Mile High Report
Tomorrow afternoon, the Denver Broncos will play their preseason finale vs. the New Orleans Saints. They are coming off two dominating performances vs. the 49ers and Cardinals and will look to finish the preseason on a high note with a victory over the Saints.
Unlike most preseason finales, we will see the Broncos’ starters play 8 to 10 snaps, according to Head Coach Sean Payton. They did not play in last weekend’s preseason game due to the joint practice a few days earlier, so they will see a series or two in this one. After that, the Broncos’ second and third team players will have one last opportunity to prove they belong on the 53-man roster ahead of final cuts.
With all that said, here are my five things to watch during the Broncos’ preseason finale vs. the Saints.
Sean Payton told reporters on Thursday that we will see the Broncos’ starters play 8 to 10 plays, but “that’s not just etched in stone”. So, we could see them play more or less, depending on how things go. Either way, we are going to see the Broncos’ starters one last time before the start of the 2025 regular season.
While I will be interested to see how the Broncos’ defense does, I will be more focused on the offense and how they do. We only saw the Broncos’ offense for one quarter vs. the 49ers, and it did not go well. They did bounce back with a very good showing vs. the Cardinals’ defense in the joint practice, but I want to see that with my own eyes tomorrow.
I want to see Bo Nix lead the Broncos offense for a touchdown against the Saints, who figure to be one of the worst teams in the league this upcoming season. If they struggle and look like they did vs. the 49ers, there will be some concern heading into week one. I would rather that not happen and hope the Broncos ease all concerns with a smooth and impressive touchdown drive.
Personally, I am not all that concerned and believe Sean Payton will get this offense going one way or another, but it would be nice to see.
I will also be paying attention to the wide receiver rotation. Now that Devaughn Vele is on the Saints, how will they use Troy Franklin and rookie Pat Bryant? I anticipate we will see one or both of these players make an impact while the starters are on the field.
We all know that veteran J.K. Dobbins and rookie R.J. Harvey are making the team. The question is, who will be the RB3 and RB4(if they keep four) on the roster? My guess is that it will be Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie who make the team while Blake Watson and Audric Estime push for...
