Sam Ehlinger, after spending time with the Colts and on the Broncos' practice squad, has re-signed with the Denver Broncos on a one-year deal. He showed promise in training camp and preseason, even being activated to the 53-man roster multiple times, and is reportedly close with the quarterback room and optimistic about the team's future. The question remains whether he can now push for the backup quarterback job
Well, Patriots haters had a good few years. New England owner Robert Kraft was quickly proven correct in jettisoning first-year coach Jerod Mayo for Mike Vrabel . The Patriots won 14 games, Drake Maye finished second in MVP voting, and they outlasted the AFC gauntlet of choking young quarterbacks and, somehow, Jarrett Stidham en route to yet another Super Bowl. Please don't ask what happened in the Super Bowl — they're still working on getting Josh McDaniels out of those chains Mike MacDonald threw on him. A pair of major stories have defined the Patriots offseason. One of them, their everlasting pursuit of A.J. Brown that finally resolved in the affirmative after June 1, makes them a much better football team on the field. The other one, Vrabel's affair with former The Athletic reporter Dianna Russini, is nothing but a red herring from a football perspective. (Well, probably, because a new video of them seems to drop every week.) Where does it leave the Patriots? Well, they look like a good bet to be a playoff team again. And from there, as they can tell you last year, anything can happen. 2026 Rotoworld Fantasy Football Team Previews Hub Get ready for 2026 fantasy football drafts with in-depth previews for all 32 teams throughout the summer. Rotoworld Staff , Points per game : 28.8 (2nd) Total yards per game : 379.4 (3rd) Plays per game : 61.4 (18th) Dropbacks per game : 38.3 (18th) Dropback EPA per play : 0.31 (1st) Designed rush attempts per game : 26.1 (15th) Rush EPA per play : -0.09 (25th) If you look at the fact that Brown is coming off the worst year of his Philadelphia career, he only cost a 2028 first-round pick, and he's entering his age-29 season on a new team, it's easy to create a compelling case to fade him. Let's poke some holes in that: He was available this cheaply because teams don’t love the medicals on his knee. It was the same reason that then-Titans GM Jon Robinson didn't extend him before Brown was traded to the Eagles in a move that, as far as we can tell, ended the entire Titans franchise. Brown's knee is worth keeping in mind — he has missed six games over the past two seasons — but I think it's more of a note for dynasty leaguers. His knee is healthy as far as things stand today. I'd be more worried about the new team if not for the fact that a) Maye is the quarterback here and b) Vrabel already coached Brown and knows exactly how to maximize his value. Brown is a YAC monster with the ball in his hands, and as long as you can deliver it to him over the middle, he's going to generate first downs. For whatever reason (*cough* Kevin Patullo *cough*) the Eagles seemed unable to generate that kind of play last year. Brown had just 52 targets on in-breaking routes and was invisible on play-action passes. I think his current ADP of around mid-third round is fair. He doesn't have a conclusive case to go ahead of any of the players ahead of him (maybe Nico Collins ), but I wouldn't be stunned if he wound up as a WR1 this year either. Remember: This team plays the Jets and Dolphins twice and they were more than happy to run up the score by throwing the rock around. There are going to be ceiling games in reach for Brown this season. QB: Drake Maye, Tommy DeVito WR: A.J. Brown, Kayshon Boutte (for now) WR: Mack Hollins , Kyle Williams WR: Romeo Doubs , DeMario Douglas TE: Hunter Henry , Eli Raridon There's always some inherent risk of an outlier season coming back to earth. Ask Jayden Daniels in 2025. Ask Dak Prescott in 2024. C.J. Stroud was QB9 in 2023. I don't think it's completely out of the realm of possibility that Maye fails to live up to high QB1 ADP just because a) it's his first year of that level of production and b) regression does come for us all. But I can't think of a reasonable reason why he would on paper. Maye's rushing production keeps his weekly floor high, and the running game has not improved in a real way unless Alijah Vera-Tucker is both healthy and ready to turn back
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Stidham could be pushed for the second spot on Denver's quarterback depth chart by Sam Ehlinger in training camp, Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post reports. Stidham remains the favorite to back up Bo Nix (ankle), but Ehlinger looked good in spring practices and could turn Denver's QB2 battle into a full-fledged competition if Ehlinger continues to impress during training camp and the preseason. Stidham hasn't thrown a regular-season pass since 2023, but he started Denver's AFC Championship Game loss to the Patriots this past year after Nix sustained a fractured ankle. Stidham's struggles in that game (133 passing yards, one touchdown pass and two crucial turnovers) may have helped open the door for Ehlinger to win the backup job in 2026
