Here are five things to watch for when the Chiefs host the Broncos on Sunday.
After facing the Baltimore Ravens on the road last week, the Denver Broncos are now set to take on the Kansas City Chiefs on the road this week.
The Broncos lost to the Ravens 41-10 and coach Sean Payton must now attempt to stop the bleeding before going up against a division rival.
“Listen there’s a little bit of UFC to our league,” Payton said this week.
“You’ve got to be able to, each week, I don’t care who you’re playing, if you’re not careful you can catch one on the chin. You’ve got to get back up and you’ve got to get back to work.
“That gets back to that mental toughness, the grit, all the things that we’re looking for. Not only in our players, but our coaches and everyone. You get excited to play the next game to hopefully get the taste out of your mouth.”
With the team looking to bounce back from last week’s defeat in Baltimore, here are five storylines to watch for ahead of the Denver vs. KC matchup.
1. Weekend roster moves: The Broncos have seven players set to return to the 53-man roster in the coming weeks, and they’ll have to make some cuts to make room for the returning plays. Denver has one open spot on the active roster after trading pass rusher Baron Browning to the Arizona Cardinals, but the team will probably need to create at least one more opening this weekend. Center Luke Wattenberg and linebacker Kwon Alexander seem to be likely candidates to get activated to the 53-man roster on Saturday.
2. Denver’s center decision: With Wattenberg expected to return, the Broncos will need to make a decision at center. Wattenberg started the first five games of the season before landing on injured reserve with an ankle injury. Alex Forsyth started the last four games while Wattenberg was on IR. Will the team now stick with Forysth or go back to Wattenberg?
3. Broncos backfield rotation: The Chiefs allow just 83.9 rushing yards per game, third-fewest in the NFL this season. That will be a tough test for starter Javonte Williams and change-of-pace back Jaleel McLaughlin. Payton also hinted this week that rookie Audric Estime could be more involved in the second half of the season.
4. Pat Surtain vs. DeAndre Hopkins: It didn’t take long for “Nuk” to get on the same page with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. In his second game after being acquired from the Tennessee Titans via trade, Hopkins hauled in eight receptions for 86 yards and two touchdowns in Week 9. Hopkins is still a formidable receiver, especially in the red zone. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Surtain follow Hopkins on Sunday.
5. Bo Nix connecting on deep throws: Despite playing with Troy Franklin in college, Nix has struggled to connect on deep throws to Franklin this season. Facing a Chiefs secondary that ranks near the middle of the pack, Nix will undoubtedly aim to get on the same page with Franklin this week. Going up a stingy run defense, Nix will need to step up for Denver’s offense to have success on the road.
Sunday’s game will be regionally televised on CBS (view the TV map). Playing at home, KC is considered a heavy favorite against the Broncos.
Alex Forsyth started the last four games with Luke Wattenberg on injured reserve. With Wattenberg now returning from IR, who should start?
The Denver Broncos will soon have to make a tough decision at center.
After spending the last four weeks on injured reserve with an ankle injury, center Luke Wattenberg returned to practice on Wednesday. He now has a 21-day window to return to the active roster.
Wattenberg started the team’s first five games of the season. Pro Football Focus gave him a 71.3 pass-blocking grade, a 53.1 run-blocking grade and a 58.0 overall grade in those five games. Wattenberg was penalized once and was not credited with allowing any sacks from Weeks 1-5.
After Wattenberg went down, the Broncos turned to second-year center Alex Forsyth, who played with quarterback Bo Nix at Oregon. Forsyth started the last four games while Wattenberg was on IR.
“You never like for your guys to get hurt,” offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said on Oct. 10. “We have a lot of confidence in the guys that are filling in. Alex was right there with the center battle during training camp, and obviously he and Bo have a good relationship. That’s always important with centers and quarterbacks.”
