At long last, the Denver Broncos are poised to take the field again on Friday night in Atlanta, Georgia, in the team’s preseason opener.
The Atlanta Falcons will host the Broncos, with the plan to start Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback. I don’t imagine Tua will take too many snaps against the Broncos’ first-team defense — a unit that has led the NFL in sacks in back-to-back seasons.
We’ll get to a few players to watch as well, but first, here’s how to make sure you can catch the Broncos’ preseason debut on Friday night.
Broncos at Falcons
- Date: August 14
- Time: 5 pm MDT
- Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Local TV Channel: KUSA/Channel
- Play-By-Play: Steve Levy
- Color Analyst: Ryan Harris
- Sideline: Cynthia Frelund
- Sideline: Scottie Grange
Stream: NFL+ (Subscription Required)
Local Radio: KOA/850 AM | 94.1 FM
- Play-By-Play: Dave Logan
- Color Analyst: Rick Lewis
- Sideline: Susie Wargin
National Radio: Sports USA
- Play-by-Play: Josh Appel
- Color Analyst: Bryan Walters
Players to Watch
We’ve had two-plus weeks of training camp to see how the Broncos’ key position battles have shaped up. Based on what we’ve seen, here are a handful of players to watch.
Jarrett Stidham & Sam Ehlinger | QB
Head coach Sean Payton tried walking back his comments from the offseason about there being an open competition for the No. 1 quarterback job, but there’s clearly a battle going on. Ehlinger has acquitted himself well thus far, while Stidham has seemed to be pressing at times, like he’s feeling the pressure.
Stidham will get the first half in Atlanta, while Ehlinger will get the second. These preseason games will go a long way toward the coaches’ decision on this position, and the first audition is Friday night.
Jonah Coleman | RB
Coleman’s place on the roster is secure, but it will be great to finally see him in action in an actual game. He’s looked as advertised in camp, showcasing his three-down skill set as a complete back.
Will Coleman get a chance as a kick returner? I’m curious to see, simply because he was utilized that way last Saturday in the Broncos’ planned scrimmage.
Pat Bryant, Troy Franklin, & Hakeem Butler | WR
Bryant and Franklin are both locks for the roster — barring an unforeseen trade — but this first preseason game will be the first opportunity to create some clarity on the depth chart. Bryant has been the star of camp thus far, but can he translate it to the preseason games themselves?
Franklin’s seat at the table has been diminished this summer, though his number of targets improved with Jaylen Waddle laid up for the past week-plus. Can Franklin remind the coaches why he started last season as the starter opposite Courtland Sutton?
Butler has also been one of camp’s standouts. However, he’s had a couple of down days, and the Broncos’ receiver room is stacked. He’ll need to show out in the preseason to have a chance at even the practice squad, with how deep the room is.
Red Murdock & Taurean York | LB
These two rookie linebackers have built up a head of steam in camp of late. Now it’s time to translate that momentum into the preseason.
The Broncos have two linebacker roster spots up for grabs, and odds are, only one of these two have a chance at one. Murdock, as a seventh-round pick, has the advantage over the undrafted York.
Justin Joly & Dallen Bentley | TE
Neither of these two rookies has impressed in camp up to this point. The Broncos have four veterans they trust at the top of the depth chart, but they drafted these two for a reason.
Joly’s roster outlook is better than Bentley’s, only because the Broncos would be unlikely to re-sign Joly after waiving him. Some other team would likely claim him.
If Joly wants to avoid that potential conundrum, he’s got to start showing something in the preseason. Bentley’s brief is to show enough for Denver to justify keeping a practice squad spot for him.
Add us as a preferred source on Google
