Broncos depth chart: Sizing up Sean Payton’s team as OTAs begin

The Broncos more or less have their team for 2025.Sure, there could be another free-agent addition here or there.Yes, Denver did some bottom-of-the-roster churning coming out of its rookie minicamp.But with most of the off-field offseason now in the rearview mirror, the number of impact additions in Denver figures to be very small between now and the start of training camp.Sean Paytons had his group back in town for the offseason program since late last month and now the rookie class seven draft picks and a sizable crop of free agents are in the fold, too.The next phase of the offseason begins Tuesday with the first of two weeks of voluntary organized team activities.

The Broncos have had high-percentage attendance in recent years and should have the same this spring.One thing Payton always makes clear: Once the action starts on the field, results are what matter.I give the (rookies) the same message each year, Payton said earlier this month.

Once you arrive, thats part of us procuring the talent.

But once you arrive here, how you arrived here isnt important to us.

Youre here..Then if the player is working out, participating, then we will watch this tape and talk about each player, Whats it look like? Thats from the last tryout player we signed to the first-round draft pick.There is also, however, a starting point.

So with that in mind, heres a loose attempt at a depth chart by position as the Broncos move one step closer to the start of training camp.Newcomers this offseason are in italics.QuarterbackStarter: Bo NixBackup: Jarrett StidhamThis years development project: Sam EhlingherCurrent status: StableStable might be a boring word, but the Broncos wont take it for granted at the games most important position after so many years of searching.

Of course, just because the room has stability Payton wants continuity, fighting to keep quarterbacks coach Davis Webb and re-signing Stidham to help foster it doesnt mean there arent big stakes.

Much of what the Broncos want to accomplish will be dictated by how much of a jump Nix can take in his second pro season.Stidham resisted the career backup label during last summers camp battle, but it suits him well, and the Broncos clearly value what he brings to the room.

Payton showed a willingness to keep three on the 53-man roster, and the rules make it relatively easy to do so, meaning Ehlingers got a real chance to break camp on the roster.Running backStarter: RJ HarveyRotation candidates: Audric Estime, Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie, Blake WatsonPayton regular: Fullback Mike BurtonCurrent status: Intriguing camp battle brewingHarvey gets top billing in this exercise, but it obviously wont be that simple.

Every coach uses multiple backs, and Paytons no exception.

If you were devising a running back room from this group on paper, itd be easy to draw it up this way: Harvey and Estime as the lightning and thunder duo, and then McLaughlin or Badie as a change of pace.Harveys going to play and probably will play a lot.

Payton sounded during rookie minicamp like he was ready to give the second-round pick as much as he can handle.Estimes got thump that the rest of the group doesnt possess, so hes a natural partner if he can protect the ball.That would leave the other three to battle for complementary roles and special teams work.

Of course, it could unfold differently, too.

An interesting summer ahead.Audric Estime (23) of the Denver Broncos punches in a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs during the fourth quarter of the Broncos' 38-0 win at Empower Field at Mile High on Jan.

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(Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)Wide receiverStarters: Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr.Likely in the rotation: Troy Franklin, Devaughn Vele, Pat BryantWild card: A.T.

PerryAlso: Trent Sherfield, Michael Bandy and a host of undrafted rookiesCurrent status: Pretty straightforward, unless...Payton has been bullish on his receiving corps dating back to last year.

That didnt stop Denver from adding Bryant in the third round last month, however.Its far too early to start projecting whether the Broncos keep five receivers, six or some other number.

Health and production will help determine all that through training camp.On the surface, though, Denver does appear to have a tough room to crack.

Perry is a promising young player who didnt get a look on Sundays last year, but has ability.

Sherfield was signed to be a special-teams ace, and he can hold down some reps on offense if needed, too.So, can Bryant or Perry be a wild card? Among the more solidified options, can Mims carry his late-season surge into 2025 and become a real, consistent game-changer? The Broncos would welcome that, a Year 2 breakout from Franklin, or both.Tight endJoker: Evan EngramOl reliable: Adam TrautmanFighting for spots and reps: Nate Adkins, Lucas Krull, Cole Fotheringham, Caleb LohnerCurrent status: Sneaky overhaul potentialEngram figures to be a staple of the Broncos offense and a fast favorite for Nix.

