2024 Broncos' Season, Pre-Season, Week 1

 

Pre-Season Week 1: Denver Broncos 34, Indianapolis Colts 30
Pre-Season Record: 1-0 (0-0 Home)
Key Play: In the Fourth Quarter, with under six minutes left, undrafted rookie Blake Watson scampered in from six yards out to give the Broncos a 34-24 lead. They held on for the four-point win.

Recap: The Broncos kick-started the pre-season in fine fashion. The team scored 34 points, got a good look at rookie Bo Nix, and won the game. I suspect Nix, who came in second Sunday and will start Week 2, will be the Opening Day starter. The rookie looked poised, going 15-for-21 for 125 yards and a touchdown. He led four scoring drives that produced 20 points. I was pleased to see a lot of things from the Broncos' offense in the game. I thought the defense was solid enough in the first half. There were some good plays on both sides as the young team showed a bit of promise. That's going to make roster decisions even more difficult, which is a nice problem to have. Overall, it was a good showing for the Broncos.

Game Balls:
* Bo Nix: The rookie threw for 125 yards and a touchdown.
* Blake Watson: The undrafted rookie rushed for 26 yards and a touchdown and had a 33-yard reception.

Roster Projections:

Each week of the pre-season I'll be updating my projection for the Final 53 roster. Below are my thoughts following Week 1.

QB: 3
On the Roster: Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham, Zach Wilson
About: I'm unchanged here, as I think the Broncos will keep all three QBs.

RB: 4
On the Roster: Javonte Williams, Audric Estime, Jaleel McLaughlin, Michael Burton
Cut: Samaje Perine
Practice Squad: Blake Watson, Tyler Badie
About: This is the first of many tough position groups. The Broncos could keep an extra back, but it would be at the expense of another needed position. I think the tough cut here is Perine, the veteran. I think the Broncos keep Watson and Badie on the Practice Squad and run with three backs, going younger, and a fullback.

WR: 6
On the Roster: Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, Josh Reynolds, Marvin Mims, Troy Franklin, and Brandon Johnson
Cut: Michael Bandy, David Sills V, Phillip Dorsett
Practice Squad: Jalen Virgil, Devaughn Vele, and Lil'Jordan Humphrey
About: This is an interesting group and the battle, to me, is about the last spot. Vele or Virgil could make a play for the final spot based on Special Teams ability. It seems like Sutton, Patrick, and Reynolds have settled in at the top, with Mims and Franklin the young guns coming up.

TE: 4
On the Roster: Greg Dulcich, Adam Trautman, Lucas Krull, Nate Adkins
Cut: Thomas Yassmin
Practice Squad: Hunter Kampmoyer
About: This is a spot where the Broncos could go with three, but with the injury history for Dulcich I think they keep Adkins just in case. There's upside here but it remains to be seen how it's going to play out.

Offensive Line: 8
On the Roster: Garrett Bolles, Mike McGlinchey, Ben Powers, Quinn Meinerz, Luke Wattenburg, P.J. Mustipher, Alex Palczewski, Will Sherman
IR: Quinn Bailey
Cut: Matt Peart, Frank Crum, Demontrey Jacobs, Oliver Jervis
Practice Squad: Alex Forsyth, Calvin Throckmorton, Nick Gargulio
About: This is another tough group. The top four of the starters seem like locks. With Bailey on IR, there are fewer options for depth. I think center is the weak spot, with Wattenburg the likely starter and Mustipher making the team. I also picked Sherman and Palczewski to round out the group, with a trio on the Practice Squad. Still some questions here.

Defensive Line: 6
On the Roster: Zach Allen, Malcolm Roach, John Franklin-Myers, D.J. Jones, Matt Henningsen, and Elijah Garcia
Cut: Angelo Blackson, Eyioma Uwazurike
Practice Squad: Jordan Jackson, Jordan Miller
About: This is a unit the Broncos have worked on this off-season. The additions of Roach and Franklin-Myers helps. I like Allen and Jones, too. I also have the team keeping a couple young players in Henningsen and Garcia to round out the unit, with a couple young prospects on the Practice Squad.

Linebackers: 10
On the Roster: Alex Singleton, Cody Barton, Baron Browning, Jonathon Cooper, Nik Bonitto, Jonah Elliss, Drew Sanders, Justin Strnad, Thomas Incoom, Jonas Griffith
Cut: Andre Smith, Ronnie Perkins, Alex Mock, Durrell Nchami, Dondrea Tillman
Practice Squad: Jaylon Allen, Levelle Bailey
About: The Broncos are deep at linebacker, and this is a position that includes pass-rushers, every down players, and Special Teamers. I changed my count to keep 10. That might be ambitious, but it might be what the Broncos need. I also kept two rookies to the Practice Squad. This is a big position for the team.

Cornerback: 5
On the Roster: Pat Surtain, II, Levi Wallace, Ja'Quan McMillian, Riley Moss, Damarri Mathis
Cut: Tremon Smith, Quinton Newsome, Reese Taylor
Practice Squad: Kris Abrams-Draine, Art Green
About: The Broncos have a great star in Surtain and a veteran in Wallace. Beyond that, the team has some young players and I picked three to make the final roster and two for the Practice Squad.

Safety: 4
On the Roster: Brandon Jones, P.J. Locke, J.L. Skinner, Delarrin Turner-Yell
Cut: Omar Brown, Devon Key, Tanner McCalister
Practice Squad: Keidron Smith
About: This unit has been re-made the most this off-season. I think this is the four we're keeping, but we'll see if someone leaps out the rest of the pre-season.

Special Teams: 3
On the Roster: Will Lutz, Riley Dixon, Mitchell Fraboni
Cut: Trenton Gill
About: I think the status quo remains here.