With the preseason over and the NFL season opener on deck, it is time for the Denver Broncos to turn their preseason hope into tangible regular-season results. Denver's return to the playoffs won't be enough, and the team needs to demonstrate that it can truly become a consistent AFC competitor.
A handful of different Broncos entered training camp as important players to keep an eye on, but a few will enter the regular season with the same connotations. There is a good argument to make that three Broncos specifically need a major performance in week one to be able to get their season started on the right foot.
Whether it be performance-related, injury-related, or simply an ability to show they can contribute to an NFL team, three key Broncos need to show up on the field against the Tennessee Titans. If they can, the Broncos could find themselves in an incredible spot entering their first season with real expectations in almost a decade.
Alex Singleton among Broncos players who need to have a big game vs. Titans
1. Alex Singleton, Linebacker
If the Broncos are to accomplish anything this year, a few key injury issues are going to need to break their way, and arguably none will be more important than inside backer Alex Singleton. Between 2022 and 2023, Singleton averaged 170 tackles a year, was a captain for the Broncos, and was a consistent presence up the middle for Vance Joseph and his defense.
Coming off a blown-out knee, Singleton is going to need to prove that he is still a valuable starter, or the depth chart could pass him by pretty quickly. With Dre Greenlaw already above him and names such as Drew Sanders and Justin Strnad behind him, an ineffective Singleton could be cut before the year's end. The injuries to inside backers will likely be a storyline all year for Denver, and Singleton could be at the heart of it.
2. Troy Franklin, Wide Receiver
Troy Franklin was arguably the MVP of the Broncos' preseason. Franklin hauled in a bomb touchdown from Bo Nix in Denver's Wild Card loss against Buffalo last year, and followed that up with an incredibly strong preseason, prompting a Broncos teammate to offer incredibly high praise. Franklin was highly regarded entering his disappointing 2024 season, but he seems to be finally putting everything together to become one of Sean Payton's offensive weapons.
He needs a big Week 1 to be able to show that his progress in camp was not a fluke, and that he can piece together what it takes to be a legitimate NFL wide receiver. A sluggish week one will do as much damage to his stock as his preseason did to help it.
Riley Moss, Cornerback
Finally, the Broncos need to see something out of Riley Moss. His hype train hit a high before his MCL sprain in week 12, but the starting corner didn't quite recover the way most had hoped. He hobbled through the rest of the season and now has a precarious standing on the depth chart entering his second season as a starter.
First-rounder Jahdae Barron sits behind him, with former Mizzou product Kris Abrams-Draine not far behind. With Ja'Quan McMillian starting in the slot, Denver carries five starting-caliber corners, and Moss could see his playing time slip quickly if he struggles early on. A strong week would quite a lot of the concerns around the former Iowa product.