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[Denver Broncos]

Can the Bronco defense make the jump from great to elite?

Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post

The Bronco defense has not led the league in scoring this century. Could that change in 2025?

The Denver Broncos finished third in scoring defense last season allowing 311 points - 18.3 ppg. They had one shutout - against the Kansas City Chiefs B-team - but against starters the fewest points they allowed was six against the Atlanta Falcons.

The Bronco defense last led the league in scoring in 1989. No team has repeated as the scoring defense leader since the Seattle Seahawks led the league for four straight seasons from 2012 to 2015. Prior to the that the Pittsburgh Steelers led the league in the 2010 and 2011 seasons. The Los Angeles Chargers led the league in scoring defense last season.

13 tms have led the lg in scoring defense this century (including 2000). The Broncos have been close to the top, but have not.

— Joe Mahoney (@ndjomo.bsky.social) 2025-06-05T13:56:40.343Z

Thirteen different teams have led the league in scoring defense this century with five doing it multiple times: Pittsburgh, Seattle, Baltimore, New England and Chicago. Of those teams only three have never been in the bottom quartile in scoring this century: Baltimore, Pittsburgh and New England.

The New England Patriots came close last season by finishing 22nd in scoring. The Bottom quartile is 25th or worse. The top quartile is first through eighth. While the Broncos have finished in the top quartile seven times this century, they have not finished higher than 3rd.

Normally teams don’t make huge jumps year over year in scoring defense if they are going to finish the season as the league leader. The Chargers in 2024 notwithstanding (they moved from 24th to 1st). The Baltimore Ravens, who led the league in 2023, were third the year before. The San Francisco 49ers who led in 2022 were 9th in 2021. The Buffalo Bills who led in 2021 were 16th in 2020. The Los Angeles Rams went from 17th to first: the Patriots from 7th to 1st, the Chicago Bears from 9th to 1st, the Minnesota Vikings from 6th to 1st, the Pats from 10th to 1st, the Seahawks from 7th to 1st.

Of the 14 teams in the table above, the Ravens have the lowest (best) average rank in scoring defense this century at 7.6. The Broncos are tied with the Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bills, and Chargers in terms average scoring defense rank this century.

The Broncos have added three potentially elite defenders who will upgrade their spots relative to the the 2024 defense: Dre Greenlaw, Jahdae Barron and Talanoa Hufanga. Greenlaw is an upgrade over Cody Barton and/or Justin Strnad (who can move back to his special teams role with the Broncos). Barron is an upgrade over Ja’Quan McMillan and/or Riley Moss (whether Barron is playing CB2 or CB3). Hufanga is a huge upgrade over PJ Locke who does not belong as a starting safety in the NFL.

Locke was the 12th worst DB for passer rating allowed last season. When his man was targeted, opposing QBs had a passer rating of 125.8. Admittedly there were other starting safeties who were worse:

1. Kyle Dugger - 137.4
2. Jason Pinnock - 135.9
3. Grant Delpit - 134.0
4. Jeremy Chinn - 131.2
5. Donovan Wilson - 130.0
6. Budda Baker - 129.8
7. Isaiah Pola-Mao - 129.6
8. Minkah Fitzpatrick - 127.6
9. PJ Locke - 125.8

In 2023 when Hufanga made first team All-Pro, he allowed a passer rating of 60.1. That would have been the third best for a starting safety in 2024. Calen Bullock and Kerby Joseph (37.3 and 39.1) were the two were better last season. Joseph was first team All-Pro in 2024. Xavier McKinney was the other first team All-Pro safety in 2024. He allowed a passer rating of 78.5 last season.

Locke allowed a team-high four receiving TDs last season (tied with Moss) and one in ten of the catches he allowed was a TD. Eleven Bronco defenders allowed a TD catch last season and only Jonah Elliss, Alex Singleton, Devon Key and Kwon Alexander had a worse catch per TD rate than Locke.

