EAGEN, Minn. — The Broncos will have their first preseason game of the year Saturday, taking on the Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium at 2 p.m. And there will be plenty to watch, from a quarterback battle to a couple of rookies hoping to prove their worth. 

Here’s five things to watch:

The quarterback battle

Of course the quarterback battle will be on everyone’s mind Saturday, as Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater continue to battle for the starting job. The two will split snaps in some fashion, with Lock starting the game. 

Saturday’s game presents an opportunity for either quarterback to separate themselves from the other as it’s been mostly even for all of camp. Both have been poor in situational football during training camp and have each had their fair share of interceptions and touchdowns. 

But don’t be quick to assume one is winning or losing the competition based on stats alone, as the coaching staff will be looking at the full body of work — from who they’re on the field with to who they’re going against — Saturday and the rest of camp.

“Ultimately the decision will be a total examination of everything from the start of training camp to the day we make the decision,” Fangio said. “They all factor in. There is no grading scale, but ultimately, we’ve got to go by what we see. We’re keeping track of things statistically, more deep stats than what you guys would do, and they’ll be there for the information.”

The offensive line

The offensive line was up and down in the two joint practices with Minnesota — struggling Wednesday and bouncing back Thursday. While several guys likely won’t play or will have limited time, two positions up front will be intriguing to watch: right tackle and center. 

Bobby Massie and Calvin Anderson have been battling for the starting right tackle job, with Fangio saying it hasn’t been decided who will start there Saturday. And at center, Lloyd Cushenberry has gotten all the first-team snaps, with rookie Quinn Meinerz still having issues snapping the ball. 

Cushenberry has been a nice surprise this camp, receiving praise from his coaches and teammates. 

“I’ve seen great growth,” offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said. “We put him through a test last year… He battled all year and didn’t say a word and continued to improve throughout the year. I think he’s on that steady climb still. He’s got a bright future. He’s smart, he’s tough, he works hard, and he’s really self-aware when something bad happens. We’re pleased with his progress.”

ILB Justin Strnad 

With starting inside linebacker Josey Jewell missing time with a groin injury, second-year linebacker Justin Strnad has filled Jewell’s void nicely — to the point that he could win that job if Jewell doesn’t return soon. 

Strnad will likely get the start in Saturday’s game alongside Alexander Johnson, and will play a good amount in the game. If he performs well, don’t be surprised if he ends up being the Broncos’ starter at the beginning of the season. 

“He’s doing good,” Fangio said. “Is he doing great? No. Is he making mistakes? Yes. But I’m seeing steady improvement each and every day and I like what I see overall. He’s not there yet, though.”

Rookie cornerback Pat Surtain II

First-round pick Pat Surtain II will likely play several positions in Saturday’s game, as he’s been working at left corner, right corner, dime and nickel throughout camp. 

Surtain hasn’t looked like a rookie during training camp and many don’t expect him to in his first game, either. 

“You talk to the Alabama coaches and he could handle anything,” GM George Paton said. “He could handle a lot of workload; he could handle a lot mentally. It’s the way he was raised. The program they have at Alabama with Nick Saban — they put him under a lot of stress. I felt he could do whatever Vic wanted him to do. It’s an incredible chess piece for Vic to have, and it gives us a lot of flexibility as a defense.”

Rookie running back Javonte Williams

Similar to Surtain, expect to see a lot of second-round pick Javonte Williams Saturday. Williams has solidified himself as the Broncos No. 2 running back, behind Melvin Gordon and with Mike Boone injuring his quad Thursday. 

Williams will finally be able to showcase his abilities Saturday, as there’s been no tackling in practice and Williams is known for his physicality.

“That’s one of the reasons why we drafted Javonte Williams — to give us a change of pace with Melvin,” Paton said. “I think we have to be physical up front and we have to be physical in the run game to help our pass game.”