In overtime of the divisional playoff game in Denver , Bills wide receiver Brandin Cooks had a catch in his hands at the Broncos ' 20-yard line that would have put Buffalo in range for the game-winning field goal and sent the Bills to the AFC Championship Game. But Denver's Ja’Quan McMillian ripped the ball out of Cooks' arms for an interception, and the Broncos kicked a game-winning field goal of their own on the next possession. Cooks still can't believe it. “For a week straight, I was watching it over and over ,” Cooks told Tim Graham of TheAthletic.com. “But I knew, as a father, that I had to put it away. If I’d have kept watching, it would have put me in some type of mood that my wife and my kids didn’t deserve.” The NFL has confirmed that the official's call of an interception was correct, but Cooks thinks he had possession and was down before McMillian got the ball from him. “I will continue to process it until I get back on the field,” Cooks said, “but I think the biggest thing I can say is that I still feel like it was a catch. After it happened, seeing some of the so-called controversial calls that were called a catch, I just had to turn the playoffs off because I’m like, ‘Yo, what is going on?’ For me, the way that my mind operates is, ‘OK, what can I do about it?’ And what I can do about it is get back on the field, continue to work on being the best that I can be and making sure next time it’s a catch-and-run for a touchdown and leave it in no one else’s hands.” If Cooks had completed the catch, the Bills would have spent the next week preparing to face the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game, not firing head coach Sean McDermott. The Bills might have gone to the Super Bowl, and Josh Allen certainly would have given the Patriots' defense a tougher test than Broncos backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham gave New England in the AFC Championship. And Broncos quarterback Bo Nix would have gone into the offseason healthy rather than spending the offseason rehabbing the broken ankle that he suffered just before the Broncos' game-winning field goal. These are thoughts Cooks has often. “It doesn’t keep me up or give me unhealthy flashbacks," Cooks said. "But from a competitive nature, I still think about not winning the Super Bowl as if it happened yesterday.”
In overtime of the divisional playoff game in Denver, Bills wide receiver Brandin Cooks had a catch in his hands at the Broncos’ 20-yard line that would have put Buffalo in range for the game-winning field goal and sent the Bills to the AFC Championship Game. But Denver’s Ja’Quan McMillian ripped the ball out of Cooks’ arms for an interception, and the Broncos kicked a game-winning field goal of their own on the next possession. Cooks still can’t believe it. “For a week straight, I was watching it over and over ,” Cooks told Tim Graham of TheAthletic.com. “But I knew, as a father, that I had to put it away. If I’d have kept watching, it would have put me in some type of mood that my wife and my kids didn’t deserve.” The NFL has confirmed that the official’s call of an interception was correct, but Cooks thinks he had possession and was down before McMillian got the ball from him. “I will continue to process it until I get back on the field,” Cooks said, “but I think the biggest thing I can say is that I still feel like it was a catch. After it happened, seeing some of the so-called controversial calls that were called a catch, I just had to turn the playoffs off because I’m like, ‘Yo, what is going on?’ For me, the way that my mind operates is, ‘OK, what can I do about it?’ And what I can do about it is get back on the field, continue to work on being the best that I can be and making sure next time it’s a catch-and-run for a touchdown and leave it in no one else’s hands.” If Cooks had completed the catch, the Bills would have spent the next week preparing to face the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game, not firing head coach Sean McDermott. The Bills might have gone to the Super Bowl, and Josh Allen certainly would have given the Patriots’ defense a tougher test than Broncos backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham gave New England in the AFC Championship. And Broncos quarterback Bo Nix would have gone into the offseason healthy rather than spending the offseason rehabbing the broken ankle that he suffered just before the Broncos’ game-winning field goal. These are thoughts Cooks has often. “It doesn’t keep me up or give me unhealthy flashbacks,” Cooks said. “But from a competitive nature, I still think about not winning the Super Bowl as if it happened yesterday.”
