Five Broncos to watch in Saturday’s preseason opener at Minnesota Vikings

Broncos astatine Vikings

2 p.m., Saturday, U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis.

TV: KTVD-20 (NFL Network out-of-market). Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM.

Five Broncos to watch

QB Drew Lock

Here’s your shot, Drew. Although the incumbent, Lock has been viewed arsenic the underdog successful Quarterback Competition 2021 against Teddy Bridgewater. Lock volition commencement against the Vikings and his goals should beryllium two-fold: No turnovers and propulsion the shot down the field. “I deliberation we tin triumph with either one,” near tackle Garett Bolles said. “It’s up to them who wants to abstracted himself successful the battle. I’m looking guardant to seeing who wins that job.”

ILB Justin Strnad

Starter Josey Jewell (groin) hasn’t practiced since Aug. 3, giving Strnad an accidental to enactment with the archetypal portion connected basal and sub-package downs. Strnad has ne'er played an NFL crippled aft undergoing season-ending wrist country past August. He figures to beryllium connected the tract agelong aft the starters exit and indispensable amusement helium tin beryllium carnal against the tally and alert successful portion coverage. “He’s doing good,” manager Vic Fangio said. “Is helium doing great? No. Is helium making mistakes? Yes. But I’m seeing dependable betterment each and each time and I similar what I spot overall.”

WR KJ Hamler

Hamler missed astir each of the offseason programme and the extremity of Camp Practice No. 1 (hamstring), but has participated successful each league prevention for Aug. 3 (false-positive COVID-19 test). During Wednesday’s signifier against the Vikings, helium was making catches each implicit the field, an encouraging motion for the Broncos. “KJ needs a clump of signifier that helium truly was not capable to person past year,” Fangio said. “He’s had it close now. He’s going and hopefully helium tin support it going.”

OLB Jonathon Cooper

Multiple bosom procedures kept Cooper retired of the offseason program and disconnected the radar arsenic a campaigner to supply edge-rushing depth. But Cooper, a seventh-round rookie, has had a beardown campy and could beryllium starring the contention for the No. 4 extracurricular linebacker spot. “He’s getting amended and better,” Fangio said. “He did a bully occupation of staying in-tune with everything portion helium wasn’t (practicing).”

S Caden Sterns

When each six safeties are practicing, Sterns has worked mostly with the 3rd unit, which means helium could play astir of the 2nd fractional Saturday. What stands retired astir Sterns, a rookie fifth-round pick? He’s astir the football. “The happening we speech astir astatine information is you’ve got to person the eyes and you’ve got to beryllium calm successful that strategy and successful the defense,” information Justin Simmons said. “(Sterns has) been some of that. He’s doing it astatine a large level close present and for him, it’s conscionable seeing however that matches up successful a game.”