10 Bite-Sized Takeaways From Broncos' 33-13 Loss to Packers

The Denver Broncos took on the Green Bay Packers at Mile High in their second preseason game of the summer.

The Broncos got a lot more of their first unit out there on the field on Friday night, with Bo Nix and Jaylen Waddle seeing the field and connecting on a big play. The Broncos ultimately lost the game 33-13, so what did we learn?

Here are 10 bite-sized takeaways from the Broncos' second preseason game.

Defensive Line Rotation Shakeup?

Sai’vion Jones ended up being the sixth player to take the field in the unit, but it was on a third down. More noteworthy is how early Jordan Jackson saw the field, getting reps with the first-team unit.

There is a clear sign that Jackson is the fifth guy on the D-line depth chart, with Jones and Tyler Onyedim competing as the sixth and seventh guys in the pecking order.

New Linebacker In the Mix

Due to an injury to Levelle Bailey, Red Murdock was the fourth linebacker against the Atlanta Falcons last week, but Jordan Turner is back, and he was the fourth linebacker against the Packers after missing the first game.

A battle between the two will be decided in the preseason finale, but Murdock once again led the team with seven tackles while Turner had one.

Jaylen Waddle Changes a Lot for the Passing Game

This isn’t a surprise, and it was only a small sample size, but the change Waddle brings to the passing game was easy to see. The Packers had to adjust their coverages to account for Waddle's speed.

It led to some big openings in the passing game, one of which Waddle himself exploited on a 35-yard reception on third down.

That speed after the catch is scary. Jaylen Waddle, it's gonna be a GREAT year! pic.twitter.com/T1btl9VaVJ
— Mile High Huddle (@MileHighHuddle) August 22, 2026

OC Davis Webb Will Use the Fullback

There has been a lot of talk about Denver cutting Adam Prentice and bringing him back on the practice squad, which could still happen, but it seems unlikely.

Webb has shown he has a clear plan for using Prentice in multiple ways, so why risk him going elsewhere?

Backup QB Battle Wasn't Real

Look, if there were a legitimate backup quarterback battle, Sam Ehlinger would have been the second quarterback and not Jarrett Stidham. The Broncos stuck with Stidham behind Bo Nix, and while he played poorly, they gave him a lot of run against the Packers.

Limiting Ehlinger's opportunity makes it clear there isn’t a battle here. Stidham is the QB2.

Broncos Are Deep at OLB

Que Robinson and Dondrea Tillman are the fourth and fifth rush linebackers, and they both made some big plays for the Broncos' defense. Robinson had a sack, and Tillman did extremely well against the run, even while those around him struggled.

Both players could be legitimate third-down rusher options with other teams.

Promise From Potential Backup Returners

Cameron Ross, Sean Fresch Jr., and Kolbe Katsis are getting looks as potential depth returners who can be on the practice squad or even the roster if the roster math works out.

What's more is what they showed on their respective sides of the ball. Katsis was the best as a returner, but Ross and Fresch did better on offense and defense, respectively.

Jahdae Barron Takes a Step Back

Not only did Barron get beaten for a touchdown, but he also got beaten off the snap in this one. And he looks bad as a run defender. Known as a reliable tackler, he missed at least one against the Packers.

Kris Abrams-Draine looked okay, but Barron was a mess. The former first-rounder is trending in the wrong direction for the Broncos, to the point where his future may not be at cornerback.

Denver’s O-Line Depth is Questionable at Best

Some of the Broncos' backup offensive linemen looked solid, like Calvin Throckmorton at center, but that's about it. At tackle, Frank Crum was getting beaten consistently; undrafted rookie center Gavin Ortega had a botched snap and gave up a sack; rookie right guard Kage Casey was up and down; the veteran Matt Peart was beaten fairly often, and that's only the beginning.

This game should lead to a lot more questions about the Broncos' offensive line depth.

Depth RB Pecking Order is Clear, But Questionable

After the top three backs, the Broncos went with Tyler Badie, then Jaleel McLaughlin, and ended with Cody Schrader. That clearly indicates the pecking order, but nothing about these running backs' play illustrates why, beyond familiarity.

Badie’s best play was a single pass-protection rep; McLaughlin remains inconsistent, and how he carries the ball raises some concerns; and Schrader consistently runs hard, looks good, and makes good plays.

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