The Broncos have brought in several tryout players for their mandatory minicamp, one of whom is an intriguing prospect at quarterback. Former Baylor signal-caller Sawyer Robertson is in Denver on a tryout basis this week, multiple reporters on the scene note. Robertson is a cousin of current Broncos backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham . Robertson started his collegiate career at Mississippi State before transferring to Baylor in 2023. In 2025, he threw for 3,681 yards with 31 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 12 games. Via Luca Evans of the Denver Post, the Broncos also have former USC cornerback DeCarlos Nicholson , former Boise State defensive tackle Herb Gums, former Oklahoma State fullback Trent Howland, former Wyoming center Jack Walsh, former Utah cornerback Blake Cotton, veteran defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu , and veteran offensive tackle Reid Holskey are also in Denver for a minicamp tryout
The Broncos have brought in several tryout players for their mandatory minicamp, one of whom is an intriguing prospect at quarterback. Former Baylor signal-caller Sawyer Robertson is in Denver on a tryout basis this week, multiple reporters on the scene note. Robertson is a cousin of current Broncos backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham. Robertson started his collegiate career at Mississippi State before transferring to Baylor in 2023. In 2025, he threw for 3,681 yards with 31 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 12 games. Via Luca Evans of the Denver Post, the Broncos also have former USC cornerback DeCarlos Nicholson, former Boise State defensive tackle Herb Gums, former Oklahoma State fullback Trent Howland, former Wyoming center Jack Walsh, former Utah cornerback Blake Cotton, veteran defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu, and veteran offensive tackle Reid Holskey are also in Denver for a minicamp tryout
Stidham hasn't made a regular-season start since the 2023 campaign, but the 29-year-old backup was thrust into action for last season's AFC Championship Game against the Patriots after Bo Nix broke his ankle. Stidham's poor play, coupled with some questionable coaching and officiating, cost the Broncos a trip to the Super Bowl, as he threw for only 133 yards to go with two costly turnovers. Nix is expected to be ready for training camp, and while Stidham should remain the next man up over Sam Ehlinger, expectations would be low for Denver's passing game if Nix were to get hurt again, even with the offseason addition of talented WR Jaylen Waddle
The Denver Broncos began their first set of OTA practices this week, and today was their first practice session open to the media. As expected, starting quarterback Bo Nix did not participate after undergoing surgery on his broken ankle that he suffered during the Broncos ’ Divisional Round victory over the Buffalo Bills. He would later undergo a second follow-up procedure but was expected to be ready for the start of training camp. However, we learned today from Head Coach Sean Payton that Bo Nix is expected to be back and participate in two weeks during the Broncos’ minicamp practices. Reports indicated that Bo Nix would be ready “well ahead” of the start of training camp, and this news seems to confirm that. Nix has been throwing, per Payton, and media members noted that Nix was walking around without a brace or limp and looked fine, and was actively talking to the offensive players as well. After some offseason concern over Nix, it appears that he is nearing 100% and will be back on the practice field here in two short weeks. This is great news as it gets Nix some reps before the start of training camp, and he can work on his chemistry with the Broncos’ big offseason addition, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle . All eyes will be on his ankle and how he is looking out there, but all signs seem to point to his recovery going well, and we shouldn’t have to worry about his ankle moving forward. This is great news because the Broncos are Super Bowl or bust this season. They made it to the AFC Championship Game last season, and likely would have advanced to the Super Bowl if Nix were healthy. They need Nix healthy and performing at a high level if they want to reach their ultimate goal, and he will be tested early on due to a tough schedule. So, the earlier they can get Nix back and healthy, the better it will be for them moving forward. Until then, backups Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger will be the Broncos quarterbacks, and the two players could be competing for the Broncos backup quarterback position behind Nix. Stidham has been the Broncos backup the past few seasons, but they have also been impressed with Ehlinger, and he reportedly looked good today . So, this could be something to watch as we progress through the OTAs and minicamp and into training camp and the preseason