Rk	Player	Age	Pos	G	GS	Int	Tgt	Cmp	Cmp%	Yds	Yds/Cmp	Yds/Tgt	TD	Rat	Catches per TD
1	Cody Barton	28	LILB	17	14	2	47	41	87.2	476	11.6	10.1	1	98.2	41.0
2	Brandon Jones	26	FS	16	15	3	70	47	67.1	492	10.5	7	2	79	23.5
3	Ja'Quan McMillian	24	CB	17	9	2	101	65	64.4	688	10.6	6.8	3	85.7	21.7
4	Levi Wallace	29	CB	13	2	0	30	20	66.7	271	13.6	9	1	106.4	20.0
5	Patrick Surtain II	24	LCB	16	16	4	62	38	61.3	326	8.6	5.3	2	58.9	19.0
6	Riley Moss	24	RCB	14	14	1	103	67	65	747	11.1	7.3	4	95.4	16.8
7	P.J. Locke	27	SS	15	15	0	54	40	74.1	484	12.1	9	4	125.8	10.0
8	Jonah Elliss	21	OLB	17	0	0	11	10	90.9	113	11.3	10.3	1	139.8	10.0
9	Alex Singleton	31	LB	3	3	1	8	7	87.5	70	10	8.8	1	103.1	7.0
10	Devon Key	27	DB	17	2	0	11	5	45.5	95	19	8.6	2	115.5	2.5
11	Kwon Alexander	30	LB	3	2	0	2	2	100	15	7.5	7.5	1	137.5	2.0

With Brandon Jones, Hafanga, Patrick Surtain II, Riley Moss and Jahdae Barron as the five starting DBs for the Broncos next season, the Broncos have, arguably, the best secondary in the NFL. With Ja’Quan McMillan as the CB4, I challenge you to find a better secondary on paper for 2025.

The Lions had the best pass defense in 2024 allowing a passer rating of 82.0 and one of their predicted starters at CB in 2025, DJ Reed, is a downgrade for them relative to Carlton Davis who started opposite Terrion Arnold last season.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/2025...broncos-defense-make-jump-from-great-to-elite

 

[Denver Broncos]

Can you guess this Broncos specialist in today’s in-5 trivia game?

Think you can figure out which Broncos player we’re talking about? You’ll get five clues to figure him out in our new guessing game!

Hey Broncos fans! We’re back for another day of the Mile High Report in-5 daily trivia game. Game instructions are at the bottom if you’re new to the game! Feel free to share your results in the comments and feedback in this Google Form.

Today’s Mile High Report in-5 game​

If you can’t see the game due to Apple News or another service, click this game article.

Previous games​

Saturday, June 7, 2025
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Play more SB Nation in-5 trivia games​

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Behind the Mile High Report in-5 instructions​

The goal of the game is to guess the correct Broncos player with the help of up to five clues. We’ll mix in BOTH ACTIVE AND RETIRED PLAYERS. It won’t be easy to figure it out in one or two guesses, but some of you might be able to nail it.

After you correctly guess the player, you can click “Share Results” to share how you did down in the comments and on social media. We won’t go into other details about the game as we’d like your feedback on it. How it plays, what you think of it, the difficulty level, and anything else you can think of that will help us improve this game. You can provide feedback in the comments of this article, or you can fill out this Google Form.

Enjoy!

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/2025/6/8/24445328/sb-nation-broncos-daily-trivia-in-5

 

[Denver Broncos]

Can Ja’Quan McMillian surprise and dominate against fiercer competition in 2025

Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images

Denver Bronco returning starter Ja’Quan McMillian will have to fight to remain a starter, but represents big opportunity for the defense in 2025.

After Denver was embarrassed thoroughly on Defense by Miami in week 3 of the 2023 season, they made some big personnel changes. The first of these was promoting Ja’Quan McMillian to their starting slot corner. McMillian responded to the opportunity by instantly upgrading the position, helping Denver’s defense throughout the season. All eyes were on him going into 2024, wondering what level of improvement we might see in his first full year as a starter.

While he had some gaffes, 2024 was a good year for McMillian. He continued to prove himself as a starter in the league. While he did not grow into an elite counterpart to Pat Surtain, he was a consistent contributor on an elite defense and not at all a liability of one the way that Levi Wallace was in his limited opportunities.

Ja'Quan McMillan with a game-winning pick 6 #Broncospic.twitter.com/L63OKNe9gG

— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) December 3, 2024​

Going into his 25 year old season, and playing on a cheap ERFA tender, he looked to be a critical core component of Denver’s defense over the next few years. Then came draft day.

