After an offseason with abnormally low activity, the Denver Broncos are finally set to take the field for their first preseason game of the 2026 season.
Let the quest for the franchise's fourth Super Bowl victory begin.
Although the preseason is just a tune-up for the starters of the team, it can be a huge opportunity for guys vying for more playing time, fighting for roster spots, and generally trying their best to make an impression so they can be part of bringing home that fourth Lombardi trophy.
We're going to take a look at one player for every position group Broncos Country should be keeping their eyes on and getting excited about for the first preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Broncos players to watch at every position group in 2026 preseason debut vs. Falcons
Quarterback: Sam Ehlinger
Starting quarterback Bo Nix will not be making his first official return to game action against the Atlanta Falcons on Friday. The Broncos are expecting to have him play in the final two preseason games -- at home -- as his tune-up for the 2026 season.
As a result, it will be a split of duty between Jarrett Stidham, who started the AFC Championship Game for the Broncos, and Sam Ehlinger, who spent the majority of last season on the practice squad before re-signing in 2026.
And by most accounts, both Stidham and Ehlinger have had strong camps, but Ehlinger has managed to stand out a little bit more. One report from Luca Evans (no longer on the Broncos' beat) stated that Ehlinger -- at least at one point -- was the most 'consistent' of the quarterbacks at Broncos training camp.
Ehlinger has done well enough that there appears to be an actual QB2 competition happening in Denver, so we'll see what he can put together in the preseason opener. He was really solid in the 2025 preseason, showing his playmaking ability and making some clutch throws.
Running back: Jonah Coleman
Who isn't excited to see Jonah Coleman out there for the Broncos during the preseason?
This might be the most extensive work Coleman gets all year, although we expect him to still be featured at times during the 2026 regular season. Coleman has been getting a lot of praise during Broncos training camp, not only from the media observing practice, but from his head coach and teammates.
Sean Payton has repeatedly made note that Coleman doesn't feel like a rookie, and just carries himself in such an impressive way.
Since the pads have come on at training camp, it's also not a coincidence that Coleman has managed to stand out more. He's done a great job running between the tackles, showing what he can do in pass protection, and making plays as a receiver in the passing game.
The Broncos have a lot to be excited about at the running back position right now, and Coleman is going to be a major focus for everyone in the fan base against Atlanta. This preseason game will also be the very first experience Coleman has at an NFL game, whether as a fan or player.
Wide receiver: Pat Bryant
Honorable mention: Hakeem Butler
The most obvious player to watch at wide receiver for the Broncos on Friday is going to be second-year player Pat Bryant, who has absolutely been the talk of training camp.
We'll talk about Hakeem Butler in a moment, but we have to touch briefly on Bryant, even though I'm starting to wonder how much he's really going to play in this preseason game. The Broncos are already down both Jaylen Waddle and Marvin Mims Jr., who have been recovering from injuries over the past week (or so).
Bryant should get some extended work with the starting unit, but it would be a slight surprise if he plays a full half of football, considering he's going to be valuable to the offense this season. Even as a second-year player, Bryant could get some level of "starter" treatment in the preseason.
I put Hakeem Butler as an honorable mention on here because he's stood out since he got to Denver, both for good and bad reasons. The good with Butler is the obvious: He's huge, he has great speed, and he can make big plays consistently.
The bad that popped up during camp included some notable low-effort reps both at the catch point and as a blocker, and those things won't land you on an NFL roster. At the age of 30, Butler's fight to actually crack the 53 begins against Atlanta, and he could get the highest volume of targets out of any receiver on the team in this game.
Tight end: Justin Joly & Dallen Bentley
We had to do another two-for-one here at the tight end posiiton, although Joly is probably a bit more highly anticipated at this point.
Regardless, neither of these players have made a lot of standout plays during training camp, at least not that we've heard about, and how offensive coordinator Davis Webb chooses to get them involved in the preseason is going to be must-see TV.
Both Joly and Bentley are athletic players at the position, and both offer huge upside in the passing game. That's something the Broncos didn't really have on the roster before this offseason, at least outside of Evan Engram. With a bit of a quiet training camp from both of these guys, a couple of big plays in the first week of the preseason will really put them on the map.
Offensive line: Kage Casey
The highest offensive line draft selection in the George Paton era is Quinn Meinerz, who was taken with the 98th overall pick (3rd round) of the 2021 NFL Draft.
The next highest offensive line draft selection in the George Paton era? You guessed it: Kage Casey.
Casey was the 111th overall pick (4th round) in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the Broncos view him as a long-term starting option at the guard position. He was listed on the depth chart as the backup right guard behind Meinerz, but he played and started for three years at the left tackle position while he was at Boise State.
