Seven things to watch when the Broncos host the Vikings

The preseason is almost over.

The Broncos will cap off their exhibition season with a matchup against the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game will be broadcast by 9News. It can be viewed by out-of-market fans on NFL+.

The starters will once again remain on the sidelines, as head coach Nathaniel Hackett tries to keep them healthy. Plenty will be on the line, though, with most of the players in orange and blue competing for a roster spot.

Here’s what to keep an eye on.

The quarterbacks

For most of training camp, the backup quarterback battle seemed to be a formality. The new staff brought in Josh Johnson, a 36-year-old veteran, and he appeared to be the favorite over 26-year-old Brett Rypien.

Johnson started both of the Broncos’ first two preseason games and was the second-stringer for most of training camp, but a 22-of-26 performance from Rypien in an otherwise ugly game against the Bills last Saturday earned him the starting nod this time around. All of a sudden, this looks like a fairly even competition.

If Rypien puts together another solid performance and Johnson struggles, he may have a chance to keep his roster spot. Otherwise Johnson will probably be the Broncos’ second option in 2022.

KJ Hamler

The fastest player on the Broncos’ roster is back.

After tearing his ACL last September, Hamler will return to the field on Saturday. We don’t know how much time he’ll spend on the field, but he should be the highest-ranking Broncos receiver whenever he’s on the field, so don’t be surprised if Rypien tries to find him often.

Things went pretty well for the 23-year-old last time he played the Vikings in the preseason.

Can K.J Hamler be Russel Wilson’s Tyler Lockett ?? #nfl #nflnews #nflfootball #nfldraft #nflfantasy #fantasyfootball #nflfans #reels #reelsviral pic.twitter.com/CQrK05dga7

— Tunnel Vision Sports (@_tvsports) August 20, 2022

The punters

The competition for Denver punting job was put on hold last week, after Sam Martin tweaked his ankle while playing catch pregame and couldn’t go. Corliss Waitman had a solid day, averaging 52 yards on his two punts, and maybe earned a couple of points.

The Broncos will save nearly $2 million if they choose Waitman over Martin, which gives him a tiny head start. Nine years of NFL experience help Martin.

The team charts every punt those two take in games and in practices, so Saturday’s game won’t carry all of the weight. A mishit or a shank could be the difference between holding the job, though.

Damarri Mathis

With Michael Ojemudia sidelined, rookie Damarri Mathis has the inside track on the Broncos’ fourth cornerback job.

Mathis has been the better player throughout training camp and the two previous preseason games but Ojemudia is a veteran who had a solid spring. A big game from Mathis could ensure he gets the backup job even when Ojemudia is healthy.

The wide receivers

Five of the Broncos’ receivers appear locked into a roster spot, but the team will probably keep six. That means one more is up for grabs.

Jalen Virgil, Brandon Johnson and Seth Williams have all made plays at various times during camp and the preseason games. Any of them is capable of grabbing the last roster spot, and the Broncos will likely keep the other two on the practice squad if they clear waivers.

The wild card is Tyrie Cleveland, who fractured his throat early in camp and hasn’t returned to health. He’s been one of the Broncos’ top special teams players, though he hasn’t shown as much as a receiver as the three mentioned above. The team could still opt to keep him, since there are more special teams snaps available than wide receiver snaps.

Matt Henningsen

As a seventh-round pick, defensive lineman Matt Henningsen is far from a lock to make the roster.

He started to turn heads in the final week of camp and he came within an arm’s length of a sack on two separate occasions in the Broncos’ first preseason game. He’s flashed some upside as an interior pass rusher and as a penetrator in the run game.

A big game from Henningsen could solidify his place on the team, and potentially within the Broncos’ defensive line rotation.

Essang Bassey

When K’Waun Williams missed a stretch of training camp, Essang Bassey was his primary replacement in the nickel. Through two preseason games, Bassey has been the starting nickel.

So far, though, his performance has been lackluster.

Bassey still appears to be the Broncos’ second option in the slot but he could be on thin ice. The Broncos could also play Caden Sterns in that spot when Williams isn’t available, or they could try Mathis as well. Even Pat Surtain could be moved inside.

If Bassey can’t hold his own against the Vikings, he could be on the outside looking in on cut day.