The Denver Broncos will have one of the most intense roster competitions in recent memory, with the first on-field look at every player coming at OTAs in the near future. The Broncos returned the vast majority of their roster from last year, but still made a few notable additions and are bringing a full draft class -- plus a haul of undrafted free agents -- into the mix. The Broncos are going to need to figure out a few key roster battles with role players and rotational pieces.
The 2026 schedule release has come and gone, leaving the start of OTAs as the next major date on the Broncos' schedule. The Broncos' first set of OTAs begins on June 2 and runs through June 4 before convening again from June 9-11. This will be general manager George Paton and head coach Sean Payton's first full look at the majority of their 2026 roster, and the needle will start moving on a few key names.
Denver's roster figures to be one of the deepest in football again this year, but that only means that competition will be fiercer and players will have fewer spots to claim. On the offensive side of the ball, there should be three positions specifically that see competition with minimal room, if any, to claim a roster spot. This puts a few veterans in a bind and could result in their time with the Broncos coming to a close.
These three Denver Broncos could see their time with the team running out before long
3) TE Nate Adkins
Nate Adkins is likely the lowest on the depth chart in what is now an incredibly crowded Broncos tight end room and might not make it too long into Broncos camp before becoming a roster casualty. The Broncos drafted a pair of tight ends on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft, have 2025 seventh-rounder Caleb Lohner catching the coaching staff's attention, and all of their tight ends from last year returning aside from Marcedes Lewis.
Adkins has contributed the least to the team in recent years in terms of statistical output, and the Broncos already experienced life without him when he was hurt for a large chunk of last season. In a tight end room that currently employs seven guys, he might face the most significant uphill battle. He also has the least long-term upside, which could be the deciding factor between him and a guy like Lohner.
2) OT Matt Peart
Matt Peart made a start for the Broncos last year, was pushed around by the Jets' defensive line, got hurt, and did not take the field again. The Broncos have brought in younger options over the past two years, and Peart is playing on a salary reduction in the final year of his contract with the Broncos, which can be easily moved on from.
Alex Palczewski, Kage Casey, Frank Crum, and Alex Forsyth figure to be Denver's primary backup linemen if the Broncos run with the usual nine. In this scenario, Peart is firmly on the outside looking in. Even if he is to impress in camp, the likes of Calvin Throckmorton and Nick Gargiulo would be competing in the same way Peart is.
1) The RB duo of Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie
The Broncos' top three running backs are pretty clear at this point: starter JK Dobbins, backup and change-of-pace option RJ Harvey, and rookie Jonah Coleman. The Broncos carried three running backs on the 53-man roster last year, and none of the three mentioned above are at any real risk of not being rostered.
The Broncos could stash one of McLaughlin or Badie on the practice squad and be elevated during the season, but both are facing an incredible uphill battle to make Denver's 53-man roster. The Broncos are currently positioned to carry more depth than other teams at receiver and tight end, which squeezes them into going lighter on running back with the 53-man roster.
Neither Badie nor McLaughlin did enough last year to have a strong roster standing entering the season, and it could come back to bite them in the coming weeks.
Add us as a preferred source on Google