By PFF’s estimation, Forysth has played better than Wattenberg. Forysth has a 58.7 pass-blocking grade, a 68.9 run-blocking grade and an overall grade of 67.5 this season. Forysth has not been penalized, but PFF credits him with allowing two sacks.
So, what will Denver do when Wattenberg returns to the active roster, perhaps as early as this weekend? Do they go back to their Week 1 starter, or stick with the center who now has four starts under his belt and previous experience with Nix?
It will be a tough decision for coach Sean Payton and Co. to make. Payton rarely reveals lineup decisions, so we probably won’t get an answer until the first snap on Sunday.
Top photos from the Baltimore Ravens 41-10 win over the Denver Broncos in Week 9 at M&T Bank Stadium
Denver entered the game 5-3 with the NFL’s third-ranked defense, but the Baltimore offense shredded them, as Vance Joseph’s defense surrendered 396 yards and five touchdowns on the afternoon.
The Ravens are 6-3 after a 41-10 win over the emerging Broncos at M&T Bank Stadium.
Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson finished with a perfect passer rating in Week 10 as the Ravens defeated the Broncos 41-10
The Ravens spent all week talking about removing the taste of an ugly loss to the Browns in Week 8. John Harbaugh’s team responded solidly, dominating the upstart Broncos 41-10 at M&T Bank Stadium.
Denver entered the game 5-3 with the NFL’s third-ranked defense, but the Baltimore offense shredded them, as Vance Joseph’s defense surrendered 396 yards and five touchdowns on the afternoon.
With talk about Josh Allen potentially winning MVP, Jackson completed 16 of 19 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns on Sunday, marking his fourth perfect passer rating.
Derrick Henry finished with 101 yards rushing and two touchdowns, moving past Barry Sanders for 10th on the all-time touchdowns list and going over 1,000 yards for the sixth time in his career.
Zay Flowers had another 100-yard game, finishing with 127 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
On defense, Zach Orr’s unit surrendered 319 yards, including 197 passing and, most importantly, just ten points.
Baltimore will now prepare for Cincinnati on a short week and Amazon’s Thursday Night Football.
“I thought it was unique we had an Oregon player snap it, an Oregon player throw it and an Oregon player catch it,” Nix said of his TD pass.
In the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix threw a two-yard touchdown pass to fellow rookie Troy Franklin.
That marked Nix’s fifth career touchdown pass and Franklin’s first career touchdown catch. They previously connected 23 times for touchdowns during their time together with the Oregon Ducks from 2022-2023.
“It was huge,” Nix said of Franklin’s first score as a pro. “I knew he was going to do it eventually. [I] expected it. He expected it as well. He ran a great route. We actually had a conversion on that play. He ran the right route, had great field vision, saw the opening, got behind there on the baseline.
“We’ve been practicing that play this week, and he was there for me. He got open and he made the catch. I thought that was perfect. [I’m] really excited about that. That was a great connection.”
Nix and Franklin weren’t the only Ducks involved in the play. With starting center Luke Wattenberg on injured reserve, Alex Forsyth got his first pro start on Sunday. Nix and Franklin both played with Forysth at Oregon.
“I thought it was unique we had an Oregon player snap it, an Oregon player throw it and an Oregon player catch it,” Nix said. “I don’t know if that’s ever happened in the NFL. It probably has as long as the NFL has been going. I think it’s pretty cool.”
After falling to the Chargers 23-16 on Sunday, Nix and his teammates will aim to bounce back against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football in Week 7.
The Broncos are set to host the Chargers on Sunday. Here are five storylines to keep an eye on leading up to the game.
The Denver Broncos (3-2) are set to host the Los Angeles Chargers (2-2) in Week 6 of the 2024 NFL season on Sunday afternoon. Here’s a quick list of five storylines to keep an eye on leading up to the AFC West showdown.