His debut in the preseason will be pretty highly anticipated for the Broncos as far as offensive linemen go.
Defensive line: Tyler Onyedim
Maybe we should just say we're highlighting the entire 2026 NFL Draft class with this post...
Yes, the incoming rookie class is going to be in focus for the Broncos here in the preseason, and maybe especially the team's top pick: Tyler Onyedim.
The Broncos have used third-round picks in back-to-back draft classes on the defensive line (Sai'vion Jones in 2025), and Onyedim was picked high enough that he should be expected to contribute this season. His name has popped up a decent amount during training camp, and he's proven he can make plays already against both the run and pass.
It's going to be great to see his first in-game action as a pro, and for Broncos Country to see firsthand just how ready he is to contribute to the best defensive front in the league.
Outside linebacker: Drew Sanders
The legend of Drew Sanders lives on.
Although there was some early concern after Sanders missed a couple of practices early in training camp, he was out there from the moment the team put on pads, and he has been stringing together some solid practices.
The expectations for Sanders could not be lower in Broncos Country right now. Fans are almost ready to just accept the idea of the former 3rd-round pick out of Arkansas no longer being part of this team, and all of the potential he once had being out the window.
But the Broncos haven't thrown in the towel yet, and we're about to see why.
They were ramping Sanders up at the end of last season for a possible return in the Super Bowl, and the team knows what he can do on special teams. He absolutely has talent, and if he can dominate in the preseason, he might force the team to rethink the 53-man roster off the edge.
Inside linebacker: Red Murdock
It's safe to say that every Broncos fan is in agreement about this one. Of course, fans are also excited to see fellow rookie linebacker Taurean York in action, but Red Murdock -- Mr. Irrelevant in this year's draft class -- has everyone excited, for obvious reasons.
One of the team's top needs going into the 2026 offseason was at the linebacker position, but after bringing back both Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad, Murdock was really the one guy who filled that need. The Broncos must have felt like they could get really great bang for their buck out of this deep linebacker class, because it was a little bit of a shock (to say the least) that they didn't take someone until the 7th round.
Murdock set the NCAA record for forced fumbles (17, in case you haven't heard that one a million times already) and is a tackling machine. He's also been wearing the green dot and communicating the defense when the 3rd unit is on the field at camp for the Broncos.
Cornerback: Jahdae Barron
After a relatively quiet training camp, Jahdae Barron finally started to pick things up a bit over the last week, and he enters the preseason as one of the top players to watch, but also one of the top players under the most pressure to perform.
We're likely going to see Barron getting a lot of reps during the preseason, and understandably so. He was the Broncos' 1st-round pick in 2025, and he's been limited to a role in the dime defense as well as an injury replacement role for the outside cornerbacks.
It's going to be interesting to see if Barron starts Friday's game against Atlanta, because what does Pat Surtain II really have to prove out there? Barron should be getting as many reps as possible as the Broncos look to keep building up his confidence.
The hope is that Barron can go out there, make a bunch of plays, and really give the team some confidence that his role could -- and should -- expand in the near future.
Safety: JL Skinner
You could really put any backup safety in this spot, but the Broncos' depth behind starters Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones is questionable, no matter what way you slice it.
The team recently had veteran Taylor Rapp in for a visit, and it wouldn't be surprising if he ended up signing at some point. Rapp has played in 93 games (starting 72) over the course of his NFL career, and we saw in the playoffs last season just how valuable it was to have someone with experience -- PJ Locke -- step in for an injured player.
If the safety position has been getting diced up at training camp, all of these guys are going to be under pressure to prove they can do more than just play special teams. That's a valuable trait and ability to have, but it's not the only thing that matters.
Specialists: Cameron Ross, punt returner
Dating all the way back to rookie minicamp, UDFA rookie WR Cameron Ross has been consistently making the most plays among this year's undrafted crop at the position. And Ross has added value in the return game.
It's not set in stone, but keep this possibility in mind: Cameron Ross might be the only Broncos rookie to be playing with the top unit on offense, defense, or special teams in the preseason opener.
With Marvin Mims Jr. and Michael Bandy sidelined right now due to injuries, it's possible that Ross will be the first one up to return punts. He's listed on the team's first unofficial depth chart as the third punt returner, so with the two guys in front of him recovering, it would make sense that he would be the first one out.
And that is an incredible opportunity for the rookie. Not that the Broncos need someone to challenge Marvin Mims Jr., one of the best in the NFL at returning kicks and punts, but having a quality backup is needed. Michael Bandy muffed his first chance against Houston last year, and if Ross can make a positive impression here, he could make a really strong case for himself.
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