Denver had a top 10 ranking overall for Jahdae Barron, and when he was available at Denver’s slot, they happily pulled the trigger. Barron has played lots of wide and slot cornerback, along with a decent amount of snaps as a box safety, but the general assumption is that he would primarily be competing against McMillian.

Player Profile

Ja’Quan McMillian | Cornerback | Broncos | #29

Height: 5-10 inches

Weight: 183 pounds

Experience: 3rd year

Age: 25 years old

2024 stats: 81 Tackles, 75.3% of defensive snaps.

Ja’Quan McMillians outlook for 2025 with the Broncos

There are a lot of ways this season could go for McMillian. Its expected that he will lose his starting position to Brown, but there is no guarantee that occurs. McMillian is very talented, and its tough to come into the league and excel, especially right away. Barron could end up playing primarily outside. Some first round picks bust, and Barron could have those problems (I hope not). Injuries could reshuffle the depth chart in many different ways.

Even if those scenarios unfold, I expect him to provide depth, and possibly to see substantial playtime in dime packages. Denver has not used dime much with Joseph at coordinator, but the absurd level of talent and depth in the secondary combined with two interior linebackers returning from injury could lead to dime making more sense.

Final Thoughts

There is also the unexpected possible scenario where McMillian outplays Barron by so much, and Barron outplays Riley Moss enough that Barron gets moved outside full-time and McMillian remains a nickel starter, getting about three quarters of the defensive snaps. The bottom line with McMillian is he gives the Broncos options. Because of this, I would be stunned if McMillian’s roster spot was in danger. However, I would not be surprised to see other teams reach out about trades for him when invariably some teams slot plans get upended. I am not sure McMillian would be cheap for another team, but desperation happens in the NFL. For the Broncos, I would not let him go for less than a day 2 pick, and probably insist on a high one. I do not expect a trade, and that is ok. McMillian is talented, and incredibly cheap, so it makes sense for the Broncos to want the valuable depth he provides this year.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/2025/6/8/24445618/denver-broncos-roster-jaquan-mcmillian

 

[Denver Broncos]

UDFA WR Kyrese White will compete for a spot on the Broncos practice squad

Undrafted rookie Kyrese White will look to compete for a spot on the Broncos practice squad.

After seven rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft, Kyrese White’s name was not called. Next came the undrafted free agency signing period, but once again, none of the 32 NFL teams offered him a contract. White’s hopes and dreams of playing in the NFL looked to be coming to an end, but he did receive one last shot to accomplish his dreams. He was invited to the Denver Broncos rookie minicamp as a tryout player.

Realistically, the odds of a tryout making the roster are slim at best, but that didn’t stop White from competing. Despite these long odds, White showed up to the Broncos' rookie minicamp and competed, and in the end, impressed the Broncos coaches enough that he was signed to their 90-man roster.

We've signed TE Cole Fotheringham, ILB Jordan Turner, WR Kyrese White and LS Zach Triner.

» https://t.co/7oh4KxnJuW pic.twitter.com/aWsmRVbSnI

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) May 12, 2025​

His fairytale story continues, and now, Kyrese White will look to keep it going and compete for a spot on the Broncos' practice squad.

The former Utah State wide receiver is coming off a career year, during which he totaled 44 receptions for 526 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also added 2 rushing attempts for 4 yards and 1 rushing touchdown.

Player Profile​

Kyrese White | Wide Receiver | Broncos​

• Height: 5-10
• Weight: 185 pounds
• Age: 24 years old
• Experience: Rookie
• Bench Press: 20 reps
• Vertical Jump: 37.5 inches
• Broad Jump: 10-4 inches
• 40-Yard Dash: 4.56 seconds

Note: All testing numbers are from Utah State’s Pro Day

Broncos WR Kyrese White’s 2025 Outlook​

Realistically, White is competing for a spot on the Broncos' practice squad. Barring injury, there are not many, if any, spots available in the Broncos' wide receiver room, so the practice squad is his only avenue. With that said, he faces a bit of competition to crack the Broncos' practice squad.

Wide receivers A.T. Perry, Michael Bandy, Jerjuan Newton, Joaquin Davis, and Courtney Jackson will all be fighting to make the Broncos' practice squad. So, White will need to continue to beat the odds if he wants to stick around on the Broncos roster.

