Mile High Sports
The Denver Broncos had a handful of players who stood out during their offseason program dating back to rookie minicamp, organized team activities, and mandatory minicamp.
Which players’ stocks have risen from the offseason program?
With 90 players on the roster and no pads, sometimes certain positions are a lot harder to evaluate, but which players passed the eye test during minicamp?
Broncos rookies will report for training camp on July 22, while veterans report on July 28, and these players are names to keep an eye on.
Jaylen Waddle. There was a lot of buzz surrounding Waddle after the Broncos traded for him, and we had our chance to see him up close during minicamp.
How he’s being used by Davis Webb and Sean Payton is exciting, and while I can’t dive into the details of what that looks like, it helps support the initial theory I had when the team traded for him. Defenses are going to have to worry about where No. 17 is lined up.
Bo Nix said it best when he spoke to us during minicamp. Waddle is explosive, and he has the capability of bringing a one-and-done element to the offense — one play, touchdown that is.
His presence should open things up for Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims, and Pat Bryant as Denver’s receiver room is loaded.
I truly believe that Waddle is the missing piece that this offense has been aiming for to complement the other elements that will allow this unit to succeed.
Evan Engram saw his stock rise as well during minicamp, with Webb seemingly making a concerted effort to feature him and get him the ball. After seeing a career-low in snaps played in 2025, early indications from OTAs and minicamp suggest that he’ll be an important part of the offense this season.
Denver lived in 11-personnel last season and Adam Trautman saw significantly more snaps because of his blocking ability, but Webb should find a way to get Engram on the field more.
Sam Ehlinger had an impressive offseason program, as it appears he and Jarrett Stidham will compete for the backup quarterback job behind Nix. Ehlinger isn’t afraid to pull the trigger downfield. Stidham seemed to make the smart plays during OTAs and was methodical whenever attacking downfield. When the pads come on, this position battle between both of these guys will be one to watch.
If Ehlinger or Stidham have a strong preseason once again, it could draw some potential trade interest for them before roster cuts take place.
Jordan Turner impressed the Broncos enough last year during rookie minicamp as a tryout player that he was extended an invite to training camp. He stood out in the preseason last year and saw some special teams snaps down the stretch. Going into this...
