The Denver Broncos host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday afternoon for the final preseason game. Here are five things we’ll be watching for as Denver wraps up its preseason.
1. Zach Wilson vs. Jarrett Stidham: Bo Nix is the starter, who will be his replacement? With the Broncos only having two QBs, Sunday’s game could play a major role in deciding the outcome.
2. Battle for the last WR spots: Jalen Virgil Brandon Johnson, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, David Sills and Michael Bandy have all impressed at times this summer. How many – if any? – of them will make the team? Sunday is one last chance to stand out.
3. Substitute player for the offensive line: Assuming Luke Wattenberg has secured the center job, the starting lineup for the O-Line is set. The backup spots are still up for grabs. Calvin Throckmorton, Nick Gargiulo, Will Sherman and Oliver Jervis are among the candidates for the guard position. Matt Peart, Alex Palczewski and Frank Crum are fighting for backup spots at tackle.
4. Penalties: Denver committed 13 fouls for 120 yards last week, something coach Sean Payton said he wanted to fix. We’ll see if the substitutes can play a clean game.
5. Damarri Mathis: Technically, Mathis has been battling for a starting spot this summer, but we have him on the line. If he impresses in the Broncos’ final preseason game, Mathis can earn a spot.
After the preseason concludes, Denver will begin assembling a 53-man roster. We will be following all of the team’s roster cuts on Broncos Wire.