Add in that he is likely at the bottom of the depth chart starting out at least, so he will have little room for error. He cannot start slow or get hurt because his roster spot could be given to someone else. White will be on a short leash but will still have a shot to continue the fairytale.

Final Thoughts​

He has little to no shot at making the Broncos' 53-man roster, and even a practice squad spot seems iffy at best. The team made a larger commitment to several UDFA wide receivers, they have a former Saints 6th-round selection in A.T. Perry, who is familiar with the coaching staff and all the other players who will be eligible to join the Broncos' practice squad.

He has already beaten the odds once to even make the team after going undrafted and unsigned and being just a tryout player. Can he do it again and crack the Broncos practice squad?

We shall see.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/2025/6/10/24446428/broncos-roster-review-wide-receiver-kyrese-white

 

[Denver Broncos]

Report: Broncos are signing running back J.K. Dobbins to a one-year deal

Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images

The Broncos are signing veteran running back J.K. Dobbins to improve their backfield.

According to just about every NFL insider, the Denver Broncos have signed veteran running back J.K. Dobbins to a one-year deal. NFL Network’s insider Tom Pelissero is reporting that it’s a one-year, $5.25 million dollar deal.

J.K. Dobbins, the Comeback Player of the Year finalist, is signing with the #Broncos on a one-year, $5.25 million deal, sources tell me and @RapSheet.

Still only 26, Dobbins had over 1,000 yards from scrimmage and 9 TDs in 13 games last season with the #Chargers. pic.twitter.com/N3aZ4RKa8D

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) June 10, 2025​

Dobbins traveled to Denver last week to meet with the Broncos and left without a deal in place. However, reports indicated that the meeting went well and that the veteran running back remained on their radar. Now, he joins a Broncos backfield looking to improve on what they had last season and will be pairing with explosive rookie running back R.J. Harvey.

Dobbins is coming off a productive season for the rival Chargers, where he rushed for 905 yards, averaged 4.6 yards per carry, and had 9 rushing touchdowns. He did miss four games due to a sprained MCL, so he was well on his way to top 1,000 yards rushing and hit double digits in rushing touchdowns.

Signing J.K. Dobbins always made sense for the Broncos, from the moment free agency opened. They had a major need at running back, and Dobbins would solve that and then some. He will stabilize that room, give them a proven veteran who can contribute at a high level, and someone who could play on third downs for them. This would also allow rookie R.J. Harvey to shift into more of that ‘Joker’/Alvin Kamara role while Dobbins can fill the Mark Ingram role. The Broncos made it a priority to improve their running game this offseason, and adding Dobbins and Harvey would do just that.

With Dobbins now signed, this is a bit of a blow to Audric Estime and Jaleel McLaughlin. They would be pushed down on the depth chart and likely be on the roster bubble moving forward. Could both backs still make the team? Sure, but special teams, pass blocking, and how Payton wants to build the roster all will factor into who stays and who goes.

Dobbins does come with some injury concerns that have sidelined him for a number of games throughout his career. He missed four games last season due to a knee injury, but hopefully, the Broncos' strength and conditioning staff can keep him healthy moving forward.

I love this signing and believe a boost in the running game will be huge for the Broncos' offense moving forward. Bo Nix had an excellent rookie season with little to no run game to lean on. Now, with Harvey and Dobbins added to the mix along with his pass-catching additions and overall improvement from the young players, this offense could be special.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/2025...g-running-back-j-k-dobbins-to-a-one-year-deal

 

[Denver Broncos]

Could rookie TE Caleb Lohner be Sean Payton’s version of Jimmy Graham with the Broncos?

Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Could rookie tight end Caleb Lohner be Sean Payton’s version of Jimmy Graham with the Broncos?

With their final selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos selected Utah tight end Caleb Lohner. This was no ordinary seventh selection due to Lohner transitioning from being a basketball player to a football player. He played just one season with Utah, but Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton saw enough to take a chance on him in the seventh round of the draft.

Broncos HC Sean Payton seems pretty high on 7th round TE Caleb Lohner pic.twitter.com/45S99jDDBu

— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) May 12, 2025​

Payton has only spoken to the media a handful of times since the draft, but he has compared rookie tight end Caleb Lohner to former Saints tight end Jimmy Graham multiple times now.

