Top 3 performers in Broncos preseason win over Cowboys

The Denver Broncos defeated the Dallas Cowboys 17-7 on Saturday night in their preseason opener. The matchup featured an abundance of young talent getting meaningful playing time.

Nathaniel Hackett, who got his first win as a head coach on Saturday, recognized several different players rising up to the occasion.

"“That’s what you want to see in preseason, you don’t want it to be a one guy show. You want to see the ball spread around and let everyone have an opportunity.” Nathaniel Hackett (via Broncos PR)"

Here are the top three performers of Saturday night’s game.

Denver Broncos top performer vs. Cowboys no. 3: Baron Browning, EDGE

Broncos Country, the Baron Browning we have all been anxiously waiting for has officially arrived. After spending his entire rookie season playing inside linebacker, Browning was asked by Denver’s new coaching staff to make a positional switch to outside linebacker. Based on his performance against the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday night, it certainly seemed like a clever move.

Browning ended the night with four total tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss, and one pass defended. Pushing, spinning, and ripping through blockers, Browning’s athleticism was on full display throughout the night. Yet it was his bend around the edge, somewhat reminiscent of Von Miller’s, that seemed to get Broncos fans most excited.

In Saturday’s postgame press conference, Head Coach Nathanial Hackett was asked to comment on Browning’s debut at OLB.

"“He was around the quarterback quite a bit, got a sack, a couple of tackles, a pass breakup, and his acceleration off the ball and ability to bend on the edge is really good to see. He came out and played free. I thought it was awesome to see.”"

While Browning managed to earn some praise, his utilization in the coming weeks will be indicative of how the coaching staff truly feels about him. Browning’s extended playtime throughout all four quarters did not sit well with many Broncos fans, especially after witnessing the loss of inside linebacker Jonas Griffith earlier in the game.

Overall, Browning’s performance was everything Broncos fans had hoped to get when the team first selected him in the 3rd round of last year’s NFL draft. His development over the course of this season will have heavy implications on how the Broncos decide to move forward with extending players like Bradley Chubb and Malik Reed.

Denver Broncos top performer vs. Cowboys no. 2: Kendall Hinton, WR

Last season, Kendall Hinton finished off with a stat line of 15 catches for 175 yards and a touchdown. During Saturday night’s preseason game against the Cowboys, Hinton racked up 3 catches for 53 yards and a diving touchdown.

In a postgame locker room interview, Hinton talked the media through his touchdown-scoring play:

"“We had an All Go situation. They played a lot of man, so it was beat the man in front of you. Josh made a good throw, and I was able to make the play” (via Broncos PR)"

It wouldn’t be the only time Hinton had his man beat, he hauled in another huge 23-yard pass heading towards the sidelines with 11 seconds left on the clock. The play led to an eventual 52-yard field-goal from McManus as the first half came to a close.

Hinton is a severely underrated receiver. His deceiving speed, ability to get open in one-on-one situations, and reliability are all great traits that he continues to display while he’s out on the field of play.

If he can crack the final roster, Hinton can do some serious damage with opposing defenses focusing primarily on the likes of Jeudy or Sutton.

Denver Broncos top performer vs. Cowboys no. 1: Jalen Virgil, WR

The former Appalachian State Mountaineer was originally thought to have been brought in to compete with 5th-round draft pick, Montrell Washington for the starting return man job.

Unfortunately, Jalen Virgil did not return a single punt or kick return in Saturday’s preseason matchup against the Cowboys. He did, however, still manage to create some noise after finishing the night as Denver’s leading receiver with three catches for 83 yards. Virgil showed off his field-stretching speed, his ability to track the ball, and how he could rise to the occasion and make some big-time catches.

Virgil had two highlight worthy moments against the Cowboys. The first came in the third quarter after he pulled in a 42-yard strike on the very first play of a drive starting on the one-yard line. His second came late in the fourth quarter after he converted a 30-yard acrobatic catch on third down.

Despite having success in his NFL debut, Virgil’s chances of making the Broncos’ 53-man roster are slim, but he knows that.

"“I’ve always been big on just taking advantage of every opportunity that I’m given. We have a lot of talent in the receiver room, so for me it’s just going out there every time and just trying to make a play every time I get a chance.”"

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Over the next two weeks, Virgil will have the opportunity to continue to put together a highlight reel worthy of a roster spot somewhere across the NFL.