1. The next next man up at right tackle: After losing Mike McGlinchey to a knee injury, the Broncos turned to Alex Palczewski at right tackle and he played very well before suffering an ankle injury. Palczewski is believed to have suffered a high ankle sprain, which could make him a candidate for injured reserve. McGlinchey will be eligible to return from IR next week, but Denver will need a one-game fill-in against the Chargers. Matt Peart is the most likely candidate. The Broncos also have Frank Crum on the active roster and veteran Cam Fleming on the practice squad.
2. Devaughn Vele’s potential return at wide receiver: After leading the team with eight catches in Week 1, Vele injured his ribs and has not played since his debut. Vele has not appeared on the injury report in recent weeks so it seems that he has recovered. Josh Reynolds missed the last two days of practice with a hand injury and if Reynolds is not able to play on Sunday, Vele seems likely to return to the lineup.
3. A new center: Palczewski isn’t the only lineman battling an ankle injury this week. Starting center Luke Wattenberg has also been sidelined, which likely means Alex Forsyth is set to make his first NFL start against Los Angeles. Forsyth played with Bo Nix in college, so he already has existing chemistry with the rookie quarterback.
4. Joey Bosa’s uncertain status: The Chargers’ star pass rusher missed the last two days of practice with a hip injury, putting his status in doubt for Week 6. Denver’s banged-up offensive line would benefit from not having to face Bosa, who has 7.5 sacks in 12 career games against the Broncos.
5. Bo Nix against the NFL’s best defense: Putting aside an abnormal rain game against the Jets (67.9) two weeks ago, Nix’s passer rating has otherwise been trending up this season from 47.5 to 55.2 to 85.0 to 117.2. He’s now set to face a huge test when he goes up against an L.A. defense that ranks No. 1 in points allowed this season (12.5 per game). Nix has not had a single turnover during the team’s three-game winning streak and he has done a good job of eluding sacks. If Denver’s going to keep the streak going, Nix will need another strong performance against a tough Chargers squad.
The Broncos placed OT Will Sherman (ankle) on their practice squad injury list on Tuesday.
The offensive line injuries keep coming for the Denver Broncos.
The Broncos placed backup offensive tackle Will Sherman (ankle) on the team’s practice squad injury list on Tuesday, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. The injury happened during practice last week.
Sherman (6-4, 300 pounds) joined the Broncos in 2022 after previously competing on the practice squad of the New England Patriots in 2021. He spent last season on Denver’s practice squad and is yet to make his NFL debut.
The Broncos also lost fill-in starting right tackle Alex Palczewski and starting center Luke Wattenberg to ankle injuries this week. Denver signed tackle Cam Fleming and center Dieter Eiselen to the practice squad to add more depth while Palczewski and Wattenberg are sidelined.
Broncos right tackle Mike McGlinchey (knee) will be eligible to return from injured reserve next week. In the meantime, Matt Peart (right tackle) and Alex Forsyth (center) are likely the next men up on the offensive line.
After losing Luke Wattenberg to an ankle injury, the Broncos signed center Dieter Eiselen to their practice squad.
The Denver Broncos signed veteran center Dieter Eiselen to their practice squad on Tuesday after losing Luke Wattenberg to an ankle injury against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
Eiselen (6-4, 315 pounds) is a fourth-year center who entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Yale with the Chicago Bears in 2020. He dressed for 14 games in three seasons with the Bears and then joined the Houston Texans in 2023, dressing for 10 games that season.
Eiselen played 63 snaps with Chicago in 2022 and four snaps with Houston last fall. He has also played 82 snaps on special teams in his career.
The severity of Wattenberg’s injury is not yet known, but the fact that Denver is adding insurance at the position probably isn’t a great sign for Wattenberg’s chances of suiting up against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6.
If Wattenberg is not able to play this week, second-year lineman Alex Forsyth would be the next man up at center. Forsyth made his offensive debut against the Raiders, filling in at center for the final 10 snaps of the game.
Former Oregon Ducks Bo Nix, Bucky Irving, Alex Forsyth and Troy Franklin met up at midfield after the Broncos-Bucs game on Sunday.
