5 Broncos Who Need a Bounce-Back Game vs. Vikings

The Denver Broncos' preseason is almost over.

Friday's finale vs. the Minnesota Vikings will decide the fate of many players who have been battling for jobs and roster spots this summer. It's been a long month since training camp started, and while we've learned a lot about how the Broncos' depth is shaping up, several position battles remain unresolved.

Considering how bad the Broncos looked against the Green Bay Packers last week, except for the first-team offense, there's no shortage of players who need a bounce-back performance against the Vikings. Here are five key players in need of redemption, given that the NFL's deadline to trim rosters down to the final 53 is on Sunday.

Sam Ehlinger | QB

Knowing that Bo Nix won't play against the Vikings, the spotlight shifts to the ongoing battle for the No. 2 quarterback job. It sounds like it's still a competition, after head coach Sean Payton said on Wednesday that he hasn't made a decision yet on QB2.

Jarrett Stidham played poorly last week, but received a much bigger bite at the apple than Ehlinger did. Ehlinger only got two possessions to show what he could do.

If it's a true competition, Ehlinger will get the first half with the second-team offense against Minnesota, Stidham got the first half in Game 1, so if the Broncos are giving each quarterback an equal opportunity to ply his wares, Ehlinger should get the start.

I'm not convinced that'll happen, but if Ehlinger is the first quarterback on the field, we'll know it's still a competition and that Payton really hasn't decided on the QB2. Suffice it to say, everything is on the line for Ehlinger in this one, and he needs to bounce-back from an unimpressive showing last week.

Jahdae Barron | CB

Barron's roster spot isn't in doubt. As a first-round pick one year removed, he's making the roster, but to assuage any lingering doubts among the coaches, he needs a repeat of his first preseason performance against the Atlanta Falcons.

Barron intercepted a pass that linebacker Karene Reid tipped in Atlanta and returned it 97 yards to the house. Barron was all over the field that night, making great tackles and affecting the pass.

In Game 2, though, he was a disappearing act. Barron gave up a touchdown in coverage and uncharacteristically missed tackles.

Riley Moss and Ja'Quan McMillian clearly take precedence in the Broncos' cornerback hierarchy, but Barron needs to prove that he should be the first cornerback on the field when either guy needs a breather or in sub-packages.

Sai'vion Jones | DL

Jones was supposed to be a factor in the vacancy in the Broncos' starting lineup. John Franklin-Myers left in free agency, creating the only starting job truly up for grabs, and the hope was that Jones, a 2025 third-round pick, would be part of the competition.

He hasn't been. In fact, Jones seems to have been leapfrogged by Jordan Jackson and rookie third-rounder Tyler Onyedim.

Onyedim has made some plays in this preseason, especially last week against the Packers, when he was a consistent backfield disruptor when on the field. Jones, meanwhile, has yet to make a single noteworthy play.

As a second-year player, this disappearing act is concerning. So much so that Jones's roster spot might actually be in jeopardy if the Broncos hadn't lost Matt Henningsen to a season-ending Achilles tear.

Jones needs a bounce-back game in the worst way, just to show the Broncos that the coaching and development they've poured into him has meant something.

Troy Franklin | WR

In two preseason games, Franklin has garnered just two targets, both of which came in Atlanta two weeks ago. Franklin has been pushed down the depth chart by the arrival of Jaylen Waddle and the emergence of Pat Bryant this summer.

And although Marvin Mims Jr. hasn't played in the preseason due to injury, his place with the Broncos is not in doubt. He may even be fourth in the Broncos' wide receiver hierarchy, all things being equal on the health front.

If Franklin is the fifth receiver on the depth chart, his lack of special teams value isn't great for his roster outlook. A 2024 fourth-rounder, he finished second on the team last year with 65 receptions for 709 yards and six touchdowns, but the Broncos tried to upgrade his position twice, looking to trade for Waddle ahead of last season's deadline, and again in March, when they succeeded.

My bet is that Franklin makes the 53-man roster, even though his value to the Broncos is one-dimensional, but if he gets a lot of work on Friday night against the Vikings, as much as he needs a bounce-back game, the implications might not be favorable for his outlook in Denver.

If the Broncos look Franklin's way early and often against Minnesota, it could be with a potential trade in mind. He put up some attractive tape last year, at times, but he's yet to really show anything on film this summer.

Franklin could use a good performance in the preseason finale, and if he delivers, it could give the Broncos the ammunition needed to work the phones for a potential trade. One thing I can say with relative confidence is that Franklin won't be waived. He's either making the team or he'll get traded.

Frank Crum | OT

Sam Ehlinger and Frank Crum — Denver Broncos quarterback Sam Ehlinger (4) avoids the sack of Green Bay Packers edge rusher Arden Walker (46) as offensive tackle Frank Crum (73) blocks. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Crum was an undrafted rookie the Broncos kept on the practice squad in 2024. He was raw but super smart and talented, and the Broncos felt he was worth developing.

It looked like that development paid off when Crum crushed it during the 2025 preseason, earning a spot on the 53-man roster as the Broncos' swing tackle. Fast forward to this summer, though, and he appears to have regressed badly.

Crum has been downright terrible, and with Garett Bolles and Mike McGlinchey both being on the wrong side of 30, the Broncos need reliability in their swing tackle. That isn't Crum right now, though veteran Matt Peart has exactly the type of experience to encourage the Broncos.

Adding insult to injury, Crum has been outplayed this summer by undrafted rookie Tyler Miller. If Crum wants to avoid the cutting room floor this weekend, and retain his job as the Broncos' swing tackle, he needs a fully redemptive performance.

Without it, I could see the Broncos rolling with Peart instead, especially because they have Alex Palczewski as McGlinchey's backup. Peart also offers inside/outside versatility, which Crum does not.

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