Broncos post-NFL Draft depth chart: Will RJ Harvey become featured RB in Week 1?

The Denver Broncos will make plenty of transactions between now and the start of the 2025 season in September.

The bulk of those, though, will be made on the margins.

The heavy lifting, first in free agency and then with the NFL Draft, is complete.

The picture will still need to be refined around the edges, but we now have a general idea of the roster the Broncos will take into what they hope will be a special season.

But have they done enough to contend? Are they in a better position to battle the Kansas City Chiefs for AFC West supremacy than they were when the season ended? Have they efficiently addressed their needs? When you ask coaches that question, the answer is always, We never have enough,' Broncos coach Sean Payton said.

Its a fair question.

We feel we put ourselves in a good position.

One of the things, if the right player fits in free agency where were not just saying, We have to, but the right player fits, then it allows you a little bit more freedom in the draft, maybe different than our first year here.

As we discussed this group of players, theres a clear vision relative to what we think their strengths are and how theyll compete in Year 1.

Were further along than two years ago.

Advertisement With that in mind, lets reset Denvers roster ahead of rookie minicamp and OTAs next month.

First, some notes: The Broncos are expected to sign 15 undrafted free agents.

The list below, in alphabetical order, was built from a combination of confirmations by The Athletic , various reports and social media announcements of impending signings by agencies, colleges and/or the players themselves.

The Broncos have yet to officially announce their undrafted free-agent signings.

Rookies are listed in italics.

There are 93 players listed below, which means the Broncos will have roster moves to make to get all their rookies signed within the 90-man limit.

Quarterback Starter: Bo Nix Reserves: Jarrett Stidham, Sam Ehlinger Analysis: The Broncos are entering an offseason with the same starting quarterback and offensive scheme as they had the previous season for the first time since 2014, when Peyton Manning was working with Adam Gase for the second straight year.

Its a much different spot than last year, when Nix, after a long final season at Oregon that bled into a marathon draft process, landed in a three-way competition in Denver that he ultimately won.

This is Nixs team and all the first-team reps will belong to him.

That continuity should give the Broncos a stronger offensive springboard heading into a season than theyve had in a decade.

Running back Starter: RJ Harvey Reserves: Audric Estime, Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie, Blake Watson, Michael Burton (fullback) Analysis: When Payton and the New Orleans Saints drafted Alvin Kamara in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the running back joined a backfield that already included Mark Ingram, a 1,000-yard rusher the prior season.

Ingram ran for a career-best 1,124 yards in 2018, but Payton still found plenty of work for Kamara during a rookie season in which he produced 1,554 total yards (728 rushing, 826 receiving) and 13 touchdowns.

Advertisement Whether Harvey has the actual distinction of starter is somewhat immaterial in Paytons offense.

The second-round pick out of Central Florida will have his opportunities, with this offseason no doubt focused on getting him more comfortable as a receiver out of the backfield.

The bigger question may be whether Estime, the 2024 fifth-round pick, is ready for a more Ingram-type workload.

Ingram played 55 percent of offensive snaps during Kamaras rookie season, the second-highest rate of his career.

Paytons offenses have been at their best when there is a clear 1-2 in the backfield, and this offseason will be about figuring out whether Estime and Harvey can become that kind of duo.

Wide receiver Starters: Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr.

Reserves: Devaughn Vele, Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant , Trent Sherfield, A.T.

Perry, Michael Bandy, Joaquin Davis , Courtney Jackson , Jerjuan Newton Analysis: The biggest question of the offseason for this group is whether the team and Sutton can agree to a long-term extension both sides have expressed optimism about a new contract, and what the deal will look like.

Sutton is coming off arguably the best season of his career in 2024 (81 catches, 1,081 yards, eight TDs) and remains critical to Denvers offensive operation.

How the rest of the pecking order stacks up and whether Bryant, the third-round rookie whose traits remind Payton of former Saints receiver Michael Thomas, can make an early impact are among the other intriguing subplots.

Thomas, a second-round pick in 2016, had 1,137 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie.

Nobody is expecting that kind of production right away from Bryant, but if he become a reliable, over-the-middle presence in Year 1 to complement Sutton, and Mims continues his trajectory as a versatile, catch-and-run threat, the Broncos could have a more complete receiving room around Nix than they did during his rookie season even if the group still lacks big-name recognition.

