5 Broncos With the Most to Gain vs. Rams in Preseason Finale

These Denver Broncos are facing a critical opportunity in the preseason finale.

In the final game of the 2023 preseason, the Denver Broncos host the Los Angeles Rams after a pair of days spending practice together at their Dove Valley headquarters. Head coach Sean Payton has already said that there is a possibility that some starters will see some limited action on Saturday, showing that this team is still searching for the right pieces in its final evaluation.

There are a few interesting storylines to watch heading into this weekend’s contest, with the roster cut-down deadline looming on August 29. Who has the most to gain from their performance against the Rams?

Nate Adkins | TE

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The tight end position already has the top-three players practically cemented in Adam Trautman, Greg Dulcich, and Chris Manhertz, so Adkins probably won’t be able to do much in that pecking order. However, his performance in camp and during the preseason games has made him the fourth-string tight end on the roster, as his versatility and blocking ability have practically pushed Albert Okwuegbunam off of the roster. 

Okwuegbunam still has rumors swirling about him potentially being traded following this week’s preseason games. Adkins has also shown ability as a special teams player and as a fullback coming out of the backfield, and players that show that kind of versatility are incredibly valuable as the roster math gets more and more tricky. 

Adkins caught all three of his targets last week against the Niners and showed well as a lead blocker, making it incredibly difficult to move on from his skill set. Another good showing for Adkins could cement his position on the roster, potentially even allowing the Broncos to move on from Michael Burton and save some cap space.

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Brandon Johnson | WR

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One of the more surprising developments at training camp was that Johnson was the first receiver on the field to fill in for Tim Patrick after the veteran tore his Achilles a couple of days into camp. Johnson was a camp favorite as an undrafted rookie last year as well, but seeing him immediately step into that role and continue to make plays was a good sign for him in terms of his role for this season.

Until he rolled his ankle and missed the last two weeks of practice.

Johnson returned to practice earlier this week and is expected to play on Saturday, giving him a golden opportunity to secure the third wide receiver slot. With Jalen Virgil sidelined after tearing his meniscus against the 49ers last week, Johnson should be able to have a great showing with multiple targets against a shaky Rams secondary.

Elijah Garcia | DL

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A former undrafted free agent out of Rice, Garcia has been one of the more enigmatic players on the roster throughout camp. Garcia has seemingly struggled in practice, getting pushed around and bullied by the Broncos offensive line. 

However, when the lights turn on, Garcia is one of the more dynamic playmakers for the Broncos' defense, racking up a pair of sacks in preseason Game 1 two weeks ago and getting another handful of pressures over the first two preseason games. His ability to get after the quarterback throughout the offseason has him squarely on the edge of the roster in a battle against second-year defensive lineman Matt Henningsen.

Henningsen has had an interesting development path over his first two seasons, showing incredibly well against the run last season as a rookie, while struggling to gain much push as a pass rusher. That has been the opposite throughout camp, making this battle with Garcia that much more fun to watch.

Garcia has mostly been facing off against third and fourth-stringers over the first two weeks, so getting a good run against the Rams second string offensive line could help push him over the hump and beat out Henningsen or potentially keep him on the roster as a sixth defensive lineman.

Luke Wattenberg | OL

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We’re going to pair these two players together because both of them are fighting for one spot as the swing interior offensive lineman. With both players seeing action at center and left guard in preseason games, to varying effect for either player, this battle will most likely determine the final offensive lineman spot.

Wattenberg got the first shot at the backup center position against the Cardinals, showing well in pass protection in only giving up one pressure on his 18 pass-blocking snaps. He also posted a pass-blocking efficiency rating of 97.1%. Against the 49ers, Wattenburg slid out to the left guard spot for 27 snaps and allowed a hit as a pass protector while also struggling to stand out as a run blocker. 

Kyle Fuller | OL

Fuller was the opposite, starting out as the second-string left guard and struggling in pass protection against the Arizona Cardinals. Fuller gave up four total pressures, including a hit against Arizona, before having a solid showing at center against the Niners, where he wouldn’t allow a single pressure in 18 total pass protection snaps.

Whichever player has the better showing against the Rams this weekend will probably win this close competition, with the other potentially being handed a slot on the practice squad should they clear waivers. 

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