Two-thirds of the Denver Broncos’ offseason training program is in the books. 

The Broncos held six practices throughout their voluntary organized team activities, with the final session last Thursday. The format of OTAs makes it a bit harder to draw meaningful conclusions, but there were several gleanings to be had this month. 

This time of year, the Broncos’ roster swells to 90 players. By the end of August, they have to whittle it down to the final 53-man squad, plus a 16-man practice squad. 

The competition for those 53 roster spots has already begun, though it will really ramp up when training camp hits in late July. With mandatory minicamp being the only thing left in the Broncos’ offseason training program — next week — it’s time for a progress report on how the competitions are shaping up.

As a stock report of sorts, let’s talk about the biggest risers and fallers of Broncos OTAs. 

Riser: Sam Ehlinger | QB

Ehlinger impressed during the Broncos’ two OTA practices that were open to the media. He looks light years ahead of where he was last summer as a newly-signed Bronco. 

The season Ehlinger spent in Sean Payton’s scheme has paid off. Ehlinger looks comfortable, confident, and sharp. The Broncos want a competition for the No. 2 quarterback spot this time around, and Ehlinger has started off on the right foot. 

"Today there were a handful of plays maybe a year ago at this time from a terminology standpoint or just the rhythm..." Payton said on June 4. "But I definitely feel like you can see that, and that’s encouraging.”

Faller: Jarrett Stidham | QB

Stidham hasn’t looked bad, by any stretch, but despite running the first-team offense while Bo Nix has been sidelined, he hasn’t looked as good as Ehlinger thus far. Stidham is a competitive player, so this thing is far from over, but when it comes to momentum, he’s a step behind Ehlinger out of the gate. 

Nix could be back in charge of the first-team offense next week for mandatory minicamp, which will push Stidham to the twos and Ehlinger to the threes (for the time being).

Riser: Tyler Onyedim | DL

Onyedim may be a rookie, but he’s already adopted a pro’s mindset. Zach Allen has been impressed by Onyedim’s zeal for film study, which is atypical for a rookie. 

It’s even more difficult to get a bead on trench players during OTAs, but Onyedim is off to an encouraging start. When the pads go on in training camp and the contact begins, he’ll have to build on the early foundation he’s established. 

Faller: Jonathan Cooper | OLB

Cooper’s two arrests have rocked the Broncos over the past week. The NFL is investigating and is likely to hand down discipline under the league’s Personal Conduct Policy.

Given the shocking nature of the allegations surrounding Cooper, the Broncos are already facing public pressure to release him. Time will tell whether that happens, but he’s staring down the barrel of a six-game NFL suspension to start the 2026 season, which is exceedingly ill-timed, considering the Broncos’ brutal initial schedule. 

Cooper has been an entrenched starter for the past three years, but the Broncos have a very deep outside linebacker room with Von Miller also knocking on the door, looking to return to Denver. If any one player’s stock has plummeted since June began, it’s Cooper. 

Riser: Que Robinson | OLB

If anything comes of the Cooper drama, Robinson stands to be one of the biggest beneficiaries, alongside the third-year Jonah Elliss. Robinson was a fourth-round pick last year who only saw 150 snaps, but based on how he’s looked thus far this summer, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph sees him as a “future starter.” Stock most definitely up.

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