Last month, he mentioned to reporters that Lohner’s experience is limited, but he says that you see the traits and movements that get you excited about his potential. When watching his tape, he said there were two or three clips that had him saying “Play it again, Play it again!” and they saw more of that during the practices this past weekend.

“It’s limited. So, this is a basketball player for most of his career. He plays a year of football, count the snaps, count the catches. I get it. Yet you see traits, you see movements. I’m not a big fan of the Big 12 Pro Day because a player like him gets six routes instead of 20 that he would get at his own Pro Day. So hopefully that’s going away, but there are two or three clips where I’m like, ‘Play it again. Play it again.’ Then, when you watch him, and you watch him move, and even in our first two days here.”

Lohner’s tape is very limited. He played just 57 snaps this past year at Utah and had just 4 catches (all of which were touchdowns), but the potential is there. He used his size, length, and athletic ability to be a weapon in the red zone, plus his movement skills get you excited about what he can develop into as a receiver.

Payton had a similar type of prospect with the Saints in Jimmy Graham. He was a basketball player transitioning to football and had limited snaps and production in college. While he did have more snaps, more catches, and was drafted in the third round, Payton does see a comparison between the two players. He told reporters that “there are traits there that excite me” when talking about Lohner.

“People bring up Jimmy. Now Jimmy was a third-round pick. I get it, but there were some similarities in that. He only played a year, 80-something snaps. I think he had 18 catches. So yes, we have to coach and develop. In other words, if it was already present when you watch him, and you guys see him, and shake his hand and stand next to him, like, ‘Holy cow.’ There are traits there that excite me. Then just visiting with him, and his intentionality and his excitement about it. I’m excited to watch it.”

Lohner is a developmental lottery ticket that may or may not work out, but Payton’s track record and eye for talent speak for themselves and can’t be ignored here. He does see something in Lohner that has him excited and invested in the rookie tight end’s development, and that alone should excite Broncos fans.

Now, Lohner joins the Broncos looking to show that the Graham comparisons are indeed legit, and hopefully, becoming a productive receiving threat for the Broncos at the tight end position.

Player Profile​

Caleb Lohner | Tight End | Broncos​

Height: 6-7

Weight: 250 pounds

Age: 23 years old

Experience: Rookie

40-Yard Dash: 4.69 seconds

Vertical Jump: 37 inches

Broad Jump: 10’7”

3-Cone Drill: 7.15 seconds

Note: All testing numbers are from the Big 12 Pro Day - Source

Broncos rookie TE Caleb Lohner’s 2025 Outlook​

Caleb Lohner’s outlook all depends on his growth and development throughout the summer, training camp, the preseason, and throughout the regular season.

Will he be someone who can contribute in the red zone right away? Or will he need time to develop and grow and potentially land on the practice squad his rookie season? Hell, will the Broncos even risk him going through waivers if they feel this strongly about him?

It’s hard to answer any of these questions right now. Lohner is a bit of an X-factor and lottery ticket for the Broncos.

Broncos TE Caleb Lohner will be a problem in the red zone pic.twitter.com/PKnF4qjlKn

— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) April 26, 2025​

Ideally, he makes the 53-man roster, contributes on special teams, and is occasionally used in the red zone. He was productive in that role in college, and he could potentially use his size, strength, and basketball background to box out defenders and high point the ball for a touchdown.

It’s hard to say due to his limited background, unknown growth and development, and the Broncos' plan for him. He certainly is an intriguing prospect that Sean Payton seems enamored with, so we’ll see.

He’ll be one of the players I’ll be most interested in throughout training camp and the preseason. Hopefully, he surprises and is a breakout player, and shows that he could potentially be the next Jimmy Graham.

Final Thoughts​

Lohner has played just one year of football and had 4 receptions, all of which were for touchdowns. Without knowing the Broncos' plan for him, watching him practice on a daily basis, and all that, it’s impossible for us to really predict how things will go with him.

I believe he’ll make the 53-man roster unless he looks completely lost and they feel comfortable that he’ll make it through waivers. Ideally, he probably should spend a year on the practice squad and develop his game without the pressure of contributing, but again, who knows their plan or his development right now?

I am excited about his upside and Payton’s excitement about him. Hopefully, he is someone we’re writing about a lot during training camp, but until then, he’s a bit of a mystery.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/2025/6/11/24446813/broncos-roster-review-tight-end-caleb-lohner

 

[Denver Broncos]

Horse Tracks: Entering ninth season with the Broncos, Garett Bolles reflects on NFL journey

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images

The Denver Broncos have had their ups and downs over the past decade, but one thing has remained the same—Garett Bolles manning down the left tackle position.

Good morning, Broncos Country.

Over the past decade, the Denver Broncos have had their fair share of ups and downs. Coaching changes, quarterback changes, and a whole lot of losing seasons. For the most part, there hasn’t been much to write home about with respect to our beloved Broncos.

Entering his ninth year in the National Football League, one thing has remained constant for them—veteran offensive tackle Garett Bolles manning down the left tackle position. From the highest of highs, to the lowest of lows, the ebbs and flows of Bolles’ career are similar to the franchise’s journey in that timeframe.

Earning a starting role as a rookie, Bolles struggled with penalties and giving up sacks early on in his career. For many fans across Broncos Country, he was considered one of the team’s weak links and a player that should be replaced. But as the years went on, Bolles improved his craft and has become of the most consistent left tackles in the NFL.

Toward the end of last season, the Broncos rewarded Bolles with a four-year contract extension which will keep him protecting quarterback Bo Nix’s blindside for the foreseeable future. After practice the other day, he reflected on a myriad of topics, including how things have changed over the course of his career and how he has got to where he is at today.

“I think the game has slowed down for me. I just have to stay on my ‘A’ game every single day. There are new guys coming into this league that are freaks of nature. You have Myles Garrett, you have Maxx Crosby, you have all those guys that are just freaks,” stated Bolles.

Offensive tackles with 2 or fewer sacks allowed last season, per @PFF (min. 550 pass-block snaps):

Tristan Wirfs
Penei Sewell
Garett Bolles
Brian O'Neill
Laremy Tunsil
Colton McKivitz
Ronnie Stanley https://t.co/FvuzvYMnL2

— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) March 8, 2025

“I love going against the best of the best. It pushes me to be my best. I think just being calm, watching film, working on my little things and just being disciplined: the way I sleep, the way I train and the way I take care of my body. I’m available every single day,” the ninth-year pro added.

Over the past eight seasons, the team’s elder statesman in their offensive trenches has started 116 games. To date, the former Utah Ute has missed only 14 games—11 of those coming in 2022 after breaking his leg against the Indianapolis Colts. Once considered an absolute wildcard on a weekly basis, Bolles is now one of the franchise’s most reliable and dependable players.

Bolles and his teammates’ performance on the offensive line were a big reason for the Broncos achievements last season. A unit that was considered as a weakness over the past decade has now become a focal point of its identity. In fact, Denver’s 2024 campaign was the first time in Bolles’ career where the team had finished with a winning record since being selected by John Elway as the team’s first-round pick in 2017.

Toward the end of his post-practice press conference, Bolles reflected on how his passion and mindset have changed over the years to help make that success possible.

“I think my passion at a young age, I just wanted to put everyone in the dirt all the time. Now I think it’s more sexy to stay in front of somebody and block them with your feet and hands. The reality is if you want to be the best tackle in the league, you talk about some of the greats—that’s what they did. They stayed in front of the guy. They moved their feet, and they played a long time,” acknowledged Bolles.

The Broncos have signed OT Garrett Bolles to a 4-year extension, per @gbolles72. This season:

88.7 pass-blocking grade (4th among all OTs) pic.twitter.com/n48FFMzA73

— PFF DEN Broncos (@PFF_Broncos) December 12, 2024

Focusing on technique and footwork aspect of playing tackle has certainly paid off for the long-time veteran offensive tackle. Once one of his biggest weaknesses, his refinement in that those areas have helped him lessen his sack count considerably. For perspective, Bolles allowed 8.5 sacks during his rookie campaign. Over the past four seasons, he has only been credited with seven. Though Bolles would mentioned other particulars off of the field that have helped him keep his game sharp on the field.

“When you get older, you have to focus on the little things. That’s eating right, that’s sleeping right, that’s training and just getting disciplined in everything you do. The game’s the same. The speed’s the same. I’m more confident in that, but when it just comes to taking care of your body and making sure you’re doing everything right, which we do a really good job here, I can play as long as I can,” said Bolles.

