Which Broncos position battle are you watching at training camp? | Friday Faceoff
Friday Faceoff: Which Broncos position battle are you watching when training camp opens to the public on Friday, July 31?
Paul Klee, sports editor
Answer: Running back
Was it spectacular coaching that got the Broncos one win from a Super Bowl without a running game? Or a spectacular coaching failure because the Broncos didn’t have a running game?
Denver has invested serious draft capital at running back, where second-round pick RJ Harvey and fourth-rounder Jonah Coleman should push JK Dobbins for carries. And it has invested serious cash money in the offensive line, where it has $50 million and all five returning starters.
Only four AFC teams spent more money on their offensive line than Denver.
So now that the annual tradition of a Broncos quarterback controversy is over, I’ll be watching the high-profile battle lined up behind Bo Nix. Can Harvey or Coleman take the RB1 job from Dobbins?
But there will be storylines aplenty starting next Friday at Broncos Park.
Recent training camps have been tame in comparison to the daily cage matches between Peyton Manning’s offense and Aqib Talib’s defense. Back in the day, it was worth the drive just to see which cornerback would be the target of Emmanuel Sanders’ trash talk, or to chuckle as Manning spiked the football after fooling DeMarcus Ware on a quarterback keeper.
Those all-timers loved getting under each other’s skin.
Do these Broncos possess the mean streak you need to become a Super Bowl champ? As Gary Kubiak would say, We’re fixin’ to find out.
But you only must look at their most recent outings to determine that an improved running game is a must. The leading rusher in the AFC Championship Game against the Patriots was Harvey with 37 yards. And the top rusher against the Bills was Nix, the quarterback, with 29.
That’s no way to take the next step and reach Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium.
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Kyle Fredrickson, Broncos reporter
Answer: Backup quarterback
The real answer here might be quarterback Bo Nix vs. his ankle.
But all signs point to Nix being in full health when he reports to training camp next week. I’m more interested in the competition to be his backup: Jarrett Stidham vs. Sam Ehlinger. I envision three possible scenarios.
- Stidham is the clear No. 2 behind Nix after a strong training camp. He started the AFC Championship Game with full confidence from his teammates. But Stidham failed to lead a touchdown drive in the second half of a close loss to the Patriots.
2. Ehlinger overtakes him with an even stronger camp performance. He last started a regular season game in 2022 with the Colts. But Ehlinger has a gunslinger’s mentality and a big arm. It could be time for a change at backup quarterback.
3. The Broncos trade Stidham or Ehlinger to a QB-needy team. Stidham is turning 30 next month and enters the final year of his contract. Ehlinger turns 28 in September, and he turned down multiple active roster offers to the be the practice squad quarterback in Denver.
My guess is that Ehlinger’s loyalty will be rewarded with a promotion to the Broncos’ No. 2 QB. There might also be a strong trade market for Stidham elsewhere as a proven veteran backup. Let’s keep a close eye on Nix’s ankle in training camp to determine whether QB2 in Denver once again becomes a key storyline.