The Denver Broncos‘ game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday featured four former Oregon Ducks who were teammates in college.
Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (2022-’23), center Alex Forsyth (2017-’22) and wide receiver Troy Franklin (2021-’23) were teammates with Bucs running back Bucky Irving (2021-’23) at Oregon.
Nix impressed on Sunday by going 25-of-36 passing for 216 yards with no sacks and no turnovers in a 26-7 victory, his first win the NFL. Nix also rushed nine times for 47 yards and one score on the ground.
Franklin hauled in two receptions for 11 yards. Forsyth is a backup offensive lineman for Denver. Irving had a big game for Tampa Bay, rushing nine times for 70 yards while adding three receptions for 14 yards.
After the game, the four players got together for a photo:
Here are 10 takeaways following the first week of Broncos training camp.
The Denver Broncos started their ramp-up sessions last Wednesday, but the team did not begin official full-speed training camp practices until last Friday. So based on official practices, today marks the end of the first week of Broncos training camp.
So far there’s been one fight — tight end Nate Adkins and outside linebacker Durell Nchami got into it after a run play on Tuesday.
“It’s a scuffle,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of the incident after Tuesday’s practice. “Sometimes it doesn’t bother me. In that case, I think we’ll look at the film. I think one player gets blocked pretty well and frustrated. I don’t want discipline fouls, and we’ve all seen it. We talked a little bit about it afterwards, but the guys are working hard.”
That was perhaps Payton’s diplomatic way of telling Nchami to keep a cool head after getting thoroughly blocked by Adkins. That kind of retaliation on a game day would have led to a 15-yard penalty.
Scuffle aside, what did we learn from the first week of training camp? Here are ten quick takeaways from Denver.
Broncos backup swing tackle/guard Quinn Baileyfractured his ankle at Tuesday’s practice, a brutal injury for the 28-year-old lineman. Bailey was set to serve as the team’s “No. 6 lineman” this season, used in “jumbo” formations and filling in whenever a starting tackle or guard was sidelined. It’s now uncertain if Bailey will be able to return in 2024.
“It’s always tough to see and to be a part of when you’re at a practice,” Payton said of the injury. “It’s one of the bitter realities of our game. He was having a really good camp.”
Elsewhere on the injury front, safety Brandon Jones (hamstring) will be out another week or so, Caden Sterns (knee) is being eased into action and lineman Nick Gargiulo (undisclosed) remains sidelined.
2. Quinn Meinerz’s contract exemplifies Payton’s view of o-line
(Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)
Denver rewarded guard Quinn Meinerz with a four-year, $80 million contract extension before kicking off training camp. Giving big-money contracts to offensive linemen is nothing new for Payton.
“I think it is the most important position group on your roster,” Payton said last week when asked about valuing the offensive line. “I think it permeates your building. I believe that and it has served us well everywhere I have been.”
Since he arrived last year, Payton quickly emphasized improving the offensive line. He brought in two new starters through free agency last year and gave Meinerz an extension this year. Garett Bolles is up next (more on that later).
“I think it was really stressed to us a lot last year about how for the most part, the team goes as far as the offensive line,” Meinerz said. “So that kind of shows this offensive system and its success that Sean has had in the past. So we’ve understood since this new staff came that came in that the pressure was going to be put on the offensive line and that in the same breath, the way the games go, it’s on us.
“If we win a game, it’s on us, if we lose a game it’s on us and that’s the kind of mentality that we have. Whether it be in practice, individual period, team periods, one-on-ones, weight room, meetings, we know what’s at stake. We know what the pressure is — but I mean the cliché is that pressure makes diamonds. We’re ready for it.”
3. Pat Surtain and Garett Bolles are now on deck
(Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports)
Following the big extension for Meinerz, star cornerback Pat Surtainand left tackle Garett Bolles are now next in line for new contracts.
