Seven players with the most to prove during Broncos Camp

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I already talked about the eight Broncos who I believe could be breakout candidates during training camp, but now, we are going to talk about the players with the most to prove.

While the Broncos have a young and exciting roster that is expected to do big things this upcoming season, they have multiple key players with a lot to prove this season. Second-year quarterback Bo Nix has to continue to silence the doubters, and multiple veteran free agent additions have to prove they can stay healthy and produce

on the field. This is a season-long issue, but it all starts at training camp, and hopefully, all seven of these guys can prove all the doubters wrong.

1. QB Bo Nix

I am a Bo-Liever, and I believe Bo Nix is going to have a fantastic season. However, he is a second-year quarterback, and they often have the dreaded sophomore slump, and there are plenty of Bo Nix doubters still out there doing their thing.

Bo Nix simply has to continue doing his thing.

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During OTAs and minicamp, we have already seen Nix take on a larger leadership role with the team. This is Bo Nix’s team, and he looks fully comfortable and in command of the offense. Remember, Sean Payton has a complicated offense that takes time to learn, and it appears Nix has aced it. If he continues to display those qualities and has great practices, it will ease the concerns some may have.

With all this comes higher expectations. It’s no longer “I hope he can be the guy,” it is “ He is the guy, and the Broncos need to win a playoff game”. Nix has to meet these higher expectations throughout the year, starting with training camp. It comes with the territory, but I think he and the Broncos will do just fine.

2-3. RB’s J.K. Dobbins and R.J. Harvey

I am lumping these two together because both have to prove that they can be the saviors of the Broncos' running game. Both have different things they have to prove, but both will be key members of this offense, and they need to prove the Broncos made the right decisions this offseason.

R.J. Harvey: The rookie running back is expected to fill the Alvin Kamara role in Sean Payton’s offense and is expected to be a key member of this team. He is an explosive back who needs to prove he can produce against NFL defenses and that he has the receiving talent to thrive in this ‘Joker’ role. I believe he does, but he has to prove it on the field. A strong camp would ease any concerns Broncos fans would have about him and produce plenty of hype in Broncos Country.

J.K. Dobbins: Like a lot of the Broncos' free agent additions, Dobbins will enter training camp with some health concerns. Thankfully, he is entering camp healthy, but has a long history of significant knee injuries. He is expected to fill the Mark Ingram role in the Broncos' offense and simply needs to prove that he can make it through camp with no injury concerns.

4. TE Evan Engram

The Broncos' first major addition this offseason was signing former Jaguars tight end Evan Engram. The veteran tight end was released by the Jags and quickly was on a flight to meet with Sean Payton and the Broncos. He would eventually sign with them and would fill Payton’s ‘Joker’ role in his offense.

#Broncos QB Bo Nix's new weapon on offense, Evan Engram pic.twitter.com/cxUekT1aMf

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However, Engram is a soon-to-be 31-year-old tight end coming off a season where he played in just 9 games, had just 1 touchdown reception, and had season-ending shoulder surgery. Engram appears to be fully healthy from his shoulder surgery since he practiced all spring, but still has plenty to prove.

This ‘Joker’ role was the talking point of the offseason for the Broncos, and Engram is viewed as the guy. He needs to look good in training camp and, most importantly, stay healthy. He has a vital role in the Broncos' offense, and the team needs him to live up to the expectations that are currently being placed on him.

5. LB Dre Greenlaw

Greenlaw might have the most to prove this summer.

The team signed the veteran All-Pro linebacker this offseason with the hopes of him solving their linebacker woes. However, he has yet to practice with the team and is coming off a year where he missed the vast majority of the season.

Greenlaw tore his Achilles during the 49ers' Super Bowl 58 loss to the Chiefs and would go on to miss the entire 2024 offseason and the vast majority of the 2024 season. He would return late in the year for the 49ers but was later benched due to knee soreness and the team being eliminated from the postseason. He would enter free agency and later sign with the Broncos. However, a report would come out after the draft and say that Greenlaw suffered a quad injury and that he could miss significant time due to this injury. Thankfully, the severity was much less than initially reported, and he would just be sidelined for the Broncos' offseason program. This means the team will enter camp with Greenlaw yet to have one single practice rep with his new team.

I would expect Greenlaw to be eased back into action, but any signs of him on the field would be welcomed right now. He has to prove that he is fully recovered from that Achilles injury and can be that difference maker in the middle of the Broncos' defense. If he is able to recover fully and play like he did with the 49ers, the Broncos defense will go from looking good on paper to downright dominant.

6. CB Riley Moss

While it is probably unfair to list Moss here, the case can be made that he has plenty to prove this summer. The team did go and draft a cornerback in the first round of the draft, and his performance against the Bengals is fresh in some fans' minds. So, I believe Moss needs to have another good summer to ease whatever concerns exist.

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Prior to his injury, Moss played well and was a key part of the Broncos' “no name” defense. However, after he missed four weeks due to a knee injury, he returned to face the high-powered Bengals' passing game and ran into a buzzsaw. Both Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins had plenty of success against him, and he would give up the game-winning touchdown to Higgins.

That performance is fresh in some fans' minds, and on top of that, the Broncos would draft corner Jahdae Barron in the first round of the draft. That just adds more pressure on Moss, and he needs to have another solid camp to quiet the doubters.

If he does struggle, he has second-year player Kris Abrams-Draine waiting in the wings and coming off a solid rookie showing, ready to pounce.

7. Talanoa Hufanga

Like Dobbins, Engram, and Greenlaw, safety Talanoa Hufanga is a free agent signing who has some injury concerns. He has played just 17 total games the past two seasons but was brought in to be a difference maker in the Broncos' secondary.

When healthy, Hufanga plays with his hair on fire and would be an upgrade at the safety position. However, he has struggled with injuries the past two seasons, and his play has slipped a bit due to this. He needs to prove he can stay healthy throughout camp and play at the high level he was prior to his injuries.

If Greenlaw and Hufanga can return to form, the already good Broncos defense that led the NFL in sacks will be elite this upcoming season. So, both really need to prove they can stay healthy and return to their previous forms.

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