5 Most Important Storylines Entering Broncos Training Camp

It's been a long offseason.

The arduous wait is almost over, though, as the Denver Broncos begin training camp this week. The rookies reported last week, while the veterans will do so on Tuesday, July 28.

The first training camp practice open to the media will be on Friday, July 31. The club's "Back Together Weekend" training camp event will begin on Saturday, and we'll be off to the 2026 races.

The Broncos are a complete team, with a stacked roster featuring very few holes. This team is returning roughly 90% of its 2025 snaps, which establishes a sturdy foundation to build on this coming season.

With all that said, there are five key storylines to watch as Broncos camp unfolds. And the first starts with the most important player on the field.

Bo Nix's Ankle

Nix's ankle injury in the divisional round of the playoffs this past January was a heartbreaking dagger. The Broncos had to watch all that they worked so hard for slip between their fingers at the worst possible time.

This is a team that will be out for blood, looking to make up for lost time. But the 2026 Broncos will go only as far as Nix can take them, as evidenced by how last season finished.

That will come down to Nix's recovery from the two ankle surgeries he underwent since suffering the fractured ankle. He and the Broncos have expressed nothing but confidence in his outlook, but the third-year quarterback's ankle will be the storyline of storylines to monitor throughout this camp.

From Nix's rep share, to how well he moves, to how much (if any) action he sees in the preseason will be under the microscope. The hope is that he's fully cleared, so he doesn't miss any opportunities to get on the same page with Jaylen Waddle and continue forging his chemistry with Denver's incumbent receivers.

All the signs have been good. But the proof will be in the proverbial pudding when Nix steps out onto the practice fields at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit.

Wide Receiver Pecking Order

Courtland Sutton and Pat Bryant. — Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) and wide receiver Pat Bryant (13) during Denver Broncos Training Camp. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Speaking of receivers, the Broncos' top two guys are locked in place. Waddle and Courtland Sutton feature at the top of the depth chart, but there will be a fierce competition for the No. 3 spot.

Troy Franklin is the leader in the clubhouse entering camp, based mostly on the fact that he was Denver's No. 2 receiver last season, and produced a solid Year 2 body of work. But he left much to be desired, which is why the Broncos gave up what they did to acquire Waddle via trade.

Entering his second year, Pat Bryant will be hungry to capitalize on this opportunity. Waddle's arrival shook up the depth chart supremacy, and while Franklin might get the first bite at the No. 3 apple, Bryant will get the chance to showcase how much he's grown since his first training camp.

We can't forget Marvin Mims Jr., either. He'll factor into the equation. Considering how impactful he's been when the Broncos have featured him in the offense, it's a wonder that Mims's name isn't already written in Sharpie for the No. 3 spot. But I digress.

When it's all said and done, though, the Broncos will certainly utilize all three receivers this season. There will be a rotation of wideouts around Sutton and Waddle, but one guy could stand to earn the lion's share of the snaps.

Jahdae Barron's Year 2 Leap

The Broncos are absolutely stacked at cornerback. That's why it raised so many eyebrows when they drafted Barron in the first round last year.

As a rookie, Barron didn't have it easy, with the likes of Patrick Surtain II, Riley Moss, and Ja'Quan McMillian ahead of him on the depth chart. However, Barron acquitted himself well in the limited opportunities he was given, and in the face of excellent play from Moss and McMillian.

With Moss and McMillian both entering a contract year, though, the Broncos will be watching to see whether Barron can truly push one or both of these veterans for a starting job. Moss and McMillian are two of the NFL's best players at their respective positions, but if Barron can gain some ground, it could offer some clarity to the Broncos' front office relative to the future.

As a recent first-round pick, though, the future has to be now for Barron. Time isn't really on his or the team's side. First-rounders are expected to play, especially if a team wants to exploit the cost control of their rookie contracts.

And yet, the best players have to play. That's doubly true for a bona fide Super Bowl contender like the Broncos. Nobody gets a starting job on scholarship, so to speak. Draft pedigree buys a player opportunity, nothing more.