Payton said “we will keep you posted” when asked about a potential extension for Surtain, and he confirmed that he wants to re-sign the cornerback. PS2, meanwhile, is focusing on his play.
“There’s no specific timeframe right now,” Surtain said when asked if there’s a timeline for a new deal. “I’m going to let my agent handle that and let that process speak for itself. Right now, my ongoing focus is the football field for sure.”
Bolles is in a similar scenario.
“This team counts on me, so any time that we have voluntary or team meetings or whatever it is, I’m going to be the first one there,” Bolles said. “I love this city and I love this organization. I want to play my whole career here. The front office knows that. They know I want to be a Bronco for life.
“My family is here and established here. We love it here. We don’t want to go anywhere else. My job is to just play good football and the ball is in their court. I just have to do my job and the rest will take care of itself.”
4. Javonte Williams lost weight at Payton’s request
“He set me a goal weight and I got to it,” Williams said last week. The running back stopped eating after 7 p.m. and cut out snacks, including Takis, one of his favorites.
“The type of coach Coach Payton is, he’s seen a lot of great running backs come through,” Williams said. “Anything that he says, I’m going to listen to it. Just for him to even care and just to tell me, ‘This is what I want you to be when you come back to have the best chance to do what you have to do.’ That by itself just showed me that he cared, and if he put that much effort into it, I will too.”
Payton has praised Williams this summer, saying early in camp that the fourth-year running back has looked “real sharp.”
Some fans and pundits speculated this offseason that Williams might have a reduced role in 2024. The team’s backfield rotation, however, suggests that Williams will remain the RB1. The other spots are still up for grabs.
Denver drafted Audric Estime and then signed Blake Watson as a college free agent this spring, adding them to a backfield that already included Williams, Samaje Perine, Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie.
“I think we have good competition there,” Payton said. “We have good skill sets and guys that can do different things there. Historically speaking for me, I’ve always believed that that depth is important because there’s a lot of wear and tear in 17 weeks to play with just one runner. It’s good to have him out there.”
It seems fair to assume the Broncos will carry four running backs on the 53-man roster. If they don’t believe Watson can sneak down to the practice squad, Perine could end up being a cap casualty.
“It’s going to be real intense and that’s the way you should want it to be,” Williams said of the RB competition. “No days off, like it says right here, ‘Compete Street,’ and every day we’re coming in and competition [should] be excellent. We’re all just going to get better from it.”
6. Courtland Sutton’s glad to be back with a revised deal
(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Broncos receiver Courtland Sutton skipped the voluntary portion of the team’s offseason program in protest of his contract situation. Sutton reported for all of the mandatory sessions and Denver agreed to revise his contract one day before official training camp practices started last week.
Sutton can now earn an additional $1.5 million through new incentives in 2024 and he’s glad to have the negotiations behind him.
“It was nice,” Sutton said of the incentives being added. “I think it was made pretty clear that this is home for me, and this is where I wanted to be. I’m grateful that we were able to come to some form of an agreement to be able to help both of us move forward.”
With his contract situation sorted out, Sutton is now “like a kid in a candy store” at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit.
“It’s been amazing,” Sutton said. “I think the last time I talked to you guys, I told you that it was killing me not being out on the field with the guys. I’ve just been out here enjoying it like a kid in a candy store. Every little thing is a big thing, and just enjoying it.
“From the individuals [drills], to stretching with the guys, to route on air, being able to finally run plays against the defense, being in the huddle and hearing plays. All of those different things have been such a blessing to be able to do. [I’m] just enjoying each step of the way. It’s been a lot of fun.”
7. Sean Payton likes to have big wide receivers
(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Broncos have 12 wide receivers on the 90-man offseason roster. Of those receivers, all but three are at least 6-1. Seven are 6-3 or taller. That’s not a coincidence — it’s a Payton preference.
“That position group is going to be interesting as you guys look at it, try to put it together and piece together,” Payton said of the WR room. “It’s a big group, size wise. First year I ever coached in the NFL in 1997 in Philadelphia, we played the 49ers.