Tight end Starter: Evan Engram Reserves: Adam Trautman, Lucas Krull, Nate Adkins, Caleb Lohner , Thomas Yassmin Analysis: If there was one surprise coming out of the draft, its that the Broncos waited until their final pick (No.

241) to select a tight end.

Denver had not drafted a tight end since Greg Dulcich in 2022 (third round), and even after signing Engram to a two-year deal in free agency, adding more young talent to the room felt like a priority.

Advertisement Still, its easy to see the upside in what the Broncos are working with in 2025.

Engram will give Nix a mismatch-creating target at the position he didnt have last season.

Denver improved significantly on third down over the final half of last season, but they want to be even more dynamic.

Nix should have an easy time finding Engram for drive-extending completions if Harvey and Estime can create more second- and third-and-short situations than last years running back group did.

In the meantime, it will be fascinating this offseason to see how the Broncos develop a gifted, raw athlete in Lohner, a converted basketball player who only played 57 snaps of college football.

Offensive tackle Starters: Garett Bolles, Mike McGlinchey Reserves: Matt Peart, Alex Palczewski, Frank Crum, Will Sherman, Marques Cox Analysis: The Broncos like the continuity they have at this group, both among starters and developmental players.

Thats why it wasnt much of a surprise that Denver extended its streak of not drafting an offensive tackle to an eighth straight year.

One thing Im intrigued by with this group as on-field offseason work approaches: How much of a leap can Crum make heading into his second season? He has rare traits at 6-foot-7, 315 pounds with sub-5-second speed in the 40.

Crum made the initial 53-man roster last season after signing with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of Wyoming and saw action in six games.

The Broncos have their veteran starters in Bolles and McGlinchey and a steady swing tackle in Matt Peart, who was signed by the team to a new two-year deal at the start of free agency.

But Crum represents a potential long-term piece if he can continue to make developmental leaps.

Offensive guard/center Starters: Ben Powers, Luke Wattenberg, Quinn Meinerz Reserves: Alex Forsyth, Nick Gargiulo, Calvin Throckmorton, Xavier Truss , Clay Webb , Joe Michalski Analysis: This may be the spot where undrafted free agents have the best shot at cracking the roster.

Truss, a 6-7, 309-pound two-time national champion at Georgia, started 41 games for the Bulldogs across the past three seasons at three different positions (right tackle, 23; left guard, 16; right guard, 2) and was named a second-team All-SEC lineman in 2023.

Webb was a five-star recruit out of Alabama in 2019 and was the second-ranked prospect in the state, one spot ahead of Nix.

He didnt play much at the University of Alabama (38 snaps in three seasons).

He left in 2020 in the wake of being named in a still-ongoing federal lawsuit as part of an alleged bullying incident stemming from his senior year in high school.

He landed at Jacksonville State, where he played three seasons and was first-team All-Conference USA in 2024.

Advertisement The Broncos didnt draft a center and didnt sign one in free agency, a clear sign they are pleased with Wattenbergs progress at center as he enters the final year of his rookie contract and potentially his second straight season as the starter at the position.

Defensive line Starters: Zach Allen, D.J.

Jones, John Franklin-Myers Reserves: Malcolm Roach, Saivion Jones , Jordan Jackson, Eyioma Uwazurike, Matt Henningsen, Jordan Miller, Christian Dowell , Kristian Williams Analysis: The Broncos gave their nose tackle, D.J.

Jones, a three-year contract extension before the start of free agency.

The two players who line up next to Jones, defensive ends Allen and Franklin-Myers, both hope to be next as they enter the final seasons of their respective contracts.

Will the Broncos be able to thread the needle and finish the offseason having extended all three? Only time will tell, but the situation only adds to the intrigue around Saivion Jones.

The third-round pick out of LSU should be an upgrade as a reserve on the line this season, but he could also be a long-term fixture for a team that will have to decide where and when to go younger as they try to operate a contending window around Nix.

Outside linebacker Starters: Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper Reserves: Jonah Elliss, Dondrea Tillman, Que Robinson , Andrew Farmer, Johnny Walker Jr.

Analysis: There wasnt a lot of love being doled out for Denvers edge group heading into last season.