The 2025 Broncos were about as unassuming a No. 1 seed as you'll find, with many expecting at various points throughout the year that teams like the Chiefs and Ravens would finally shake off the cobwebs and take over the top of the conference, or a team like the Bills would run through the postseason. However, Denver topped Buffalo in overtime despite losing starting quarterback Bo Nix early in overtime, and then almost made it to the Super Bowl the following week with backup Jarrett Stidham in a close loss to the Patriots. While the offseason was relatively quiet, the Broncos did make one major move by acquiring receiver Jaylen Waddle to give their offense a boost. We're taking a look at everything you need to know before making Denver Broncos futures bets below, including odds, trends, 2026 schedule, offseason changes and more before sharing our preseason betting strategy for the team. Odds are via DraftKings. Fans interested in betting on NFL and Super Bowl futures should check out the latest DraftKings promo code . The market is treating the 2025 Broncos as somewhat of a fluke, with the 2026 version not only slightly favored to make the playoffs but sitting third in division odds behind the Chiefs and Chargers. Twelve teams have shorter odds than the Broncos to win the Super Bowl despite how close they came to making the title game last year. The Broncos have massively exceeded win total expectations in each of the last two years. However, those seasons have been mirror images of each other in the AFC, where the Broncos had the third-best point differential in the AFC and the best in their division in 2024 while barely making the playoffs as the No. 7 seed before posting the fifth-best point differential in the conference last year as the No. 1 seed. If you want to wager on NFL futures, you have to check out the latest FanDuel promo code . It's no surprise to see the Broncos with the best defense on a per-play basis, and the unit was elite against both the pass and run, finishing first per play against the former and third against the latter. The defense also had the top sack rate and red-zone success rate in the league. While the offense was average, it ranked just 25th in yards per pass play but also had the top sack rate on that side of the ball. The Broncos lost a few contributors but mostly decided to address those losses internally, starting with offensive coordinator where Davis Webb earns a promotion from passing game coordinator. The one exception was at receiver, where the Broncos traded their first-, third- and fourth-round picks this year for Waddle to give Nix a better set of weapons entering his third year. Before you wager on NFL or Super Bowl futures, head over to our BetMGM promo code to see a great offer. While the Broncos have to play a first-place schedule, they get a break with their Kansas City trip set for Week 1 as Patrick Mahomes races to make it back for Week 1 after tearing his ACL in December. The AFC East and NFC West brings several tough opponents mixed with a few games where the Broncos should be clear favorites against the Dolphins and Jets, which they'll play back-to-back in Weeks 13 and 14, as well as the Cardinals. Their non-common opponents also could be much worse with matchups against the Steelers, Jaguars and Panthers on tap. If you want to tail R.J. White and other SportsLine and CBS experts, check out the latest Caesars Sportsbook promo code . While the Broncos certainly overperformed a bit last year on their way to the No. 1 seed, this was still a strong team by all measures that has only gotten better heading into 2026 with Waddle joining the offense. It's possible Nix's ankle injury continues to be an issue once the season starts, but I generally have less concern for that type of injury than I do players coming back from ACL and Achilles tears. Plus, the roster around Nix is so strong that I could see a limited Nix or even Stidham having success. The schedule is parti
