Broncos' Biggest Risers & Fallers From 34-30 Preseason Win Over Colts

Here's your Denver Broncos stock report coming out of preseason Game 1.

Aug 11, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) and quarterback Bo Nix (10) stand on the field during warm ups before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. / Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports

The Denver Broncos finally found their way back onto the field for the first time since January. The long offseason is finally coming to a close, and the competition for starting jobs on the Broncos roster is heating up.

One player that always comes to mind at this time of year is Broncos Hall-of-Famer Terrell Davis. At one point, he was thinking about quitting because he was not sure he belonged in the league.

As a rookie in 1995, Davis made a special-teams tackle that changed everything for him. The rest is history.

The Broncos didn't have a player show up quite to that level in preseason Game 1 vs. the Indianapolis Colts, but there were some players that helped their cause, while others saw an opportunity disappear before them.

The Broncos put up 34 points to Indy's 30. But who were the Broncos' biggest risers and fallers from Indy? Let's get into it.

Riser: Bo Nix | QB

This is an easy choice. The Broncos couldn't have written a better script for how Nix could start his NFL career. Maybe Josh Reynolds catching that should-have-been touchdown would have further boosted Nix’s stats, but for the most part, this was a very clean game for the rookie quarterback.

Nix's first throw started off a bit rocky with pressure in his face, almost leading to an interception and seeing tight end Greg Dulcich get banged up, but that almost seemed to calm him down and he got right to work doing what he does best. Nix was accurate, quick to get the football out, and decisive with his reads.

This helped lead to four scoring drives out of five possessions. The only Nix drive that didn't end in points was due to a fumble by tight end Lucas Krull. 

There were no big wow moments in this one for Nix, but it was the methodical work of playing within the design of the play. This is something that was missing last year leading to a lot of negative plays and drives getting stalled before the Broncos could hardly get going.

I'm sure Sean Payton is smiling ear to ear watching his quarterback take zero sacks, work within the pocket, and march down the field to keep putting points on the board. In fact, the Broncos scored the most points of any team for Week 1 of the NFL preseason. 

Faller: Samaje Perine | RB

There have been rumblings that only one of Perine and Javonte Williams will be on this roster when cut-down day comes. This was not a game where Williams was so good that he went and won the competition so much as it was Perine blowing a big opportunity to show he should stick around.

What made Perine so special to the Broncos last year was his ability to be a great all-around running back who could help on the ground as well as in the passing game. Jarrett Stidham had a great throw to Perine out into the flat, wide open, only to see him struggle to bring in the pass, bobble it up in the air, leading to a big turnover.

Perine suddenly forgot how to catch the football, but in a tight competition, every little mistake is amplified, especially in the few opportunities given in the preseason. After the game, Payton pointed directly to turnovers being one of the most frustrating parts of the game.

The other part of the equation here is that the Broncos would save about $3 million by cutting Perine. He needs to show the team he is better than what they're paying him, and that wasn't the case in this game.

Riser: Jonah Elliss | OLB

The rookie class did not disappoint in this game. There's reason to put almost every single one of the draft picks on the riser list for this one as they held their own.

Elliss was given a lot of snaps and showed up on a few big game-turning plays. The first being at the end of the second half with the Colts in scoring position. He flew around the corner and was able to get the edge, hitting the quarterback’s hand as he was throwing, leading to a big interception. 

Later in the game, Elliss recorded his first NFL sack. He didn't win his rep right away, but he showed one of his best traits from college — never quitting on a play.

The quarterback was trying to escape out of the pocket and run for a first down. Elliss had the awareness to see the quarterback trying to take off and then had the athleticism to chase him down and force a punt. He proved he can be a big part of the Broncos' edge rotation heading into this season and make a Year 1 impact

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Faller: Cody Barton | ILB

One of the starting positions that is still open on the team is the linebacker spot next to Alex Singleton. This was supposed to be a great opportunity for one of those one of the Broncos' veterans to separate themselves in the competition, but both had their struggles.

Barton struggled to make an impact against the run, hesitating in fear of getting beat in the passing game. He held his own in coverage, though, understanding his spot in the zone and keeping plays to a minimum against him. 

Faller: Jonas Griffith | ILB

Griffith was almost the opposite, biting on play-action but showing up decently in the run game. This game has me thinking the Broncos might be playing a rotation.

On obvious run downs, Griffith takes the field, while in passing situations, Barton subs in to see if the Broncos can cover up some of their weaknesses. 

Riser: Alex Singleton | ILB

Thankfully, the Broncos' other starting linebacker looked good. Singleton was flying all over the field making some plays in the backfield and disrupting the passing game when given a chance. He made a great tackle on a third down play to keep the receiver short of the first down and force a punt.

The Broncos need Singleton to be the best they've ever seen for this defense to be decent. The unknown next to him and at safety, at this time, make the middle of the field a very vulnerable place for this defense, but if Singleton can take that next step, he could help minimize those struggles. 

Faller: Alex Forsyth | C

Forsyth was the talk of the town all offseason and summer long. Many expected him to win the center job left by Lloyd Cushenberry III this offseason. Forsyth has a connection with Nix from their time together at Oregon, was a draft pick by this current coaching staff, and showed himself well in college, which led many to believe he had the upper hand.

The Broncos did not even put an “Or” designation for the position when releasing the first depth chart. It seems like Luke Wattenberg has almost wrapped up getting the starting center position.

Forsyth struggled in this game, especially the run game. I only saw a couple of run plays in which he got any level of push. Many times, he was the one getting pushed around.

This game was his chance to show that the competition for starting center should not be over, but unfortunately, he showed the level of separation between him and Wattenberg at this time. 

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