Denver Broncos OTAs are right around the corner, and at that point, the entire roster will begin to come together and get a chance to prove themselves. For some of the more stable veterans, OTAs might be just another activity.
For other players, especially rookies and non-starters, OTAs unofficially begin their chance to make some noise and make the roster decisions quite difficult, but in a good way. Given how solid the Broncos roster is from top to bottom, it could be hard for younger players to make a notable mark.
However, that is largely a great thing, as this roster could be the very best in the NFL heading into an all-important 2026 season. Given how 2025 ended, it's hard to imagine that the motivation is not at an all-time high right now, and this could begin with OTAs. For one player in particular, OTAs could be his personal launchpad.
Denver Broncos DE Sai'vion Jones could use OTAs to begin his ascension into the starting lineup
Remember Sai'vion Jones? The Broncos took Jones with the 101st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. A true 3-4 defensive end, Jones hardly played during his rookie season, notching only 33 snaps on defense, but he's still 22 years old and was going to be a developmental player.
With John Franklin-Myers playing under the final year of his contract in 2025, it was largely seen that Jones could step in to replace Franklin-Myers, and it's really not a shock that he departed in free agency, as he landed a massive deal with the Tennessee Titans, and the Broncos were simply never going to pay that.
Jones' name has kind of flown under the radar, though, as the Broncos did get a solid season from backup Eyioma Uwazurike, and the team used another third-round pick this year on a defensive end in Tyler Onyedim.
With Uwazurike and Onyedim being more 'fresh,' notable names at the position, Jones hasn't exactly gotten much attention. He's a relentless player with a ton of upside, and actually has very similar measurables to Franklin-Myers.
He also has 'plus' pass-rushing ability and simply plays with an ultra-high motor. Funnily enough, his skillset is quite similar to Franklin-Myers', so perhaps there is something here. Given that he does have a year under his belt in the NFL, and Onyedim is just a rookie, there could be a slight advantage in that regard for the former LSU product to win this starting defensive end job.
And this position battle is also going to be a notable one, as Franklin-Myers was such a solid player for the Broncos and helped contribute to the best pass-rush in the NFL during his two seasons with the Broncos. Sure, Zach Allen and DJ Jones are both quite good, but this defensive line really took a massive step forward from 2023 in 2024 after Franklin-Myers arrived.
Jones, Onyedim, and Uwazurike all figure to compete for this starting spot, but Jones hasn't really gotten nearly as much attention as the other two. OTAs could begin to change that.
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