Broncos vs. 49ers Preseason Game: 5 Burning Offensive Questions

The Broncos extended Courtland Sutton, and he remains the top receiver. The addition of tight end Evan Engram gives the Broncos their second primary passing target. However, the question of who emerges as the actual No. 2 receiver remains. 

Training camp practices haven't made the question any easier to answer, as all of the Broncos' younger receivers have stepped up their game for this season. The group had many questions surrounding its year-two development, and some of them have been answered.

Marvin Mims Jr. is looking vastly improved as a route runner, with a more diverse route tree, and Troy Franklin is in the same boat, along with having a better build and being more confident. Devaughn Vele has been dealing with a lower-body injury, but he has stood out when he has practiced. 

The third-rounder, Pat Bryant, has had some bright flashes in camp, but he has also made some rookie mistakes. Then you have the rest of the room, including undrafted rookies Courtney Jackson and Joaquin Davis, who have stood out. 

It seems headed for Mims and Vele to be the second and third receiver, competing for pecking order, with Bryant and Franklin competing for the fourth and fifth spot. However, a good or bad showing in a preseason game could shake things up even more than they already have been. 

Do Backup Interior OL Stand Out?

The depth of the Broncos' interior offensive line has no known quantities, which means you're looking for players to stand out. With the starting five and two backup tackles set, three spots are up for grabs. 

Alex Forsyth is favored for one of those three spots, but he will need to show vast improvements over last year to secure a spot. However, he does have starting experience in the regular season from when Luke Wattenberg missed some time, and that gives Forsyth an edge over the rest. 

The Broncos have two undrafted rookies with high pedigree: Clay Webb and Xavier Truss. Truss is a tall player who may project best inside, so can he make that transition and stand out enough to make the roster? 

While Webb was projected as a fourth or fifth-round pick, he went undrafted due to some legal issues that have since been resolved. It has been a quiet camp for Webb, but can he show those skills that had him projected to get drafted with a top 150 pick against the 49ers? 

There are some veterans as well on the interior with Calvin Throckmorton and Will Sherman, but will either of them step up? Second-year player Nick Gargiulo is close with Bo Nix off the field, but can he step up on the field to be a potential starter next year? This interior O-line needs to answer the bell.

What Is the RB Pecking Order?

First off, ignore the initial depth chart with regard to the running back position, as RJ Harvey will be the second back, at the very least, come regular season. Payton has a long history of putting rookies at the bottom of the depth chart. 

That said, the pecking order at running back is still in question. Can Harvey show enough as a runner to be the starting back, and early down runner, with J.K. Dobbins providing the third-down back usage? 

Jaleel McLaughlin seems destined for the roster, and there has been a lot of hype around him so far in camp, looking vastly improved in multiple key areas. This will be a good test for him to show the improvements, as well as showing how adding weight is a bonus to his skills and not a detriment. 

Audric Estime, Tyler Badie, and Blake Watson round out the room, and seeing the pecking order for these three can provide some insight into their standing when it comes to building the 53-man roster. Estime is a true short-yardage power back, while the other two offer more explosive play-making potential. 

Game situations are the best opportunity for backs to show off, so this game will start to provide the answer. However, as with all of these questions, one game alone won't answer the question completely. 

Caleb Lohner vs. Lucas Krull: Who Stands Out?

The top three tight ends are set with Engram, Adam Trautman, and Nate Adkins, but do the Broncos only carry those three, or do they keep a fourth? That is the first question that needs to be answered, and it's on Lohner and Krull to answer it. 

From there, the question becomes, if there is a fourth tight end, who is it? What Lohner will bring as a rookie is exactly what you're getting out of Krull: a receiving tight end who won't offer much as a blocker, and not quite the receiving talent to see the field for a significant amount of time. 

It has been a rough camp for Krull, and Lohner has had some moments, so it seems headed for only three tight ends. But if Payton wants to keep four, whichever of these receiving tight ends stands out most likely wins. However, Krull has a massive advantage over Lohner with NFL experience compared to the rookie's 57 snaps of college football. 

Does Sam Ehlinger Push Broncos to Keep Three QBs?

Nix is the starting quarterback, and Jarrett Stidham will back him up, but do the Broncos keep three quarterbacks on the roster to start the season? The Broncos kept three last year, but Ehlinger has to go out there and make a case for himself for the roster. 

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While he isn't competing against another player at his position, he is battling with players at other positions for a place on the 53-man roster. He will have ample opportunity to show the value in keeping him on the roster, but it is on him to make the most of those opportunities.