Looking at the Denver Broncos roster, the team will see some competitive position battles in training camp. It’s no secret that Sean Payton will be taking this team in a very different direction, meaning few players on the roster are safe.
The team has several new players in all areas. First-round pick Bo Nix and most of the rookies will be part of the team’s immediate plans. However, the team had to take a less aggressive approach to free agency due to the impact of the dead money hit from Russell Wilson’s contract.
With only 53 spots available on the final roster, the team faces difficult decisions, and some of them could involve players the team just brought on board.
New Broncos who may not make the team’s final 53-man roster
Devaughn Vele, wide receiver
The Broncos have been doing some organizational team activities this offseason, and one of the guys who has been making waves is rookie wide receiver Devaughn Vele.
#BroncosLandsay hello to @devaughn_vele 👋https://t.co/ozVyfAr4dy pic.twitter.com/5sruGJTs5S
— UtahFootball (@Utah_Football) 30 April 2024
The seventh-round pick from Utah has a good combination of size and speed, and he fits the traits Payton typically looks for in his wide receivers. But where does he fit on the roster?
The Broncos likely have Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., Josh Reynolds and rookie Troy Franklin locked into their roster spots, leaving one, maybe two spots open. Tim Patrick, Brandon Johnson and Jalen Virgil will also be in the mix, so Vele will have a tough mountain to climb.
Angelo Blackson, defensive player
There is arguably no bigger opportunity on this roster than the defensive line position, and that bodes well for Angelo Blackson. He was one of the experienced free agent additions the team made, but he will likely compete for a backup position.
Zach Allen, DJ Jones and John Franklin-Myers are expected to be the team’s starters, so Blackson will compete with Malcolm Roach and Matt Henningsen for playing time. The team also has Jordan Jackson, Jordan Miller, Elijah Garcia and Brandon Matterson, and while Blackson should be superior to all of those players, he will have to earn his spot.
Nick Gargiulo, offensive lineman
If this roster has a strength right now, it might be the offensive line. The question remains as to who the team’s center will be, but other than that, it’s a solid unit.
Nick Gargiulo, who played center at South Carolina, was drafted in the seventh round, but it remains to be seen if the Broncos plan to use him as a center or guard. Matt Peart, Calvin Throckmorton and Alex Palczewski are projected as rotation linemen for the team, meaning Gargiulo will have a tough time earning a spot.
The Broncos have Sam Mustipher and Luke Wattenberg competing with Alex Forysth for the starting center spot, so there are a lot of players fighting for a spot on the roster, and they won’t be able to keep them all. Add names like Demontrey Jacobs and Quinn Bailey into the mix, and Gargiulo will likely be eyeing a spot on the practice squad.
Zach Wilson, quarterback
Zach Wilson is one of the most interesting players on this roster. He could be anything from a Week 1 starter to someone who isn’t even on the team.
The former No. 2 overall pick wants to revive his career, but it won’t be easy as Nix is ​​considered Jarrett Stidham’s man of the future and will almost certainly be ahead of him on the roster before training camp.
Wilson will have to silence his critics to be the backup quarterback or, at best, the bridge until Nix is ​​ready. If neither of those things materialize for the recently signed quarterback, his future in the league will be very questionable.