“I want to say it’s ’97 — could have been ’98. It was at the old Veteran’s Stadium, and I remember when the Niners’ receivers walked out, it was Jerry Rice, and John Taylor and it was [J.J.] Stokes. I couldn’t get over how they looked. There is a prototype. That doesn’t mean that they can’t be smaller — then they have a different skill set — but in this league, that’s what we’re looking for. This is a big group.”
Courtland Sutton is 6-4, as are Tim Patrick and Lil’Jordan Humphrey. The tallest receiver on the roster is Devaughn Vele (6-5), and Payton’s appreciation of height is something to keep in mind when predicting Denver’s final WR depth chart.
8. Levi Wallace could be a sleeper at cornerback
(Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)
In an ideal world, one of Riley Moss or Damarri Mathis will step up this summer and emerge as the team’s No. 2 cornerback across from Pat Surtain. That’s the preferred scenario. But a veteran like Levi Wallace stepping in as a short-term solution might be a more likely scenario.
“We have a good smart veteran player who has played in a lot of games,” Payton said of Wallace. “With the amount of multiple receiver sets we get, there’s that level of expertise and experience he brings. [He is] steady. I think he brings something to the room as well. I think quietly, he’s been a real good addition for us.”
Wallace has also drawn praise from Surtain, which is notable.
“It’s great,” PS2 said. “Another ‘Bama’ boy, so that’s great for sure. Levi, he’s provided a great presence to our secondary room. His experience — I think this is Year [7] for him. Going into it, he knows a lot about the game, a lot about Xs and Os. It helps a lot because when you have a veteran presence in the defensive back room it helps your game for sure.”
9. The center competition might be Luke Wattenberg’s to lose
(Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports)
Luke Wattenberg handled the first-team center duties through the first few days of practice before Alex Forsyth eventually joined the rotation. Forsyth has also been getting some looks at guard, a position Wattenberg has also played in the past. That versatility will serve both players well. Whoever does not end up starting at center can serve as a backup swing guard/center. That might leave center Sam Mustipher as the odd man out.
“He’s smart,” Payton said when asked about Wattenberg. “I think he’s got good versatility. There are traits that you look forward to in a center. You look for guys that obviously are strong inside handling the pash rush. Then it’s how are they at the second level? Often times, that player is able to combo and get up to a linebacker—can they finish? So he’s someone that’s pretty athletic and has a really good ability to get to his second-level blocks.”
10. Quarterback competition seems to have two contenders
Bo Nix Looks Very Accurate at Broncos Training Camp with Deep Ball to Michael Bandy pic.twitter.com/nDl3k6QK1W
It’s no surprise, really, but Jarrett Stidham and Bo Nixseem to be pulling ahead of Zach Wilson in the quarterback battle.
Stidham already has a year of experience in Payton’s offense, which gives him an obvious advantage in the competition. It’s no surprise, then, that many pundits believe Stidham is the best QB1 option at this very moment.
That could change over the next few weeks, though, especially if Nix continues to impress.
Bo Nix is DEALING…just hit Reynolds for a 15 yard gain on a freaking rope over the out stretched hands of Ja’Quan McMillian along the left sideline. What a DIME@KOAColorado#Broncos
The competition will ultimately be decided during preseason. It would be a big upset for Wilson to bounce back and win the job. Whoever looks the best between Stidham and Nix this summer will line up under center when the Broncos go on the road to face the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1.
First things first, Denver will have three preseason games in August, starting with a road game against the Indianapolis Colts on Aug. 11. This is just a hunch, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Stidham start the first preseason game and Nix start the second. Perhaps the Broncos could then decide on a starter around the third week of preseason.
That’s just a guess, though. Payton hasn’t revealed his timeline for naming a starter. It’s obviously the story at training camp, and one we’ll continue to follow on Broncos Wire.