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Our Denver Broncos will finally take the practice field next week for the first time since their disappointing AFC Championship Game loss to the New England Patriots . This will be our first look at quarterback Bo Nix since he suffered a broken ankle in the Broncos’ thrilling Divisional Round overtime victory over the Bills and underwent surgery and a follow-up cleanup procedure. He isn’t expected to be a full participant, but we could see him out there in some capacity . This will also be the first time that we see wide receiver Jaylen Waddle practice as a member of the Broncos. The team acquired the explosive wide receiver in a blockbuster trade during the winter, and he is going to be a big part of this offense moving forward. We are going to see several intriguing roster battles kick off as well. Some notable ones will be the WR3 battle and Jahdae Barron vs. Riley Moss/McMillian at corner. It will be intriguing to see how that all shakes out. Finally, it will be our first look at the crop of rookies the Broncos selected during the 2026 NFL Draft. Tyler Onyedim, Jonah Coleman , Kage Casey, Justin Joly and the rest of the Broncos draft class will be taking part in their first true NFL practice of their careers. With the excitement building, I decided it could be a good time for a very early 53-man roster projection. We have a long way to go, but here is how I currently think the Denver Broncos 53-man roster will look come week one. Made the team: Bo Nix and Jarrett Stidham With Bo expected to be 100% well before the start of training camp, I believe the Broncos will carry two quarterbacks on their 53-man roster. Veteran Jarrett Stidham has been the backup, is getting paid backup money, and is trusted by head coach Sean Payton, so I believe he will be the guy once again. Sure, the AFC Championship Game sucked, but I think Stiddy will be QB2 once again this season. I would anticipate Ehlinger landing on the practice squad again. The team loves him, he loves being a Bronco, and I don’t see them breaking up that quarterback room. Could Ehlinger push Stiddy for that QB2 job? That’s possible, but we’ll see how it plays out moving forward Made the team: JK Dobbins, RJ Harvey , Jonah Coleman and Adam Prentice (FB) I see the Broncos keeping three backs on their 53-man roster, with Tyler Badie landing on the practice squad. Dobbins is your starter, Harvey is your pass catching/speed guy, while Coleman will factor in on short-yardage and goal-line plays. On paper, it’s a solid room and one we could see the Broncos lean on more this upcoming season. How the touches and carries get spread out remains to be seen, but I believe this will be the Broncos running back room heading into Week 1. Veteran fullback Adam Prentice also makes the team. There’s the possibility they have him on the practice squad early on to open up a roster spot for someone else, but that’s TBD right now. I have Badie on the practice squad simply because he is a trusted pass blocker on 3rd downs. Made the team: Jaylen Waddle, Courtland Sutton , Troy Franklin , Marvin Mims , and Pat Bryant No real surprises here. These are the five locked into roster spots in my opinion, and I don’t see the Broncos trading anyone at this point. The question will be, who gets the WR3 job behind Waddle and Sutton? Franklin, Mims, and Bryant have all flashed potential and made some big plays, so it’ll be an interesting battle to watch throughout the summer. Made the team: Evan Engram , Adam Trautman , Justin Joly, Caleb Lohner , and Dallen Bentley Engram and Trautman are locked into their roles as main receiving and blocking tight ends, while Justin Joly is all but locked into a roster spot. The real question here is, who gets the final spot? Nate Adkins has been that guy, but re-signed on a vet minimum deal and has some competition for that spot. Rookie Dallen Bentley was a late 7th-rounder, so he’s far from locked in, but a strong camp/preseason could change that. Lucas [... truncated ...]
My least favorite day of covering football is on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day and it seems like the NFL loves to put the Denver Broncos in on either every single year! This year, we’ll have an AFC Divisional Playoff rematch with the Buffalo Bills coming back to Denver to try to exact revenge for their playoff defeat last season. That playoff game was absolute cinema from start to finish and it ended with Bo Nix leading the offense down the field, breaking his ankle in the process, to kick the game-winning field goal in overtime. The instant classic was yet another playoff letdown for Josh Allen who couldn’t have asked for a better moment to reach a Super Bowl than surviving the Broncos to face an obviously weak New England Patriots team that barely beat out Jarrett Stidham and Denver for the AFC title. The final three game stretch for Denver is shaping up to look a bit brutal with this game against the Bills and a potential AFC West finish in the final two weeks against likely either the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs or both
