10 Surprise Players Turning Heads at Broncos Camp

The Denver Broncos' roster isn't an easy one to crack.

If you are player No. 54 through No. 90 on the offseason roster, it's an especially uphill battle trying to rise on the depth chart in Denver. And yet, as training camp marches on, we're seeing many surprise players, many of whom would be categorized as being on the roster bubble, turning heads.

Let's take a look a handful of noteworthy Broncos commanding attention, many of whom opened camp as sleepers, and some as an afterthought.

Marvin Mims Jr. | WR

Mims is far from being a bottom-of-the-roster guy. He's definitely a lock, but he makes this list of surprise players for how productive and explosive he's been in camp thus far.

What's more, Mims seems to be more front-of-brain for the coaches this time around, and very much in the offensive mix, which I can only assume is due to the influence of new offensive coordinator Davis Webb. Jaylen Waddle complimented Mims this week, explaining what makes him so dangerous.

With a new contract to fight for, Mims hit camp like a man on a mission. Here's to hoping he can sustain this high level of impact throughout camp and into the preseason because having the explosiveness and speed of both him and Waddle will add a dynamic to the Broncos' offense that has been missing for years.

Hakeem Butler | WR

The Broncos signed Butler as soon as the UFL season ended in mid-June, and he wasted no time making his presence felt in camp. It's early, but Butler's first week of camp was replete with one downfield catch after another.

The 6-foot-5, 227-pound receiver is getting long in the tooth. At 30, he knows his NFL window could be closing if he doesn't capitalize on his opportunity in Denver this summer.

It's a precipitous climb, considering how deep Denver is at wide receiver, but Butler has definitely gotten a jump on things. For him, the key will be not taking any reps off.

Brent Austin | CB

The undrafted rookie out of Cal found himself at the bottom of a logjammed cornerback depth chart. By taking it one day at a time, Austin has made early progress, making several plays and stacking some pass break-ups.

He's an instinctual, feisty cover man. Austin's roster outlook may be dim, but if he continues on this path, he could earn a practice squad spot, where he could hang around and develop further into a player who could crack the roster at some point.

Taurean York | LB

Also an undrafted rookie, York has been running with the third-team defense. "Running with" might be the wrong way to portray it; "running the" third-team defense is more apt.

York has been a playmaker early, and has done a good job of communicating the play-calls and getting his teammates lined up. He looks like a rookie as close to "in command" as one could expect, even though we know he's still swimming in the NFL learning curve.

At 5-foot-10 and 220 pounds, York is the size of a safety. But since the pads have gone on, he's still finding his way off and around blocks to make plays on the ball-carrier.

The Broncos have two inside linebacker spots open on the 53-man roster. It's an all-out competition, but York has definitely thrown his hat in the ring.

Pat Bryant | WR

If we were basing it purely on involvement and production thus far, Bryant would be the clear No. 3 receiver in the pecking order. He's been unstoppable and a nightmare to cover.

Bryant's reliable hands, especially in traffic, have already been flashed in camp, and he's been a standout on every single day of practice. The early signs point to him taking a big Year-2 leap.

Sean Fresch Jr. | CB

Signed from the UFL when Butler was, Fresch has brought a fiery energy to the bottom of the Broncos' cornerback depth chart. Like Austin, Fresch has gotten his hands on several passes and picked off Sam Ehlinger.

Fresch faces the same challenges that Austin does in terms of outlook, but one feather in the former UFL standout's cap is his returner ability. The Broncos are looking for a complement to Mims, and Fresch could offer some upside there.

Jonah Coleman | RB

Coleman was the Broncos' most high-profile rookie draft pick of the offseason, so he's not exactly a sleeper, and we know that Sean Payton has some plans for him this year, but when your head coach specifically names you as a "pleasant surprise" through the first week of training camp, you're outkicking your coverage.

Coleman doesn't seem like a rookie to Payton, and that applies to his play on the field, comportment in the classroom, and his overall vibe. That could allow Coleman to hit the ground running when the season arrives, but the Broncos' defense will continue to make it hard on him and his fellow backs in practice.

Denver's rushing defense, whether it's the ones or the twos, continues to smother the ground game in practice. Still, Coleman has found ways to shine. He was one of only a few complete backs in the 2026 draft class.

Sai'vion Jones | DL

The 2025 third-round pick has been impressive at times this season. As a healthy scratch for most of his rookie year, Jones may have become an afterthought to fans, but he's making his presence felt at camp.

While Malcolm Roach and Eyioma Uwazurike are leading the competition for John Franklin-Myers's former starting spot on the D-line, Jones is impressing his veteran teammates, which likely means his coaches, too.

Tyler Onyedim | DL

On the other side of this coin, where Jones shines as an interior pass rusher, Onyedim dominates as a run defender. Drafted in Round 3 this year, Onyedim is poised to see the field a lot more than Jones did as a rookie because he's so proficient against the run.

The Broncos love their D-line rotations, so both Onyedim and Jones are going to see the field this season, but if we were measuring a pecking order at this way-too-early stage of camp, I'd have to give the slight edge to the rookie.

Karene Reid | LB

Payton highlighted a "couple of the young linebackers" as pleasant surprises thus far, and while I've already surmised that York is one of them, Reid may be the other (if we're limiting it to the literal definition of "a couple").

Reid forced a fumble and recovered it on Day 1 of camp. Considering how he made the 53-man roster out of camp as an undrafted rookie last year, he might be the leader in the clubhouse among the depth linebackers.

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