The Denver Broncos' starting lineup on both sides of the ball is surely not settled yet, and there are at least three players who can still end up on the bench if they struggle the rest of the offseason. The Denver Broncos play their first preseason game on Friday against the Arizona Cardinals, and head coach Sean Payton indicated that the starters will play.
The starters are also probably going to play in each preseason game depending on how things go. And with a few starting spots surely up for grabs, the current projected starters could still have some work to do. There are many positions that are settled, of course. No one is starting above players like Garett Bolles, Ben Powers, Quinn Meinerz, Mike McGlinchey, and others, but maybe there is some competition to start next to Justin Simmons.
Perhaps the pass rushers are vying for some spots, and there is surely some competition at wide receiver. Overall, there is definitely some competition left for the Denver Broncos. Let's dive into three projected starters who could begin the 2023 NFL season on the bench if they play poorly the rest of the offseason.
Denver Broncos: 3 starters who can still be benched with poor camp and preseason performances
1. Brett Maher, K
Many made a fuss about the Denver Broncos signing Brett Maher, and it was due to his horrid playoff appearance back in 2022 where he missed five extra points. However, Maher has been a very efficient kicker during his short NFL career. Since the beginning of the 2021 season, where he's spent time with the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys, Maher has made 60/65 extra points and 45/50 field goals.
In total, Maher has gone 105/115 on all field goal attempts in the regular season since 2021. The Denver Broncos have another kicker on the roster named Elliott Fry, and he's attempted just a handful of field goals during his NFL career. There really is no indication that Fry is a threat to win the starting kicker job, but what if Brett Maher's yips are here to stay? If Maher is inefficient in the preseason and during the rest of training camp, the team might be more inclined to ride with Elliott "French" Fry.