The Denver Broncos have one of the most promising squads heading into training camp, with many new faces from the draft, as well as a few free agents, looking to make a statement to solidify their roles on the team. It’s going to be competitive on the depth chart, with multiple guys fighting for starting spots. Training camp is a good time for new players to showcase their abilities, as well as veterans to prove they can still compete. These three players have a lot riding on their performance at Broncos training camp, in determining what will happen next in their careers.
Evan Engram, TE
There was a lot of belief in Evan Engram when he first arrived in Denver. He was coming off a couple of successful seasons in Jacksonville, one where he had over 100 catches and close to 1000 receiving yards. He was Trevor Lawrence’s main man. But his sophomore season in Denver didn’t go as well. Engram finished with 5o catches for 461 yards and one touchdown. This was a major step down from his production with the Jaguars. The Broncos drafted two tight ends in the 2026 NFL draft: Justin Joly and Dallen Bentley, who are looking to lock down the starting spots. Both have much bigger frames than Engram’s and offer just as much offensive upside at a lower price. There were rumours that the Broncos were thinking of cutting Engram after training camp, and should the rookies outshine him, that may very well be the case.
Jadhae Barron, DB
There was a ton of excitement when Jadhae Barron was drafted. He was seen as the perfect guy to complement Pat Surtain II on the other side, as he had a ton of athleticism and was mature for his age. His rookie season didn’t necessarily play out like that, though. Riley Moss had the starting outside role all year, and Ja’quan McMillan was preferred in the slot. Barron found himself fourth on the depth chart throughout the season and never touched over a 33% snap share in any game across the season. It was an opportunity to learn and ease him into the big leagues; there was no pressure. This season, though, there will be expectations that he will make a jump. His tackle numbers weren’t bad, but he gave up an average of 6.1 yards per play, which is a number he will need to improve upon. The Broncos have been looking to trade veteran Riley Moss, as the parties can’t come to terms on a deal, and Denver believes they can still get something of value if they were to trade him. A trade would make way for Jadhae to get a starting role, but he’ll need to earn it at training camp. The teams have been linked to Terrion Arnold in recent weeks and are surely in win-now mode, so they won’t hesitate to look for another corner to complement Pat Surtain II if Barron can’t fit the bill.
Jonah Coleman, RB
It feels harsh to place such high expectations on a rookie, but it’s for his benefit. Jonah Coleman is a powerful runner who is agile and can turn on a dime. He brings a different kind of explosiveness that the Broncos didn’t have with their other two running backs. Both J.K Dobbins and RJ Harvey led the Broncos’ backfield at different points last year, and had help from Jaleel McLaughin, but they’re all specific to certain situations, and not any of them have a complete all-around game. Harvey is the receiving back, Dobbins is the power back, and when both are healthy, they complement each other nicely. J.K Dobbins has had injuries over the past few seasons, and those concerns prompted the Broncos to add to their running back room. With Coleman, they have another version of Dobbins who can hit the holes up the middle, and arguably with even more tenacity and eagerness. But as we saw with Barron last year, a player is going to have to really impress the coaches if they’re going to have a significant role in the team, which is why Coleman needs to show off, because if he can find consistency in his game early, he may be even to push himself up the depth chart, as the all around workhorse running back the Broncos were looking for.
