8 Broncos With the Most to Gain in Preseason Game 2 vs. Niners

These Denver Broncos have a great opportunity to rise on Saturday night.

As the Denver Broncos prepare for their second preseason game, they also look to shake off a loss. While the win/loss column doesn't matter, coaches and players want to win. They're competitors, and losing doesn't sit well. 

Even in the loss to the Arizona Cardinals in preseason Game 1, plenty of players stood out on an individual level. They've had good practices so far, but if they can keep it up and chain a couple of good games together, they'll be able to rise up their respective depth charts.

Some could even win a roster spot. Let's break down the eight Broncos with the most to gain on Saturday night vs. the San Francisco 49ers.

Jaleel McLaughlin | RB

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The smallish McLaughlin is explosive. He's so quick and sudden that he can make defenders miss in tight spaces, then quickly accelerate to pick up yards. While he only played 10 snaps in preseason Game 1, he touched the ball on five of them and picked up 32 total yards — 20 rushing and 12 receiving.

Now, McLaughlin was playing against third and fourth-string defenders as the final Broncos running back to enter the game. However, it should vault him to the fourth spot on the depth chart, ahead of Tony Jones, Jr., who played nine snaps with four touches for 13 total yards.

Before taking the third spot from Tyler Badie, who also had a good game against the Cardinals, McLaughlin must be exposed to second-unit defenses. Over the years, many running backs have looked good against the guys at the bottom of the depth chart, but only a few continue to show it as they continue to climb up the depth chart.

If McLaughlin can get some reps against the second-unit Niners defense, which is a deep unit, he significantly increases his chances to take the third spot from Badie. That said, McLaughlin should have already climbed up a spot, but we will get an answer when the Niners game starts and observe when he enters the game.

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Lil'Jordan Humphrey | WR

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Humphrey saw the field a lot against the Cardinals but walked out with one catch for 26 yards on three targets. However, what stood out the most was how fierce he was as a blocker. He played 30 of the 64 snaps on offense, the second most, and saw time against second and third-unit defensive backs.

It was a good showing, and Humphrey made his claim with multiple spots at wide receiver up for grabs. Adding a good game against the Niners could make it hard to pass him over. 

However, it's interesting that Humphrey played no snaps on special teams in any capacity against the Cardinals. So monitor whether that changes. He could see usage as a gunner. 

Nate Adkins | TE

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Adkins was the third Broncos tight end to enter the game, with Chris Manhertz not playing. Adkins also saw a lot of snaps as the backup fullback behind Michael Burton, who struggled significantly in his five snaps. 

Adkins' versatility was on display over his 24 snaps on offense. He played one snap wide, seven in the slot, 12 inline, and four as the fullback. No matter where he lined up, he did well as a blocker.

As with others, Adkins wasn't facing first-unit guys. There were some against second-unit but mostly were third-unit. It didn't matter, as he played well consistently. 

While it may be unlikely that Adkins overtakes Burton as the starting fullback, if he flashes his versatility and consistency as a blocker against the Niners, he could make it hard to cut him. 

Isaiah Prince | OT

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Before getting into this, Prince did not have a good Game 1, but he wasn't a trainwreck like the two tackles ahead of him.

Prince is the backup right tackle, and he started with Mike McGlinchey out. It's worth noting that the Broncos did not cross-play any offensive linemen against the Cardinals. Whatever spot they saw action at, they stayed there. Of the starting five, Prince was the best one of the bunch.

Prince outperformed left tackles Garett Bolles and Cam Fleming — both tackles that he played opposite. It wasn't a clean game, as Prince allowed a sack and got called for multiple penalties.

Even so, it's noteworthy that Prince outperformed the tackles ahead of him. It will be interesting to see whether he gets any action as the left tackle against the Niners.

Prince did well handling first and second-unit defenders. Prince has a lot to gain as he could push Fleming as the potential swing tackle, but Prince also has a lot to lose with a tackle we'll talk about next standing out behind him. 

Alex Palczewski |OT

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Palczewski had a good game against third and fourth-unit defenders. The Cardinals have one of the weakest defensive fronts in the NFL, if not the weakest, but Palczewski is breathing down Prince's neck. 

If Palczewski can stand out against a more formidable and deeper Niners defense, there's a chance he can overtake the backup right tackle job. 

Luke Wattenberg | IOL

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It was essentially a disaster when Wattenberg saw the field as a rookie, even in the preseason. That wasn't the case in preseason Game 1. On offense, Wattenberg did a good job against the Cardinals and was consistent, which can't be said about Cushenberry.

Wattenberg did quite well as a run blocker, which is where Cushenberry struggles the most, and this will be a run-heavy offense. Can Wattenberg overtake the starting job? 

If Wattenberg can stand out against the Niners, maybe he can see some action against the first-unit defense. At the very least, he can cement himself as the backup center and put more distance between him and Alex Forsyth. 

Marcus Haynes | OLB

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Color me impressed. The Old Dominion pass rusher was all over the field. While I was focused on Thomas Incoom, the other undrafted free-agent edge rusher was overlooked. Not anymore. 

Haynes killed it with his quickness and explosiveness, picking up three pressures and opening up space or forcing the quarterback to move, which led to a couple of sacks.

The issue is how Haynes struggled as a run defender, primarily holding up on the edge. When he could chase the play, he looked better. 

There is an open spot or two for pass rushers behind Frank Clark, Randy Gregory, Jonathon Cooper, and Nik Bonitto. If Haynes continues to do well and stands out against the Niners, one of those spots could easily be his.

Ja'Quan McMillian | CB

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I have praised Ja'Quan McMillian over the offseason, and Patrick Surtain II added praise of his own during the first week of practice. McMillian started the preseason Game 1 as the boundary corner opposite Damarri Mathis with Surtain out. 

McMillian also started the 2022 season finale as the boundary corner and did well. He played in the nickel during the game against the Cardinals and excelled. His versatility could be a significant factor in the future. 

The more you can do on the football field, the better. McMillian can play inside, on the boundary, and on special teams. He did well in all special teams phases against the Cardinals. Despite not having the big splash plays, it was a great game from the second-year corner. 

McMillian added a sack and three stops to his three tackles and three catches allowed. He was tough against the run from the boundary and nickel. 

Another such performance against the Niners could cement McMillian as the No. 4 corner with rookie third-rounder Riley Moss out, even after Moss returns to action. 

At the very least, McMillian has the chance to cement himself on the 53-man roster, especially with how some other corners struggled against the Cardinals. 

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