After eight long seasons in the NFL, Bolles finally knows what it’s like to make the playoffs. In his presser, he credited Head Coach Sean Payton and the staff for being a difference maker in winning close games and being able to generate winning streaks. Two areas the Broncos struggled with mightily before he took over the reins.

The upcoming 2025 campaign is certainly the most anticipated in recent memory. In order to continue their winning ways and forgo becoming a flash in the pan, the play and leadership of veterans like Bolles will be critical to the team reaching their goals.

As always, thank you for reading. Here is today’s slate of articles for Horse Tracks.

Broncos News & Tidbits

Mile High Morning: After impactful first season in Denver, S Brandon Jones looking for continued growth in Year 2 with Broncos
“You get in trouble as soon as you get complacent,” Jones said of Denver's defense. “I think we are going to be as good as we want to be, and the sky is the limit."

Denver Broncos: LB Milo Eifler trying out at minicamp
The Broncos are giving veteran LB Milo Eifler a tryout at minicamp.

Broncos' Bo Nix mixes it up with defenders at minicamp on red zone day
At Broncos minicamp practice on Tuesday, Bo Nix mixed it up with defensive players on a red zone-heavy day.

NFL QB Rankings: Bo Nix being disrespected, but analysts may not have watched Broncos
In recent NFL QB rankings, Bo Nix has been disrespected with a low number. Will he surprise them in 2025?

NFL News & Tidbits

NFL's top 10 offenses in 2025? Bills, Bucs, Ravens headline my projection; Broncos coming in HOT
Which NFL teams are poised to light up the scoreboard in the coming season? Gennaro Filice predicts the top 10 offenses in 2025.

2025 NFL MVP dark horses: Ja'Marr Chase, Travis Hunter, Baker Mayfield among potential candidates
Could Jordan Love or Justin Herbert win the NFL's top individual award? Might Ja'Marr Chase or Travis Hunter steal the spotlight that's typically reserved for quarterbacks? Judy Battista identifies 10 dark-horse MVP candidates for the 2025 NFL season.

Quarterback questions for 32 NFL teams: Contracts, QB1 races
Will Philly's coordinator swap impact Jalen Hurts? Are Patrick Mahomes and Jayden Daniels headed for big years? Could Lamar Jackson get another big payday?

Saquon hurdles over Mahomes to lead merch sales for last season
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley hurdled to the top of the NFL's year-end list for retail sales, the NFLPA announced Wednesday.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/2025...broncos-garett-bolles-reflects-on-nfl-journey

 

[Denver Broncos]

UDFA linebacker Jordan Turner could be a dark horse candidate to make the Broncos’ roster

Photo by Adam Ruff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

UDFA linebacker Jordan Turner is one of the most intriguing prospects the Denver Broncos signed after the 2025 NFL Draft.

It’s been a long time since the Denver Broncos have had elite play from an inside linebacker.

This offseason, they rolled the dice and gave inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw a three-year deal worth $35 million dollars. Greenlaw has flashed elite abilities over his career in the National Football League. Unfortunately, he has dealt with his share of injuries that have hampered his ability to routinely stay on the field.

If Greenlaw can stay healthy for the upcoming 2025 season, the Broncos’ defense should be even better than last season. That’s a scary thought for opposing offenses. He joins a position group consisting of Alex Singleton, Justin Strnad, and Drew Sanders. Both Singleton and Sanders are recovering from injury as well, so long-term health and availability is certainly a concern.

The Broncos signed multiple undrafted rookie free agents at linebacker to compete over the course of the summer. One of those is Michigan State prospect Jordan Turner.

After spending four years at Wisconsin, Turner transferred to Michigan State for his fifth collegiate campaign. In his sole season with the Spartans in 2024, he was a team captain and produced at a high level registering 66 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 3 sacks and 2 interceptions. In 42 career games with 29 starts between both programs, Turner totaled 201 tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 8 sacks, 5 interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles—statistical production that shows he has a knack for big plays.

Of note, from 2020 to 2022, Turner played under Jim Leonhard who was the defensive coordinator for the Badgers. With that connection, there is no doubt he played an important role in bringing him to Denver. Turner boasts a lot of experience, production, and an intriguing skillset to the Broncos, but can that translate to earning a spot on the final 53-man roster? Let’s discuss.

