Sean Payton Just Put Three Broncos on Breakout Watch

Throughout the summer, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton was asked several times to single out players who were shining in practice.

Perhaps aware of the setting and knowing that the Broncos would have to cut nearly 40 players by the end of August, Payton never really answered such questions directly. There were a couple of instances where Payton complimented Jonah Coleman, but the rookie running back was always a lock for the 53-man roster.

With all the final roster cuts in the rear-view, the Broncos have set their initial 53-man roster and practice squad, so when Payton was asked to name any young players with "breakout" potential this year, he actually answered the question.

“There have been a number of players," Payton said after Monday's practice. "Like who’s had really good camps? We’ll start with a number of guys. ‘Enyi’ (DL Eyioma Uwazurike) has played really well, [WR] Pat [Bryant] has played really well. I’m going to miss guys here... I think we start with the quarterback, and Sam [Ehlinger] really progressed."

Breakout Trio (Kinda)

Denver Broncos defensive end Eyioma Uwazurike (96) reacts after a sack during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Uwazurike, Bryant, and Ehlinger — three names that garnered no small amount of buzz this summer. Although it's funny that Payton mentioned Ehlinger in relation to "breakout" potential, because the Broncos hope to heck that he doesn't have to play a single down this year.

If Ehlinger has to play in the regular season, it would mean that Bo Nix was sidelined and maybe even Jarrett Stidham. This would be catastrophic for the Broncos, but still, I think Payton's point was to emphasize the progress Ehlinger showed this summer and the momentum he established, which landed him on the 53-man roster out of camp.

"We had a chance to see some of these young players," Payton said. "There are some that are more ready to play than others."

Enough Bites at the Apple to Break Out

Pat Bryant. — Pat Bryant deploys the stiff arm. | Kevin Langley / IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

Now, Uwazurike and Bryant are two players who will be seeing the field a lot this season and will have the real opportunity to actually break out. Although the Broncos have yet to announce an official starting lineup or depth chart, Uwazurike was the starter at defensive end opposite Zach Allen in the preseason — the spot that John Franklin-Myers held down for the past two seasons.

Uwazurike had a great training camp, but it's unclear whether he'll get the same number of starter's snaps that JFM did, or if he'll be in a more even split with Malcolm Roach, who has also been in the running for that vacancy on the defensive line. It appears that Denver is leaning toward Uwazurike, but jumping to conclusions based on preseason snap counts is risky business.

As for Bryant, he was one of the biggest standouts of Broncos camp. I would say he was the star of camp, and this isn't the first time Payton has highlighted him.

The Broncos entered camp with an open competition for the No. 3 receiver role behind Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle. Bryant battled it out with Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims Jr., Lil'Jordan Humphrey, and others, and clearly came out on top.

We didn't see Bryant's training camp momentum translate to the preseason games, but that's because the Broncos treated him like a starter, and hardly played him. If there's anything to point to who the team actually views as its No. 3 receiver, it's that.

However, that doesn't mean the No. 3 job will be solely Bryant's. Payton has always preferred to rotate wide receivers in and out of the game, beyond his top two guys, especially since being in Denver.

One Potential Obstacle: Injury Bug

Still, I see Bryant getting the lion's share because he can play any of the three spots, as can Sutton and Waddle. The only thing that could get in the way of a breakout campaign for Bryant is the injury bug.

Bryant suffered two concussions late last season, one of which hospitalized him, and a hamstring injury that kept him out of most of Denver's playoff action. So if he can stay healthy, he'll have a great opportunity to shine, even with other mouths to feed, including tight end Evan Engram.

With new offensive coordinator Davis Webb calling the plays, we saw some hints of how the ball may get distributed by Nix this season. Sutton is always going to be Nix's security blanket; Waddle will be fed no shortage of targets and Engram could have a bigger role catching passes in Year 2.

However, it will always be dictated by the matchups. Nix will go where the matchup is most favorable, and Bryant has been eating big against the likes of Denver's vaunted secondary all summer long.

Training camp illustrated a growing bond and trust between Nix and Bryant. It's already quite strong, so there shouldn't be anything to stand in the way of Nix looking Bryant's way when the play-calls and matchups dictate.

The Takeaway

A head coach praising a player is always noteworthy, but when it comes with the context of "breakout" potential, we all should sit up a little closer in our chairs. Again, Ehlinger, it's a bit more of a throwaway compliment, but what Payton said about Uwazurike and Bryant reflect what we saw in camp and preseason, and could hint at bigger things to come this eason.

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