The Denver Broncos struggled in their 33-13 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 2 of the NFL preseason. This Friday, the Broncos will host the Minnesota Vikings in their preseason finale. It’s the last chance for a lot of players trying to make the final 53-man roster. Here are three players I’ll be watching closely in tomorrow night’s game.
Justin Joly — Tight End
Adam Trautman and Evan Engram will be the top duo at tight end for the Broncos this season. However, the battle for who gets the depth spots behind them is still
underway. One player in the mix is rookie tight end Justin Joly, who the team drafted in the fifth round this past April.
During his collegiate career, Joly was one of the most productive tight ends. He was a versatile player who played inline, on the move, as well as even lining up in the backfield on occasion. We haven’t seen much of that versatility yet through two preseason games.
Thus far, Joly has been targeted three times this preseason. He has caught all three targets but only has 10 receiving yards. I’m hoping he gets a few more looks in the preseason finale versus the Vikings. In college, he performed well on middle of the field concepts and showcased a penchant for moving the chains on third down. It would be nice to see him get some targets down the field.
Tyler Onyedim — Defensive Lineman
The Denver Broncos boast an impressive four-man defensive line rotation with Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, Malcolm Roach, and Eyioma Uwazurike. Even without John Franklin-Myers in the fold, they should do a great job holding their own in the trenches. However, they will need one of their younger players on the roster to step up and be the key fifth man that can come in and get some meaningful playing time.
A third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Tyler Onyedim is one of those players in the mix. In his NFL debut against the Falcons, Onyedim saw just 23 snaps. Last week against the Packers, his snap count went up to 32 plays. Against the Vikings, I’d expect similar, if not a little bit more.
Onyedim’s main competition for the spot is second-year defensive lineman Sai’vion Jones. Each have had similar playing time in the preseason, but neither has really stood out above the other. I’m interested to see if Onyedim can flash some of the promise and pass rushing traits that stood out during his collegiate career in the preseason finale on Friday.
J.L. Skinner — Safety
When the Broncos signed Taylor Rapp, they had presumably found their third safety in their rotation. However, he was released by the team yesterday. Head Coach Sean Payton hinted a reunion is likely down the road. But for now, that opens up the opportunity for another player to take that spot for the time being.
Last year, the Broncos kept five safeties on the final 53-man roster. As of now, I’d say Devon Key is making the squad considering he was an All-Pro in the game’s third phase last season. The other player in the secondary I’m going to keep a close eye on is fourth-year player J.L. Skinner.
Skinner has been a standout on special teams for Denver. He has logged 632 snaps there the past two seasons placing him in the top three amongst all Broncos players. However, the former sixth-round pick has very little experience on defense with just 54 snaps in game situations over the first three years of his career.
I’m still enthralled with Skinner’s physical traits and upside based on how he stood out at Boise State. You can’t teach his size, and he made a lot of big plays in college. I think there is still a lot of untapped potential there and expect he will get a lot of playing time on Friday night.
What about you, Broncos Country? What three players are you hoping to see perform well and flash in the preseason finale against the Vikings? Sound off in the comments section and let me know.