Bonitto and Cooper had done some good things in 2024, combining for 16.5 sacks, but Elliss, a third-round draft pick, and Dondrea Tillman, who signed with the Broncos last spring after three years with the Birmingham Stallions of the UFL, were hardly household names.

All those four did in 2024 was tally 34 of Denvers team-record 63 sacks, including 13.5 from Bonitto on the way to first-team All-Pro recognition.

The entire group is back and the Broncos added an interesting piece in Robinson, the fourth-rounder from Alabama, who should be a major special teams contributor while strengthening his frame and learning behind Denvers veterans in the edge room.

This is a group that enters the offseason with much higher expectations than this time last year.

Advertisement Inside linebacker Starters: Dre Greenlaw, Alex Singleton Reserves: Justin Strnad, Drew Sanders, Levelle Bailey, K.J.

Cloyd, JB Brown , Karene Reid Analysis: The Broncos appear to have survived a scare just weeks after signing Greenlaw in free agency.

The former 49ers standout, who missed all but two games last season as he recovered from Achilles surgery, recently suffered a strained quad while working out on his own and will spend a significant portion of the offseason program rehabbing.

The Broncos expect that Greenlaw will be ready for the start of the season.

Its not ideal, but Greenlaws setback will give the Broncos plenty of opportunity to evaluate Sanders, the third-year player who missed most of last offseason because of injury and has bounced between the outside and inside linebacker spots.

The Broncos appear set to give Sanders a permanent home on the inside.

He has the speed, strength and awareness to thrive at the spot if he can stay healthy and get in a full offseason of reps.

Cornerback Starters: Pat Surtain II, Riley Moss Reserves: Jahdae Barron , JaQuan McMillian, Kris Abrams-Draine, Damarri Mathis, Quinton Newsome, Reese Taylor, Kendall Bohler , Joshua Pickett , Jaden Robinson Analysis: Whether the nickel in Denvers defense is a starter really just depends on the look with which they want to open any given game.

The Broncos spent 62.4 percent of their defensive snaps in nickel looks (5 DBs) and another 7 percent in dime (6 DBs).

So if Barron, Denvers first-round pick, supplants McMillian as Denvers top nickel, hell be on the field plenty in Year 1.

Of course, the Broncos are going to want to spend the offseason looking at Barron in multiple spots, much like they did with Surtain in 2021.

Surtain opened the season as the nickel, but within the first month of the season, when it was already clear the rookie was Denvers best cover corner, he moved to the outside.

Safety Starters: Brandon Jones, Talanoa Hufanga Reserves: P.J.

Locke, Sam Franklin Jr., Delarrin Turner-Yell, JL Skinner, Devon Key, Keidron Smith, Tanner McCalister Analysis: The Broncos want to be more decisive in the back end of the defense after a late-season slide that saw too many receivers (Jerry Jeudy, Ladd McConkey, Tee Higgins) turn catch-and-run opportunities into huge gains.

Its why the targeted Hufanga, who at his best diagnoses plays quickly and attacks angles to get to receivers.

The Broncos also have better depth at the spot than they did last season.

Locke has plenty of experience as a starter over the past two seasons and Franklin, though he was signed in free agency largely to be an impactful and versatile special-teams weapon, started nine games in his five seasons with the Panthers.

Advertisement Specialists Starters: Wil Lutz (kicker), Jeremy Crawshaw (punter), Mitchell Fraboni (long snapper) Reserves: Matt Haack (punter), Zach Triner (long snapper) Analysis: Crawshaw, the final pick of the sixth round in last weeks draft, has to win the punting competition against Haack, who is entering his ninth NFL season.

That shouldnt be a problem if Crawshaw boots the ball like he did during the past four seasons at Florida.

While cutting a sixth-round pick certainly wouldnt be unprecedented, specialists who are drafted are typically given every opportunity to win the job.

Big kid, athletic, grew up playing rugby and cricket, Broncos general manager George Paton said of the Australian-born Crawshaw.

This guys got a really big leg, and look at his growth that hes had over the last couple of years.

...

We feel like he can do everything: punt for distance, directionally, controlled hang, really good holder, good teammate.

We feel really strong about him.

(Top photo of RJ Harvey: Julio Aguilar / Getty Images).

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