Safe prediction: Michigan State fans will really like new LB Jordan Turner. @yallknojt x @MSU_Football pic.twitter.com/NsdqJOmp81

— Michigan State on BTN (@MichiganStOnBTN) December 20, 2023

Player Profile​

Age: 24 | Experience: Rookie | College: Michigan State | Height: 6’1” | Weight: 235 pounds

Arm Length: 31-1/2” | Hand Size: 9-1/2” | Vertical: 33-1/2” | Bench: 25 reps

40-yard dash: 4.77 seconds | 3-Cone: 7.01 seconds | 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.36 seconds

Jordan Turner’s 2025 outlook with the Broncos​

Turner has an uphill battle to make the Broncos’ final 53-man roster, but I believe he is one of the most talented college free agents they signed this past cycle. Quite frankly, I’m a bit surprised he didn’t hear his name called in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Turner is a strong defender against the run. He uses his length to his advantage and for the most part is a sound tackler. He posted one of the best grades of any linebacker in college football in that regard this past season and was always around the football. While Turner’s athleticism would be regarded as just above-average for the position, his football intelligence and ability to diagnose plays quickly often has him in the right place at the right time assignment-wise.

His tape shows some issues in man coverage. It’s not something I’d expect him to be tasked with often in the pros. However, I like his ability to drop back into zone coverage. He seems far more comfortable there and goes a good job reading-and-reacting to the quarterback. On top of that, he also generates quality pressure as a blitzer and has an innate feel for timing and being disruptive when asked to get after opposing signal callers.

Over the past two years with the Badgers and Spartans, he also logged over 100 special teams’ snaps. If he wants to make a home in the Mile High City, he will need to flash in that respect over throughout summer and the preseason.

Final Thoughts​

Last season the Broncos carried four inside linebackers for most of the season. I’d suspect that will remain the same in 2025. Unless a significant injury were to occur, I think the Broncos’ core four is locked in with Greenlaw, Singleton, Strnad and Sanders.

But as you all know, three of those four are coming off major injuries. The likelihood of a practice squad player being called up is quite high. Levelle Bailey might have the upper hand due to experience and knowledge in Vance Joseph’s defense, but I wouldn’t count Turner out as an option either.

Even if he doesn’t earn a spot on the final roster, I hope he sticks around as a developmental prospect on the practice squad. He showed quality three down ability in college and has the traits and intelligence to stick in the league.

Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/2025...roster-review-inside-linebacker-jordan-turner

 

[Denver Broncos]

Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton says that WR Troy Franklin has had a good spring

Good Morning Broncos Country!

Good Morning

The Broncos finished up their minicamp practices on Thursday, and Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton singled out second-year wide receiver Troy Franklin as a player whom he believes has had a “good spring”.

Troy Franklin has had a good offseason and extremely explosive, per Sean Payton.

He’s added about 5 pounds too. pic.twitter.com/49j2JuUDoG

— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) June 12, 2025​

Payton told reporters that you’re seeing Franklin playing faster than he did last season and with a “much greater awareness within each play”. He continued by saying that Franklin is “extremely explosive,” and that he added five pounds to his frame, and that he is “a little thicker” than he was last season. He finished by saying that the explosive receiver has had a good spring.

“There’s that saying that repetition is the mother of learning. You’re seeing him play faster with a much greater awareness within each play. He’s extremely explosive, and I think he’s, I would say, five pounds heavier. A little thicker. He’s had a good spring.”

Franklin was singled out as a player who has made some explosive plays during OTA’s and now, he is getting some hype during the Broncos minicamp practices. You cannot get too carried away about June practices, but it’s good to see Franklin stand out when he was rarely mentioned during training camp last season.

Hopefully, he can continue this play into training camp when the pads come on and into the regular season. Having a player like Franklin have a breakout year would be huge for the Broncos' passing game, and we hope it happens.

With OTAs and minicamp in the books, comes the long six or so week break with little to no Broncos news before the start of training camp. My least favorite time of the year as a fan and blogger, but training camp will be here before we know it.

Horse Tracks​

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Source: https://www.milehighreport.com/2025...s-that-wr-troy-franklin-has-had-a-good-spring