Broncos Camp: How the Key Position Battles Are Shaping Up

It's time to update the Denver Broncos key position battles four practices into training camp.

Erick Trickel | Jul 28, 2024

Jul 26, 2024; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) and center Alex Forsyth (54) and center Luke Wattenberg (60) during training camp at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit. / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

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Denver Broncos

Training camp is underway at Denver Broncos HQ, as are multiple camp battles. With the first four days of camp in the books, the Broncos are preparing to put the pads on for Monday.

It can be hard to predict how camp battles are shaping up, especially without pads on, but you can get some insight. How are the Broncos'camp battles going with the first few practices down?

Let's break down the buzz.

Quarterback

There isn’t any change with the quarterback situation four days in, nor was there expected to be. It's an even rotation for the quarterbacks to get them some time with the first-team offense, with Jarrett Stidham and Bo Nix as the top two.

While we can expect the rotation to last a little longer, it should be resolved sometime after the first preseason game, which is on August 11 against the Indianapolis Colts.

Running Back

Entering training camp, the talk was that Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine were competing for one roster spot, and this battle seemed to be tilting in one direction. Williams dropped 11 pounds in the six weeks leading up to camp, and he looks quite different from last year, in a good way. He has had multiple good days in practice and has started to separate himself.

Part of the equation here is Perine's contract details, who counts $4.5 million against the salary cap,. The Broncos could part ways with him via a cut or trade and save $3 million.

Perine's cap hit is almost as much as Williams, Audric Estimé, Jaleel McLaughlin, and Blake Watson — the four expected running backs to make the roster — combined. It was always going to be challenging for Perine to overcome the financial side of this battle.

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Center

Recent reports suggest that Luke Wattenberg is breaking away from Alex Forsyth and Sam Mustipher for the starting job. Of course, the Broncos' offensive line is one of the most limited positions in camp due to the lack of pads, so from Monday on, it should be easier to measure.

It will be interesting to see if Wattenberg can extend his supposed lead or if Forsyth or Mustipher can gain some of the lost ground.

Inside Linebacker

Another position that is a little difficult to resolve without pads on is between Cody Barton and Jonas Griffith, who are battling for the starting job next to Alex Singleton. The battle is still ongoing.

This battle will likely continue well into the preseason, barring an injury, to get a good look at both players in pads and game situations working next to Singleton to find the best duo for the season.

Cornerback

The top corner is set with Patrick Surtain II, and the nickel is set with Ja’Quan McMillian, but the second boundary corner is up in the air, and there is a rotation for the spot. Riley Moss, Levi Wallace, and Damarri Mathis seem to be the three competing for the job. Moss was viewed as the favorite entering camp.

The defense has been doing extremely well through practice, and this battle is still underway. However, Moss entered camp as the favorite and is still considered the favorite to walk away as the starter opposite Surtain, but it was Wallace who made a big play on Saturday, picking off Nix.

Safety

It's been a mixed bag for the safety battle. Brandon Jones suffered a hamstring injury on the third practice day. While it's not viewed as severe, hamstring injuries are always tough.

On the flip side, Caden Sterns, who started camp on the physically unable-to-perform list, was activated, which is a good step forward. However, injuries remain a concern at the position.

Due to the injuries, the battle isn’t clear, and it may be a while before the picture starts to form. These are the battles to keep an eye on for the next couple of weeks, and they can resolve quickly.