If Barron isn't able to unseat Moss or McMillian, it won't be the end of the world. Again, this depth chart is deep and topped by one of the NFL's best cornerback trios.

If it doesn't happen, the Broncos will be okay, and so will Barron. Vance Joseph will continue to look for ways to involve Barron beyond a rotational role and dime sub-packages.

If it does happen, it wouldn't be a shock to see the Broncos trade whichever starter is supplanted, be it Moss or McMillian. Considering the Super Bowl window the Broncos are in, though, the front office might be remiss to trade any cornerback, especially considering the division they play in and the who's-who list of quarterbacks on the 2026 schedule.

The Barron pick last year was a shot across the bow of both Moss and McMillian. They certainly interpreted it that way, as evidenced by how both cornerbacks elevated their games in 2025.

But Barron is his own man, and being relegated to a backup role as a rookie might be all the motivation he needs to make a push of his own this summer. We shall see.

The JFM Vaccum

Tyler Onyedim. — Denver Broncos rookie defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim runs a drill at rookie minicamp | Ben Swanson / Denver Broncos

The Broncos only have one vacancy in their starting lineup: the John Franklin-Myers spot on the defensive line. There are several candidates poised to compete for the starting job, but nobody jumps out as the super obvious leader in the clubhouse.

Coach Joseph did mention both Malcolm Roach and Eyioma Uwazurike as the linemen who'll get the first bite at the apple, but the Broncos' recent draft investments will play a part, too. Last year's third-rounder, Sai'vion Jones, could be in the mix, along with rookie third-rounder Tyler Onyedim.

If the Broncos could amalgemate Jones and Onyedim into one player, it would be a no-brainer replacement for JFM. Onyedim is an excellent run defender, while Jones possesses the skill set to rush the passer from the inside, just as Franklin-Myers did over the past two seasons.

Both are still young and untested, though, which is why Joseph is already leaning toward Roach on first and second down, and Uwazurike on passing downs. However, Roach is more of a nose tackle type, so it's unclear whether he's got the movement skills to thrive consistently a little further outside.

The Broncos did just reinvest into Roach, so they're going to want a return. If I had to predict the outcome today, I'd say that Roach opens the season as the starter, with a heavy rotation of guys behind him.

It's an important competition, though. We'll be watching this storyline closely in training camp.

Extension Watch

Riley Moss and Ja'Quan McMillian — Denver Broncos cornerback Ja'Quan McMillian (29) celebrates his turnover with cornerback Riley Moss (21) against the Carolina Panthers. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The Broncos have several players entering camp on an expiring contract. To wit:

There are others, including every member of the Broncos' 2023 draft class, but these are the key players whose future beyond 2026 is up in the air. GM George Paton traditionally gets extensions done with his high-priority players in the summer before the season starts, so I would expect at least one of these names to garner a new deal a week or two into camp.

It's anyone's guess how the Broncos will prioritize this list, though there is a reason I listed Powers last. The Broncos, it seems, have already laid the preemptive groundwork to replace Powers following the 2026 season, and the same could be said for Jones, though to a lesser degree.

The 'M, M, and Ms' will likely take precedence; I'm just not sure what the order will be. There's an argument for Mims, Moss, and McMillian when it comes to which player should be the top priority.

I'm not here to assert such an argument, but the Broncos' decision-making could be informed by how Barron performs early in camp. If he looks ready to take a Year-2 leap, it could at least cut the top-3 extension priorities down to two.

Sutton's last extension came in July of last season, with Zach Allen in August, and Surtain and Nik Bonitto in September — all of whom were inked before the regular season kicked off. And lest you think extending three players in one summer would be too much for the Broncos, let me remind you that Sutton, Allen, and Bonitto all came in succession to each other last year.

The salary-cap situation is a bit tighter, and the Broncos' front office is a bit closer now to the reality of the coming Bo Nix extension. However, when it comes to the NFL salary cap, I've learned in the decade-plus of covering the Broncos that where there's a will, there's always a way.

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