Broncos 27, Cardinals 7: The Good, Bad & Ugly

The Denver Broncos' second preseason game of 2025 is in the books, coming out on top vs. the Arizona Cardinals 27-7. Several Broncos transformed the hype around their training camp buzz into tangible results on both sides of the ball.

While some players are riding high, others either failed to produce or even had major blunders that could hurt their chances of making the Broncos' roster. Let’s examine the good, the bad, and the ugly from Denver’s preseason victory over the Cardinals. 

The Good: WR Troy Franklin Emerges

After coming away with a few impressive catches last week against the San Francisco 49ers, Franklin continued his ascent, catching four passes for 67 yards and two touchdowns vs. the Cardinals. He has shown growth in his route running and his ability to track the ball over his shoulder, two areas in which he was severely lacking in his rookie year.

The Broncos have several wideouts on the roster, but no one is a proven, reliable option outside of Courtland Sutton. Franklin is on the right track to be a massive contributor to this Denver offense, and if he continues to produce like he did against the Cardinals, he’ll firmly be in the conversation as the No. 2 wide receiver for this team.

The Bad: Damarri Mathis | CB

Mathis has fallen far from his promising rookie season in 2022. The fourth-year cornerback hasn’t seen meaningful play time since his rookie year and is buried behind Patrick Surtain II, Riley Moss, Kris Abrams-Draine, and rookie first-round pick Jahdae Barron.

Mathis' play against the Cardinals only made his viability to carve out a spot on Denver’s 53-man roster as he gave up an early touchdown while in coverage. It was already a murky outlook for Mathis, whose 2025 salary north of $3 million already positioned him on thin ice, but the more he plays, the more he drifts into obscurity.

The Ugly: Audric Estime RB

Similar to Mathis, Estime has failed to maximize his opportunities and has a plethora of productive options ahead of him. He ended the night with nine carries for 20 yards (2.2 avg) as he ran with the third and fourth-team units.

Estime also had zero receptions, which is a big strike against him in a Sean Payton offense. With J.K. Dobbins and second-round pick RJ Harvey being the top two backs, along with Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie, and Blake Watson all having great training camps and making the most of their touches, it’s looking doubtful that Estime makes the roster. 

The Takeaway

The Broncos found out more about their roster in their outing against the Cardinals, as some players proved themselves while others failed to perform. Overall, Denver’s performance was very encouraging, with few complaints outside of Mathis and Estime failing to put anything worthwhile on tape.

Recommended Articles

The Broncos' preseason finale will be next week vs. Payton’s former team, the New Orleans Saints. It will give us even more hints about what the Broncos will look like headed into Week 1.