Woody Paige: Lot of new faces for Broncos, but familiar mugs will fill starting slate
May 6—Whoa! Hold your horses.
The fumes from the unrestricted free agency period, the draft and the undrafted free agent signings have dissipated, and the Broncos now have almost 100 players on their roster.
But the Broncos brass will scrutinize more than 30 potential prospects in a four-day treasure hunt minicamp beginning Friday.
In the new Payton, Paton and Penner period the Broncos expect at least 30 new players on the team for the regular season.
Nevertheless, and strangely enough despite all the changes, particularly with the coaching staff and the five drafted players, 18 previous Broncos starters could be first on the 22-man depth chart in the opening game.
Only big-ticket right tackle Mike McGlinchley, left guard Ben Powers, running back Samaje Perine and defensive end Zach Allen probably will move into the starting lineup. The rest likely will remain the same, even though the Broncos finished 5-12 last season.
How about the Jets (and Aaron Rodgers) against the Broncos (and Russell Wilson and Sean Payton) on Monday night Sept. 11 @Mile High stadium with $100 million in improvements and Bucky The Bronco back above the massive newly installed video screen and scoreboard?
(The NFL will release the schedule Thursday.)
Here are the primary candidates to start at the outset of the season:
Quarterback: Wilson; running back: Perine, late of the Bengals, until Javonte Williams recovers from a serious knee injury; wide receivers: Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton, who were not traded, and Tim Patrick, returning from his knee injury; tight end: Greg Dulcich, who, after recovering from injury, started six games in his first season; left tackle: Garett Bolles, who suffered a broken leg and missed 12 games in '22; left guard Powers, who came as a free agent after playing with the Ravens; center — Lloyd Cushenberry III, who was out nine games with a groin injury and a decision to keep him on IR; right guard: Quinn Meinerz, who started 13 games at the position last year; right tackle: McGlinchey, who was with the 49ers before signing a five-year, $87.5 mil deal with the Broncos.
Outside linebacker: Randy Gregory, who started only three games with the Broncos last season and only 15 total in his six-year career because of injuries and suspensions; left defensive end: Zach Allen, who may be the only new starter on the Broncos' defense after coming from the Cardinals; nose tackle: D.J. Jones, who will be in his second season in Denver; right defensive end: Jonathan Harris, who was waived last year, then signed to the Broncos practice squad and later promoted to the active roster to start four games; outside linebacker: Baron Browning, who was moved from the inside and played in 14 games; inside linebacker: Josey Jewell, who started 13 games when he wasn't hurt last season; inside linebacker: Alex Singleton, who played in all 17 games last season, starting 12, then resigned with the Broncos as an unrestricted free agent; left cornerback: Pat Surtain II, the only Broncos' player selected as a starter for the attenuated Pro Bowl; right cornerback: Darnarri Mathis, who played in 14 games after being drafted in the fourth round by the Broncos and was elevated to starter; nickel back: K'waun Williams, who played well in 14 games when he was healthy; free safety: Justin Simmons, the last draft choice standing from 2016 who missed five games after four consecutive seasons of playing in all games; Strong safety: Caden Sterns, who has started only five games in two years because of shoulder and hip injuries.
Kicker: Brandon McManus, who has no competition and is the only Broncos player remaining from Super Bowl 50; punter: Riley Dixon, who returned as a free agent signing after being drafted by the Broncos in 2016 in the seventh round and punting for the team one season before playing for two other teams; long-snapper: Mitchell Fraboni, who was upgraded from the practice personnel last October.
Dartmouth's own Michael Burton is the only fullback on the roster, and the Broncos are his seventh NFL team. He won a Super Bowl ring with the Chiefs last season.
The Broncos' upcoming camp (May 12-15) will concentrate on the five drafted players, the 16 undrafted free agents signed and a bunch of rookie, XFL and ex-NFL veteran tryouts.
May the Horse Force be with them.