Broncos-Vikings Scrimmages: 5 Positions Fans Should Pay Attention to Besides QB

The Denver Broncos are in Minnesota holding joint practices with the Vikings ahead of the teams' first preseason game is this coming Saturday and, of course, all eyes will be on the quarterback competition.

It seems you can't go an hour without somebody weighing in on whether Drew Lock or Teddy Bridgewater should start, or which won which day of training camp, or whose report about the quarterback competition is more reliable.

However, the QB competition isn't the only one to watch. There are several other positions in which the Broncos need to get questions answered before they open the regular season.

In particular, there are five positions that Broncos fans should pay attention to as much as they do the quarterback competition, as the team crosses swords with the Vikings in practice. These positions may not be as glamorous, but they still hold importance.

Let's look at those positions.

Right Tackle

When the Broncos released their depth chart earlier this week, they listed their top right tackle as 'Calvin Anderson or Bobby Massie.' It's a sign that neither one has taken a clear lead to start on the right side.

Right tackle has been a concern for many years since there's been no consistently good player there since Orlando Franklin left after the 2014 season (save for Jared Veldheer, who played in 2018 but was gone after that).

After Ja'Wuan James tore his Achilles tendon and was subsequently cut by the Broncos this past spring, Massie and Cameron Fleming were signed to the roster, with the expectation they'd compete for the job.

But that has changed, with Fleming likely to be no more than the swing tackle and Anderson making a serious push in training camp to challenge Massie for the starting job at right tackle.

Massie would bring stability but isn't a long-term answer, given his age. But if Anderson does impress in the preseason games, he might be that long-term guy.

Of course, Anderson needs to show plenty in the preseason games to get that starting job — otherwise, the Broncos likely roll with Massie to open the season. But make no mistake: This situation bears watching, and it's not the only one on the offensive line.

Center

Lloyd Cushenberry, a third-round pick in 2020, started at center last season and struggled in his rookie campaign. Going into the offseason, the belief is that the Broncos were looking for somebody to challenge him.

The team appeared to find that player when it drafted Quinn Meinerz in the third round. Some people speculated Meinerz was going to become the new starting center.

However, it's been Cushenberry who has impressed more in camp, with the reports suggesting he has improved his technique. Meanwhile, Meinerz is still taking his time getting up to speed.

If Cushenberry can carry his improvement into the preseason games, that's all the better because that would stabilize another position on the offensive line. It would allow the Broncos more time to develop Meinerz, who could still provide an upgrade to the interior offensive line depth.

Having a quality center will be important to allow the Broncos to have more success on offense, so fans should keep an eye on this one.

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Off-Ball Linebacker

The Broncos entered training camp with their starters expected to be Alexander Johnson and Josey Jewell, but the question was, who was going to fill out the depth?

There were hopes that 2021 third-round pick Baron Browning could help, but he's missed time as he recovers from a lower leg injury. Meanwhile, Jewell has missed time in training camp, too, with a groin injury.

Enter Justin Strnad, who impressed in training camp last year before a wrist injury ended his 2020 season. Strnad has impressed again the past few weeks, but the question remains on how he'll handle himself in a game situation?

Remember that there were no preseason games played last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so Strnad hasn't even taken a preseason snap. How he handles a game situation bears watching.

If Strnad continues to impress, it should give Broncos fans peace of mind, because it would improve the depth at the position, if not give the team a new starter.

Safety

The Broncos got Justin Simmons signed to a long-term deal and, after declining the option on Kareem Jackson's contract, brought him back on a one-year deal. That settled the starting positions to start the offseason, but the depth was still a question mark.

Then the Broncos took two safeties in the fifth round of the NFL draft: Caden Sterns and Jamar Johnson.

Thus far, Sterns has impressed in training camp and Johnson is doing well, with both outperforming Trey Marshall, who is the primary holdover from last year among depth players at safety.

How will Sterns and Johnson do in game action, though? It's likely you'll see both getting a lot of playing time in Saturday's preseason opener. All eyes should be on both rookies to see how they measure up and if they give fans peace of mind with the depth behind Simmons and Jackson.

Punt & Kick Returner

Last season, Diontae Spencer showed improvement as a returner, but he's missed some time in training camp, and that appears to have opened the door for others to push for the job.

KJ Hamler has been getting more work in the return game and seems to be doing well. And then there's Trinity Benson, who is not only doing good things in the return game, but has shown signs he can be quality depth at the wide receiver position.

Benson may get the most work in the return game Saturday, though it's possible Hamler will get some time there. As for Spencer, it depends on his health at this point.

An impressive showing from Benson, plus the fact that Hamler pretty much has a receiver spot locked up, could mean that Spencer will be on the way out.

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