There's obviously going to be a major focus on the quarterback position for the Denver Broncos this offseason, but the roster as a whole has been under the microscope. The Broncos are said to have the worst roster in the league according to Pro Football Focus, and there aren't a lot of folks out there with the Broncos on their list of potential playoff teams. Despite unpopular public opinion, there are a lot of really interesting players and position battles all over the roster, and plenty of players who made waves throughout OTAs and minicamp.
Which Broncos players have seen their stock on the rise even before the pads come on at training camp?
5 Broncos players whose stock is rising before training camp
1. Josh Reynolds, wide receiver
The Broncos made a move in free agency to go out and get veteran receiver Josh Reynolds, who has spent the last couple of seasons with the Detroit Lions. Even though he's 6-foot-3, Reynolds is a completely different type of receiver than Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick. He's got a big catch radius and plenty of speed, but is able to play inside the slot or on the outside.
Last season with the Lions, Reynolds had a QB rating when targeted of 113.3, the highest of his career and one of the top 12 best in the league. He's such an important presence for anyone playing quarterback for the Broncos this season with his ability to get open at all levels of the field, move the chains, and convert in the red zone.
Sean Payton noted that Reynolds showed off his "strong hands" early in OTAs and having his chain-moving abilities will be huge for the offense staying on schedule and improving upon last year's dismal third-down numbers.
2. Lucas Krull, tight end
If there's one guy Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton hyped up during OTAs more than the rest, it's tight end Lucas Krull. What do the Broncos like so much about him?
"The same things we see in [TE Greg] Dulcich relative to we see a certain stature we like. So that means we have a bigger target. He has good vertical speed. He’s young, so we think there is room to grow. That was one of the reasons we signed him. So these camps benefit certain players—like I said the other day—a little bit more than others because you can get into your patterns and see some things. So he’s doing well."Sean Payton (via Broncos PR)
Krull had a standout practice back in May to the point that the media scrum was asking Payton about it after practice, and he delivered one of the best quotes of the 2024 offseason:
"I thought he’s had a good week. I said, ‘If you didn’t notice, everyone in the media was looking down at their rosters to see who [No.] 85 was.’ I said, ‘Someday soon, they’re going to know who 85 is.’ He’s looking sharp."Sean Payton
The emergence of Krull this season couldn't come at a better time with tight end being one of the biggest question marks on this roster as a whole.
3. Jaleel McLaughlin, running back
What if I told you Jaleel McLaughlin was maybe the safest running back on the Denver Broncos' roster right now? That might seem like a hot take given the presence of guys like Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine, the two veterans on the team, but it might be true.
And maybe that doesn't surprise you at all. McLaughlin got just over 100 touches last year as an undrafted rookie and he did very well with them. The Broncos want to get him more involved this year and while he won't likely be the number one back, I wouldn't be shocked if he ended up leading the running back stable in touches. He reportedly looked explosive all throughout OTAs, and he certainly has another gear that Williams, Perine, and rookie Audric Estimé don't really have.
4. Ja'Quan McMillian, cornerback
The Broncos are going to be looking for someone to take over the starting outside cornerback job opposite Pat Surtain II in 2024, and at this point, most people have assumed that it's going to be one of Riley Moss, Levi Wallace, or Damarri Mathis.
But what if Ja'Quan McMillian ends up being the best outside option?
It's a possibility as training camp approaches for the Broncos in 2024. McMillian had a breakout year from the slot in 2023 and was an outstanding in-season "addition" for the Broncos after Essang Bassey was benched and cut. McMillian made plays all over the field and despite his lack of ideal size, he has elite ball skills. He might be starting and playing on the outside for the Broncos after an impressive OTAs.
5. PJ Locke, safety
The Broncos cut Justin Simmons this offseason, but re-signing PJ Locke was a priority for the team. Locke has been around since 2019 and finally has seen extended snaps defensively the last two seasons. He played more in 2023 than ever before in his career, racking up 53 tackles on 539 defensive snaps.
Sean Payton outlined just how crucial it was for the Broncos to bring Locke back this year:
"Last season, I think he began to create that vision for himself, to his credit. [He was] closer to the ball as a pressure player, also in coverage. [It is] great to see him out there healthy. I think he earned some of those snaps and the confidence level for him. He’s one of the players when I talk about, ‘You see confidence through demonstrated.’ He saw it and felt it and then we saw it. It’s pretty powerful. He’s smart and he’s tough. The first time I remember talking to him for a long time about his role was when we were on a plane to go to [former S] Justin [Simmons]’s father’s funeral and his grandmother’s funeral. [S] P.J. Locke was on that plane, and we had a long conversation about that. Those are snaps he’s earned, and he’s put himself in a good position."Sean Payton
The Broncos are counting on Locke in a big way this season and he took up a bigger leadership role throughout the course of OTAs and minicamp.