5 biggest winners from the Broncos' preseason

Here are the five players who made the most of the 2019 preseason for Denver.

The Denver Broncos have their initial roster set, and on it are some players who didn’t seem like they would be making it in July. These guys turned out some good performances during the preseason and managed to make the roster out of camp. 

These players are undoubtedly the five biggest winners from the preseason. 

DeMarcus Walker, DL: It was a rough start for Walker this preseason, and he had a slow start to training camp. After the last two years of barely hanging on, he had to step up. The game needed to slow down for him, and the team needed to see more technique and fundamentals in his game. It is no secret that I have doubted Walker for a long time, but this preseason, he made me eat crow. 

Walker was quick to get after the quarterback and actually managed to pair pass-rushing moves together, but that wasn’t what stood out the most. He also looked a lot better against the run than he ever has including in college, but that still isn’t what stood out the most. 

What stood out the most was his patience, and playing the game with his brain. He would sit and read the play, and make a quick reaction. 

Mike Purcell, DL: The big nose tackle was a long shot to make the roster. Entering camp, he was the ninth man in line for the defensive line. Billy Winn got hurt, which helped him move up the depth chart to the eighth spot, but he still had a long way to go. Purcell barely saw the field the first couple weeks, and time was running out for him to really step up and make the roster. 

When it came time to take on the San Francisco 49ers, he had earned more playtime via practice reps, and he never looked back. He was solid vs. the Niners, then backed it up with a dominant showing against the L.A. Rams and a great one against the Arizona Cardinals. He is a great story and deserves to make this roster. 

Malik Reed, OLB: Denver was weak at edge going into the draft, and they walked away with veteran trade addition Dekoda Watson and Justin Hollins, which is still an improvement. After the draft, the Broncos brought in Malik Reed and Ahmad Gooden. Reed and Gooden were expected to compete for a practice squad spot, but something more happened. 

Reed played so well in the preseason, picking up a team-high four sacks, that he cemented himself on the roster. Reed made Watson expendable. It wasn’t just his pass rush that got him the job, but he also saw time playing off-ball and looked good against the run. 

Colby Wadman, P: The punter had a rough 2018 season, but did show some improvement down the stretch. Even so, he entered this offseason on the hot seat. There was one clear thing that Wadman had to do to really show his improvement. He had to show consistency.

This preseason, he managed to show better consistency than last year, which is enough to give him more time. With 27 punts, only three of them were under 40 yards and one of them was a bad 20-yard shank.

Wadman was one of the better punters in the preseason averaging 47 yards per punt, which would have been 8th-best in the NFL last year. If he can cut out the shanks, he has a chance to be one of the best punters in the NFL. 

Justin Hollins, LB: The rookie had a tough offseason since he was drafted. Denver gave him the job of learning two very different roles, which is difficult for veterans to do, let alone a rookie. That is a lot to ask, and Denver had to see him answer the call. He had to show he could not only play edge, but also off-ball and execute in coverage. 

It is safe to say Hollins not only answered the call, but far exceeded expectations. It was a slow start for Hollins, but when it clicked he was hard to handle for opposing offenses. Even during the slow start, he still flashed the potential that got him drafted. He played his way to a big role this season, that may only get bigger as the season goes on. 

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