The Denver Broncos are set to take on the Indianapolis Colts for their first preseason game on Sunday, finally giving us our first chance to see the new-look Broncos.
Throughout training camp many players have shown flashes of how they could contribute in a significant way this upcoming season, but will those training camp morsels carry into live action? Answers are just around the corner.
Who are some of these players and why should you look out for them? Let’s take a look.
1. Bo Nix
The easy one.
Along with Broncos Country, the Denver Broncos have done nothing but tip their hand about how excited they are about the rookie quarterback.
Bo Nix was in a competition with Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson that quickly dwindled down to a two-horse race, as Wilson lagged behind, heading into the preseason.
After the first preseason game, the excitement about the young quarterback has skyrocketed. For a fan base that has been burned by so many field generals, Nix finally provides a glimmer of hope. Watching Nix’s first preseason showing was one of the more enjoyable offensive showcases of the last decade of Broncos football, so of course you have to watch him in this preseason’s remaining games.
Throughout all that we’ve seen so far, Nix has shown great command and understanding of the offense, and yet, he also hasn’t been afraid to let loose and make mistakes. If Nix can continue to build on the balance of playmaking and smart decision-making he displayed in his debut, he’ll quickly lock down the starting job.
2. Devaughn Vele
Coming out of Utah as a 26-year-old seventh-round wide receiver, Broncos Country wasn’t thrilled with the selection and many people didn’t give him much of a chance.
Once he got to training camp though, he started turning heads.
Vele has been showing flashes of high-end ability, but also more consistent success than you would typically see from a rookie throughout training camp, let alone one picked at the end of the draft.
He has unbelievable hands and catch radius, and his movement skills are reminiscent of Tim Patrick.
During red-zone work at practice last week, Jarrett Stidham lofted a high and outside slot fade ball to Vele. At that point, it’s hard to imagine any of the players, coaches, or fans at camp that day thought he was gonna come down with an impressive one-handed catch. He did.
In the first preseason game, Vele only hauled in one reception for an eight-yard gain, which came on a pretty out-route toss from Bo Nix. He also drew two defensive pass interference penalties for two large gains.
He was also notably well ahead of Troy Franklin in the wide receiver rotation for Denver’s first preseason game. If any Broncos rookie is going to be making a Year 1 impact, it appears like it will be Vele.
3. JL Skinner
It’s hard to project what this year will look like for JL Skinner after being inactive for 15 of the 17 games last season, and only seeing 10 snaps in the two games he was active in, but with a strong preseason he could make a name for himself.
The Broncos have made plenty of moves in the safety room this offseason in addition to Kareem Jackson leaving during last season. Moving on from All-Pro Justin Simmons, and other additions like signing former Miami Dolphin Brandon Jones and re-signing P.J. Locke, the safety room was in for a complete shake-up.
This left the door open for Skinner to take advantage of an opportunity and earn himself some playing time. With the Broncos’ release of fellow safety Caden Sterns this past week, and Brandon Jones dealing with a hamstring ailment, it’s hard not to think that the potential of the hard-hitting second year player didn’t factor into that decision.
Skinner is slotted as the backup safety on the Broncos Unofficial Depth Chart, and a strong preseason from Skinner should make Broncos Country feel much better about the depth and future at that position.
However, in the Broncos’ first preseason game, Skinner came into the game after Devon Key, and Key had a solid outing. If Skinner wants to reclaim his spot as this team’s third safety, he needs to wow down the stretch.
4. Greg Dulcich
The first non-rookie to be included in the list is third-year tight end Greg Dulcich. The 2022 third-rounder has struggled staying healthy throughout his first two seasons in the NFL.
He battled a lingering hamstring injury throughout the 2022 and 2023 seasons and when he had finally thought the hamstring problems were behind him, he suffered a foot injury in his first practice back. He had surgery this offseason and has seemed to be fully healthy for the first time in a long time.
Early on in the offseason many people were tagging Dulcich as a player who had to prove something if he wanted to stay on this roster. He has done just that.
The speedy vertical threat tight end may not necessarily be a perfect fit in a Sean Payton offense, but Dulcich has shown he deserves a big role this season, and Jimmy Graham’s career proves that Payton knows how to utilize this breed of pass-catcher.
In his preseason debut, he only caught one pass for five yards, but there was still something to be excited about in his performance. On his lone other target of the game, Bo Nix rushed the throw with pressure in his face, throwing Dulcich into a hard hit from a crashing safety. Yet Dulcich immediately bounced up and jogged back towards the huddle, until the sideline called him back to make a rotation.
It’s nothing big, but it is exciting to see Dulcich face some heavy contact and not go down.
With the body and hair feeling as strong as ever, if Dulcich can have a good preseason he can really cement himself as an elite receiving threat to this staff.
5. Kris Abrams-Draine
Kris Abrams-Draine was surprisingly still available in the fifth round, becoming a pick for the Denver Broncos in the 2024 NFL Draft, and he is already living up to his ‘steal’ billing.
It doesn’t seem like a day of practice goes by without hearing about Abrams-Draine having a good PBU, and that is nothing short of promising for the young cornerback. On top of that, he managed to haul in an interception in his preseason debut.
“He’s a young guy and it was his first NFL camp. He wasn’t sure from a mental standpoint and a physical standpoint, but he came back confident,” defensive coordinator Vance Joseph when he was asked about Abrams-Draine this past week.
Abrams-Draine seemed more like a long-term selection and wasn’t expected to have much of role on defense this year, but with Levi Wallace suffering a hamstring injury, and Riley Moss and Damarri Mathis not showing much promise to be the starting boundary corner opposite of Patrick Surtain II, a strong preseason could thrust Abrams-Draine into some serious playing time.
At the least, Sterns’ departure and Moss’s promotion opens up a void at ‘dime corner’. Right now, Abrams-Draine is the leader in the clubhouse there.
