With the Denver Broncos preseason opener just a day away, I am going to look at some under-the-radar players who could be standout players. Every year, we have a preseason star or two who goes from unnoticed to making the roster and becoming a contributor on the team. Just last year, we saw undrafted rookie running back Jaleel McLaughlin and 2022 undrafted rookie Ja’Quan McMillian go from the roster bubble to earning key roles on the team last year and moving forward.

Now, we have a brand new crop of rookies and under-the-radar players who are looking to do the same. So, I am going to give you seven under-the-radar players to watch in the Broncos preseason opener vs. the Colts.

1: Edge rusher Thomas Incoom

Last season, the Broncos signed Thomas Incoom as an undrafted free agent and he ended up making the 53-man roster as a rookie. He would be inactive most weeks but did appear in four games. Now, with a year under his belt, Incoom is looking to be a factor for the Broncos on defense.

Throughout camp, Incoom has been repeatedly mentioned as a player causing havoc for the Broncos’ second and third-team offense. He has been getting at least one sack per practice and has potentially earned himself a key role in the Broncos pass rush rotation.

This preseason opener with the Colts will be important for Incoom because he is likely going to get a lot of playing time. Baron Browning and Jonathon Cooper likely only play a series or two and Nik Bonitto will likely be sidelined with a back injury. So, he is going to see a significant amount of snaps and a big opportunity to prove he belongs in the Broncos pass rush rotation.

This goes for all the Broncos reserve edge rushers like rookie Jonah Elliss, Durell Nchami, rookie Jaylon Allen, and Dondrea Tillman. The Broncos need a better pass rush so hopefully their depth pieces can get after the Colts quarterbacks and get plenty of pressures and sacks.

2: OT’s Matt Peart and Alex Palczewski

The Broncos reserve tackles Matt Peart and Alex Palczewski will have the spotlight on them in this one. The team lost Quinn Bailey for the season and he was expected to be their swing tackle and sixth offensive lineman. With him down, these two are now viewed as the next man up for the Broncos swing tackle job.

Palczewski was an undrafted free agent last season who was impressive during camp. Unfortunately, an injury sidelined him for the entire season and he has been shaking off the rust all offseason. He is not having the same type of camp this year, but head coach Sean Payton believes he will shine once the pads come on.

“He’s one of those guys that welcomes the pads. I say this, there are maybe some things athletically he’s not as gifted at. Yet when the pads come on and you get into these live reps or somewhat live reps, you check the box and say, ‘He does his job.’ Today he got some good work. He’s an extremely smart player. We talked about how many games [QB] Bo [Nix] played at Oregan, but I think ‘Palco’ (T Alex Palczewski) played more. So he’s not lacking experience, it’s just those first team reps. I think he’s someone we’re pleased with.”

As for Peart, he is a former third-round selection by the New York Giants who has struggled during his time in the league. He is a big, long, and athletic tackle who profiles as a swing tackle, but his struggles throughout his career make him hard to trust. So, he is a player we need to watch during Sunday’s preseason opener to see how he does protecting the Broncos quarterback’s blindside.

Head coach Sean Payton told reporters earlier this month that the preseason will be important for Peart and that they are looking for that next tackle up.

“He’s long. He has a good frame. There were certain things that we saw that he did well, and then things that he has to work on, landmarks relative to the run game. He’s long with good size and good frame. This preseason will be important for him. We’re looking for, ‘Who is that next tackle up?’”

Based on the reports coming out of camp, these tackles have struggled to protect the quarterback. The second and third-string pass rushers have been applying pressure throughout camp but now, these quarterbacks are taking live hits. So, if they struggle, it will be even more of a red flag since now your quarterbacks are taking big hits.

3: Linebacker Levelle Bailey

One undrafted rookie to keep an eye on is linebacker Levelle Bailey. Sean Payton went out of his way to recruit him to sign with the Broncos after the draft and even personally called him twice. Now, the athletic linebacker has a chance to make the Broncos 53-man roster with a strong performance during the preseason.

Payton mentioned that it will be important for Bailey to help the team in the kicking game. As an end-of-the-roster player, he will need to prove he can contribute on special teams like a Justin Strnad and Andre Smith. He went on to say that he is anxious to see how he fares as a tackler because they liked his college tape.

“He’s picking things up like the rest of this rookie class. It’s going to be important that he can help us in the kicking game. I like him. I like how he’s built. Once we get to tackling, I’m anxious to see how he fares there because we liked him on his college film. He’s working hard. I’m sure it’s a lot compared to what he had to do in college, but he’s hanging in there.”

Payton mentions how he fares as a tackler because he is a smaller linebacker at 6-2, 225 pounds. He projects more as a coverage linebacker than a downhill run defender but he will need to show he can do that if he plays on special teams. Bailey will also need to prove he can shed blocks and have enough athleticism to make plays in coverage against NFL-caliber talent.

The Broncos linebacker room is not the best on paper so Bailey with a strong camp and the backing of the head coach has a chance to earn himself a role on this defense and special teams if he performs well in the preseason. That is why he is an under-the-radar player to watch in my opinion.

4: Slot corner Reese Taylor

One name who has been consistently mentioned throughout camp during one-on-one drills, in good coverage during team drills, and just generally mentioned in a positive fashion is cornerback Reese Taylor. He went undrafted last year and spent time with the Chiefs before signing to the Broncos practice squad late last year. Now, he is pushing for a roster spot this summer while having a strong training camp.

He is not having a Ja’Quan McMillian type breakout summer, but he is still having a good one and will look to continue it during the preseason. He is currently the backup slot corner behind McMillian and should see extensive playing time vs. the Colts and throughout the preseason.

Outside of Pat Surtain II and McMillian, the roles in the Broncos secondary are wide open. Veteran Levi Wallace is sidelined with a hamstring injury and Riley Moss, Damarri Mathis, and rookie Kris Abrams-Draine are pushing for a starting job. I would not rule out Taylor pushing for a roster spot, especially if he impresses during the preseason and proves he can contribute on special teams.

5: Safety’s JL Skinner and Devon Key

With Caden Sterns waived, Brandon Jones sidelined with a hamstring injury, and Delarrin Turner-Yell still on the PUP, the Broncos safety depth is thin right now. That means, the healthy depth players on the roster are going to see a lot of action in the preseason. The two players who may see the most is second-year player JL Skinner and Devon Key. Both players are having solid camps and are making a strong case for a roster spot.

Earlier this week, Payton singled out both Skinner and Key (and others) as players having a strong camp and contributed to the surprising release of Caden Sterns.

“Well look. He’s one of—not just the only one, but he’s one of a handful of these guys—He’s smart. He really came on in the second half of last season. He came on in the kicking game and we started seeing him on scout team offensively. So he’s playing with confidence and he’s one of the younger guys that will be pushing. He just has to keep progressing.”

I’m most excited to see JL Skinner out there. He is a big safety with good athleticism and coverage ability. Last year, was a bit of a lost year for him because of the injury that sidelined him for most of the offseason and had him behind the eight ball when it came to the roster. He made the 53-man roster but was inactive for the vast majority of the season. Now, he has had a full offseason and it is showing with him progressing and improving throughout camp. As Payton said, he needs to keep progressing and these reps during the preseason will be valuable to him and his development.

As for Key, I am intrigued to see what he can do during the preseason. We have seen P.J. Locke go from a practice squad guy to a depth guy and then become a starter and weekly contributor to this team. Could Key follow this same path? Like Skinner, he figures to see a lot of playing time and could help solidify a roster spot if he plays well.