5 biggest standouts from Broncos' preseason win over Falcons

The Denver Broncos opened up the 2026 preseason with a dominating win over the Atlanta Falcons, and there were plenty of standouts on both sides of the ball. The Broncos have finally grown a bit of a league-wide reputation for having an outstanding roster, and they definitely flexed their depth against the Falcons.

From the starters playing the first handful of series to the backups and roster hopefuls, this was the type of game Sean Payton and his staff were hoping to see, even if there is still plenty of room for improvement.

Let's take a look at a few players who stood out the most in this game, either making their case for more playing time, making their case for a roster spot, or just reminding us how good they are.

Five players who stood out in Broncos' preseason win vs. Falcons

1. Jonah Coleman, RB

There is absolutely no question that rookie running back Jonah Coleman lived up to the offseason hype. Even though the Broncos didn't take Coleman until the 4th round, he has already been getting high expectations heaped on him by the fan base simply because of how badly the team needed a spark in the running game last season.

Coleman carried the ball four times for 24 yards against the Falcons, including a really nice 13-yard run in which he showed off his patience, contact balance, and ability to create yardage after contact.

Even with just a small sample, we've all seen "enough". Sean Payton agrees:

2. Pat Bryant, WR

Pat Bryant was the player targeted on the first pass of the game for the Broncos. Go figure.

On a play-action play from under center, Bryant got vertical in a hurry and then ran a perfect comeback route, creating a massive gap of separation with the defensive back for an easy 15-yard completion.

And that's really what it seems like Bryant has done all offseason more than anything else: He's making things look easy.

I don't think it's a coincidence that he got the first target of the game, nor do I think the hype this offseason has been over the top. Sean Payton recently told Kay Adams that the Broncos are "not" going to keep Bryant off the field, even with their depth at the position this year.

The second-year receiver is an absolute stud.

3. Evan Engram, TE

In addition to making a huge play up the seam for one of a handful of big gains while the starters were on the field offensively, tight end Evan Engram showed what he can do as an in-line blocker as well.

On the run play from Jonah Coleman that everyone is talking about, Engram makes a key block on a defensive end to spring the rookie for his big gain. And Engram is also the first player running to celebrate with Coleman.

You can tell that Engram is motivated to do whatever it takes to get on the field more this season, and more of Engram on the field is good news for the Broncos. He didn't even play 50 percent of the offensive snaps last season, and even though he finished 3rd on the team in targets, that happened more by default than by intention.

We saw Engram also draw a ton of attention on the big play to Courtland Sutton. Pat Bryant was also running wide open on the play, but as Jarrett Stidham launched the ball to Sutton for a huge gain, you can see three defenders in the close vicinity of Engram, allowing Sutton to get a one-on-one chance, and leaving Bryant wide open.

This is the type of impact Engram can make, even without getting the ball. He's a threat, where someone like Adam Trautman is not.

4. Jahdae Barron, CB

On the opening drive of the game for the Denver Broncos' top defense, Jahdae Barron made a really nice play to tackle Kyle Pitts in space on 3rd-and-long, forcing a punt by the Falcons.

As the game went along, Barron had himself a pick-six, and nearly caught a second interception.

We saw him playing with the starting defense as well as with the backups, and we saw exactly what we needed to see from Barron: Confidence, playmaking, versatility, and toughness. He also clocked 21.15 mph on the in-game GPS, which would have been one of the top speeds for a cornerback in a game based on all of the 2025 season.

5. Jonah Elliss, OLB

If there is any pass rusher for the Broncos that wound up really standing out in this game, it has to be Jonah Elliss.

Elliss has been the talk of training camp on the defensive side of the ball, and we all found out why during the preseason win against Atlanta. He does such a good job of using his speed and power at the position, but Elliss also has a pretty expansive arsenal of pass rush moves to get by offensive tackles.

He does such a good job of crashing down from the backside of the play in the running game, but the biggest play from Elliss against the Falcons had the spotlight stolen by Riley Moss's interception.

Moss intercepted the pass, but it was Elliss who affected the throw from Falcons backup quarterback Cooper Rush, ultimately causing the turnover for the Denver defense.

A healthy Elliss is going to be expected to be one of the most improved players on the team, and it looks like the Broncos have a breakout star on their hands.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow