Tue Denver Broncos handled the Atlanta Falcons with ease in Week 1 of the NFL preseason. This Friday, the Broncos host the Green Bay Packers at home for their second game of their preseason slate. Here are three players Broncos Country should keep their eye on closely during the game.
Kage Casey — Offensive Lineman
The Broncos drafted Kage Casey out of Boise State with one of their fourth-round selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. A three-year starter at left tackle in college, Casey has made a switch to the inside to start his NFL career.
The rookie has earned praise in camp from coaches and teammates and will be an important depth piece for Denver’s offensive line this season.
In Week 1 of the preseason against the Atlanta Falcons, the rookie offensive lineman saw the most snaps of any player on offense with 66. He looked good at left guard in pass protection. I was also impressed with his ability to get to the second level with his run blocking. Earlier last week, Head Coach Sean Payton mentioned that Casey may wind up seeing some reps at center throughout the rest of training camp and the preseason.
Denver is still a little banged up with injury at the position, so I’m wondering if we will see Casey get some opportunities at the pivot or if they will just roll with Calvin Throckmorton and Gavin Ortega again in Week 2 versus the Packers.
Sai’vion Jones — Defensive Lineman
With the departure of John Franklin-Myers to the Tennessee Titans, the Broncos will need someone on their defensive line to step up to make up for his snap share. Eyioma Uwazurike appears poised to be first in line for an increase in reps. Uwazurike was the player to earn that nod in the preseason opener against the Falcons.
Another player vying for a chance for more playing time is second-year defensive lineman Sai’vion Jones. A third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Jones didn’t see a lot of action last year as a rookie. Last week against Atlanta, he logged only 24 defense snaps in the second half and posted just one tackle and one quarterback hurry.
It usually takes a few seasons for developmental defensive lineman to hit their stride, but I’m hoping to see more from Jones this week against the Packers. Whether it’s flashing more as a pass rusher are doing a better job against the run, Jones has a lot to show to prove he can be an important part of Denver’s defensive line rotation in 2026.
RJ Harvey — Running Back
RJ Harvey impressed as a versatile player for the Broncos last season as a rookie. He led all rookies in the NFL with twelve touchdowns in ‘25. Harvey was close to being a 1,000-yard all-purpose player for the team and was an integral part of the Broncos’ passing game.
However, Harvey struggled to carry the load in the second half of the season as a rusher when J.K. Dobbins was hurt. Against the Falcons, Harvey had five carries for just 16 yards. That’s a 3.2 yard per carry average and certainly won’t cut the mustard when the rubber meets the road in the regular season.
That’s where I’m hoping to see more growth from Harvey. Will his vision and consistency as a runner between the tackles improve? If he wants to make a jump in his second season in the NFL, it’s an absolute must. Otherwise, I can see rookie running back Jonah Coleman supplanting him as a rusher. He also didn’t have any receptions in the preseason opener, so I’m hoping to see Davis Webb and the Broncos’ offense get him involved that way.
