Broncos' First Training Camp Moves Leave Position Battles Unchanged

The Denver Broncos are getting their ducks in a row ahead of training camp. The veterans report on Tuesday, July 28, and from there, the Broncos will be off to the 2026 races.

As a matter of housekeeping, the Broncos have designated offensive guard Nick Gargiulo Active/Physically Unable to Perform and linebacker Jordan Turner Active/Non-Football Injury, per the NFL wire.

In both cases, the players will count against the Broncos' 90-man offseason roster, and they can immediately return to the practice field as soon as they are medically cleared.

Gargiulo's Injury

Denver Broncos guard Nick Gargiulo (66) before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Gargiulo, a 2024 seventh-round pick, was making a strong case for himself last summer before he suffered an ACL injury in the Broncos' second preseason game. With both starting guard jobs spoken for by Ben Powers and the All-Pro Quinn Meinerz, Gargiulo may have made a case to be Denver's primary swing guard, although the coaches prefer backup offensive linemen to be side-specific.

Had he stayed healthy, Gargiulo would have likely been the right-side backup guard. When Powers went down in Week 5 with a biceps injury, though, the Broncos had to eventually make the risky decision to take Alex Palczewski from the right side — Mike McGlinchey's primary backup at tackle — and plug him in at left guard.

In other words, teams have to make exceptions all the time, especially in response to injury curveballs. This time around, the Broncos' O-line stable is even more crowded, with Matt Peart returning and rookie fourth-rounder Kage Casey now in the fold.

The Broncos view Casey as a left-side backup guard this year, though he was a career left tackle at Boise State. Peart will get the chance to compete, but his roster outlook is extremely dim.

Hopefully, Gargiulo can return to the practice field relatively early in training camp. He looked very good last summer, albeit in camp and preseason settings.

Turner's Injury

Jordan Turner and Jordan Miller — Denver Broncos linebacker Jordan Turner (55) celebrates his sack with defensive tackle Jordan Miller (90) in the second half against the Arizona Cardinals. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's unclear what Turner's injury is and how he sustained it, but it wasn't during any official Broncos football activities, hence his NFI designation. Since he's been designated Active/NFI, though, it could be a sign that he won't be sidelined too long into training camp.

Undrafted out of Michigan State last year, Turner impressed the Broncos throughout camp and the preseason, although he didn't make the initial 53-man roster. He was re-signed to the practice squad, though, and the Broncos made use of his skills throughout the season, beginning in Week 8 vs. the Dallas Cowboys.

Turner was officially signed to the active roster on his birthday, ahead of the Broncos' Week 15 game against the Green Bay Packers. Counting his practice squad elevations, he appeared in seven games as a rookie.

At 6-foot-1 and 231 pounds, Turner is a traditional "stack" linebacker. He's got the size to take on blockers at the point of attack, shed them, and get to the ball carrier.

The Broncos like Turner, but they also drafted Red Murdock and have several fellow former undrafted free agents vying for the No. 3 and No. 4 linebacker spots on the 53-man roster, two of whom have made the 53-man roster before. Turner has as good a shot at making the roster as any of them, but he'll need to get on the field as soon as possible or else get left in the dust.

The Takeaway

Both players are vying for coveted depth roles on the 53-man roster. Their respective health will be a factor in the competitions at offensive line and linebacker, especially if they stretch too far into training camp.

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