He may not approach his 2023 total of 143 targets, but if he finished first or second on the team this fall, nobody would blink.Beyond that, though, this group is wide open.

Trautman doesnt wow in any department, but Payton has full trust in him, and hes been the voice of the room the past two years.

Adkins is the next-most likely to make it among the returning guys due to his versatility.Still, an outside chance exists that perhaps only one returning player makes the initial 53.

Two feels more likely Trautman and either Adkins or Krull but isnt a guarantee.

Fotheringham is a good blocker, and Lohner is a lottery ticket.The thing with Engram: He not only brings juice to the passing game, but he might also cause Payton to reimagine how the rest of the room fills in around him.Offensive lineStarters: LT Garett Bolles, LG Ben Powers, C Luke Wattenberg, RG Quinn Meinerz, RT Mike McGlincheyReturning reserves: Matt Peart, Alex Palczewski, Alex Forsyth, Calvin ThrockmortonYoung guys: Frank Crum, Nick Gargiulo, Xavier Truss, Clay WebbCurrent status: Talented, deep and open to a surprise or twoThe Broncos boasted one of the NFLs best quintets last year, and they return the entire group as well as every reserve who took an offensive snap.

Basically, its not going to be easy for any non-starter to crack the roster.

Peart can play left tackle, filled jumbo TE duties last year and got a two-year deal this offseason, while Palczewski and Forsyth appeared to be the next two options last fall.Tackle depth around the league is in rough shape.

The only player the Broncos lost on waivers at last years roster cutdown was tackle Demontrey Jacobs, and they didnt think they could get Crum through despite his rawness.

That will play a factor in eventual decisions.

In the meantime, it will be interesting to see if Truss or Webb can push for a spot on the 53.Alex Forsyth of the Denver Broncos prepares to snap the ball during the second quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Empower Field at Mile High on Oct.

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(Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)Defensive lineStarters: Zach Allen, D.J.

Jones, John Franklin-MyersEarly down regular: Malcolm RoachRotation candidates: SaiVion Jones, Jordan Jackson, Eyioma UwazurikeBubble/practice squad candidates: Matt Henningsen, Jordan Miller, Kristian WilliamsCurrent status: Bands back togetherEvery contributor from last years disruptive group is back for 2025.

Its a stacked room that adds Jones as a high-upside third-round pick.

Questions abound beyond this fall Allen, at least, is likely to get an extension at some point, but Franklin-Myers and Roach are also entering the final years of their contracts but thats not of immediate concern for defensive line coach Jamar Cain and his guys.One of the best qualities a defense can have in the NFL is the ability to rush with four and pressure quarterbacks.

Allen and JFM lead the charge up front in making that possible.The Broncos set this group up to run it back when they re-signed D.J.

Jones on the eve of free agency and should have one of the most potent rotations in football.Outside linebackerStarters: Nik Bonitto and Jonathon CooperNext up: Jonah Elliss and Dondrea TillmanSpecial teams/bubble watch: Que Robinson, Andrew Farmer, Johnny Walker Jr.Current status: Looking for another leapBonitto had a breakout season and Cooper got a lucrative extension at the trade deadline last year, giving the Broncos as much certainty as theyve had on the edge since the Von Miller/Bradley Chubb days.

The key to taking another step forward this fall is Tillman and Elliss growing in each of their second NFL seasons.On paper, if that quartet is healthy, there likely arent many defensive snaps to go around.

But Robinson, a fourth-round pick, and Walker (undrafted but signed to a nice guarantee) will have a chance to crack the roster as rookies if they can be core special teamers.

Remember, undrafted guys getting guaranteed money doesnt mean theyll make the 53, necessarily, but it does mean theyve got a clear path to the practice squad at the least.Jonah Elliss of the Denver Broncos comes in for a sack on Kirk Cousins of the Atlanta Falcons during the third quarter at Empower Field at Mile High on Nov.

