily be either guy.
Griffith is more familiar with the team but he has dealt with injury issues and Barton is an aggressive tackler who could pair well with Singleton.
Prediction: Cody Barton
Starting Cornerback
Pat Surtain II will be one of the starters but the other boundary corner is up in the air. Ja'Quan McMillian seems to have the slot corner job locked down so the team will be deciding between Riley Moss, Damarri Mathis, and Levi Wallace for the other one.
It would be surprising to see Mathis win the job after his struggles last season, so this could be between Moss and Wallace. The Broncos would like Moss to win this job after using a premium draft pick on him last year, but he showed next to nothing as a rookie so it's a real question and it's tough to call.
The Broncos will start with the young guy and have Wallace as a ready backup, similar to what they did last season with Mathis and Fabian Moreau.
Prediction: Riley Moss
Backup Quarterback
Bo Nix is likely going to open the season as the team's starting quarterback. The competition between Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham will be to see who his backup is and the loser might not be on the team anymore.
Preseason games will ultimately decide who the team goes with but it seems that Stidham could be far ahead of Wilson in running Payton's style of offense.
Prediction: Jarrett Stidham