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(Photo by Eric Lutzens/The Denver Post)Inside linebackerStarters: Dre Greenlaw and Alex SingletonTrusted reserve: Justin StrnadWhat is he? Drew SandersYoung guys trying to make it: Levelle Bailey, JB Brown, Jordan Turner, Karene ReidCurrent status: Hurting at the moment, but come September...Singleton is seven months post-ACL surgery, and Greenlaw injured his quad earlier in the offseason, so it remains to be seen whether theyll play much together before training camp.

Either way, they can be a dynamic pairing in the middle of the field Greenlaw with sideline-to-sideline range and three-down coverage ability and Singleton as a tackling machine when and if theyre both healthy.Strnad played the most defense of his career last year after Singleton went down and is a special-teams weapon.

Sanders is the wild card.

Can he become a trusted middle-of-the-field player? Is he a situational pass-rusher? His second pro season was marred by a torn Achilles tendon last spring.

Now hes got a chance to learn from several veterans and make a push.

If an undrafted free agent is going to make this roster, one of Brown, Turner or Reid would be a decent bet.CornerbackOutside starters: Pat Surtain II and Riley MossNickel: JaQuan McMillian vs.

Jahdae BarronUnder the radar: Kris Abrams-DrainePotential cap casualty: Damarri MathisAlso: Reese Taylor, Quinton Newsome, Jaden Robinson and Joshua PickettCurrent status: Best in the business?There are many Broncos defensive players who will say they think theyve got the best set of corners in the NFL.

Surtain is the reigning defensive player of the year, and Moss put together a terrific season until a knee injury hampered him down the stretch.

Now add in what might be the single best battle of training camp: Barron, the No.

20 overall pick, vs.

McMillian for the starting nickel job.Barron, of course, has the versatility to play other spots as well and could end up doing so.

Either way, though, the first-rounder spices up what was already a quality group.Dont forget about Abrams-Draine, who performed well when thrown into the fire late in his rookie season.

Mathis is talented and ably filled a role albeit a small one last year.

But he also counts $3.6 million against the cap in the final year of his rookie deal.

Corners are hard to find, so he could make it, but hell have to battle his way to the roster.SafetyStarters: Brandon Jones and Talanoa HufangaCritical depth: P.J.

LockeMess of depth/ST candidates: Sam Franklin Jr., JL Skinner, Devon Key, Keidron Smith, Tanner McCalister, Delarrin Turner-YellCurrent status: Really good, but a bit thinJones blossomed last year, his first with the Broncos under the guidance of defensive coordinator Vance Joseph and secondary coach Jim Leonhard.

Now the Broncos add Hufanga, whos had injury issues but was an All-Pro in 2022.

If they stay healthy, theyve got a chance to be a dynamic starting duo.

Locke adds quality veteran depth, though hell have to hold off younger players like Skinner.Well see how new special team coordinator Darren Rizzi prioritizes body types, but any of the six guys behind the top trio can be high-quality, core-four type of players in the third phase.Related ArticlesBroncos preseason opener at San Francisco has kickoff date and time Broncos Mailbag: RJ Harveys rookie of the year campaign and more Way Too Early predictionsBroncos lone home preseason game has a date and kickoff timeFormer Saints scout sees Broncos Pat Bryant as versatile fit in Sean Paytons offense: Hes a dogBroncos Journal: Alex Singletons offseason of milestones and ACL rehabilitation rolling along on scheduleSpecialistsStarters: Wil Lutz (PK), Jeremy Crawshaw (P) and Mitchell Fraboni (LS)Offseason depth: Zach Triner (LS)Current status: Seemingly settledCan a long snapper get Wally Pippd? Probably not, especially considering Fraboni got $1.7 million in guarantees from Denver this offseason.

But hes out for most of the offseason with an injury, meaning Triner gets a shot to impress.Lutz has been one of the leagues most consistent place kickers the past two years, and the Broncos considered Crawshaw the best punter in this years draft.Wil Lutz of the Denver Broncos kicks off to the Kansas City Chiefs during the first quarter at Empower Field at Mile High on Jan.

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