Why these five under-the-radar Broncos could surprise in 2023 (2024)

Training camp for the Broncos begins in less than two weeks. When the team opens its doors to fans and media alike, eyes will quickly gravitate toward quarterback Russell Wilson and new head coach Sean Payton, a duo that will be at the forefront of Denver’s quest to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2015.

There will be 89 other players, though, who will also be part of the landscape. Here are five who could surprise in 2023 with the help of strong camp performances.

There have been 13 Super Bowl-winning head coaches who went on to lead another team. Only two of them reached the playoffs in Year 1.

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Caden Sterns, safety

Chasing down Lamar Jackson is a good way for an NFL rookie to get himself noticed. That’s what Caden Sterns, a fifth-round pick out of the University of Texas in 2021, did in his fifth NFL game, blitzing into the backfield and displaying the kind of burst and athletic talent that made him one of the country’s most sought-after defensive recruits in high school. The highlight was part of an all-around impressive debut season in which Sterns finished with two sacks, two interceptions, five passes defensed and 28 tackles while playing in a reserve role (he started two of the 15 games he played).

Then came 2022, when Sterns played in only five games with a hip injury that ultimately required offseason surgery. Injuries have been an issue for Sterns dating to his days at Texas when a brilliant freshman season was followed by two injury-marred years that forced him to miss a combined nine games. So staying healthy will be an important part of the equation for the 23-year-old safety, but his ability to make plays has flashed since he came into the league. That included perhaps the most athletic defensive play of the offseason program when Sterns tracked a deep ball in the end zone for a leaping interception. Payton said it was the kind of play that can help build momentum for a young player.

“Confidence is born out of demonstrated ability,” said Payton, who called Sterns a smart player with good instincts. “You can hope for confidence, or say, ‘I’m going to be confident,’ but it’s only born from demonstrated ability. Plays like that — you guys have all seen a preseason game where someone excels and then all of a sudden, you have a different player — you can point to a certain moment. He’s one of those type of players.”

In what has become something of an annual tradition, the Broncos signed veteran Kareem Jackson to a one-year deal in free agency. The 35-year-old is entering his fifth season with the Broncos and has started alongside standout safety Justin Simmons during each of the previous four. But Sterns could have a chance to supplant Jackson as the starter with a strong training camp, provided he stays healthy and continues to make plays. Payton talks a lot about identifying “pressure players” throughout the defensive lineup, those who can come from any spot to apply heat on the quarterback. The 6-foot-1, 207-pound Sterns profiles as that kind of player, which could leave him in line for a big role.

KJ Hamler, wide receiver

Throwing KJ Hamler into an “under-the-radar” category may seem like a stretch for a player who was taken by the Broncos early in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, caught a game-winning touchdown pass as a rookie and helped win another game for the Broncos with a clutch deep catch last season against the Jaguars in London. But the depth chart at wide receiver suggests Hamler will have to work his way into a meaningful role in 2023 — if not a roster spot, in general — by way of a strong preseason.

The top three targets are Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick. The Broncos drafted Marvin Mims in the second round out of Oklahoma as a down-the-field burner who averaged 19.5 yards per reception during his three college seasons and should factor into the return game as a rookie as well. Marquez Callaway and Lil’Jordan Humphrey were signed as free agents who have experience playing for Payton. Kendall Hinton, Brandon Johnson and Jalen Virgil are all former undrafted players who played last season and are still on the 90-man roster. It’s a jam-packed position and there will be tough decisions to be made for Payton and his staff by the time September rolls around. A potential trade during training camp shouldn’t be ruled out.

But for all his struggles with injuries — he has missed 27 of a possible 50 games since entering the NFL and is rehabbing from an offseason pectoral injury that required surgery — Hamler has displayed an ability to manipulate defenses that could be critical in Denver’s quest to rebound offensively. His average of 11.8 yards per target last season was by far the highest of any Denver receiver who ran at least 50 routes, according to TruMedia. When tight end Greg Dulcich broke out with three strong games in the middle of last season, it was Hamler’s ability to expand opposing defenses’ zone coverage that helped the rookie find free space inside the hashes. Payton is a play-calling artist when it comes to maximizing his players’ skill sets in order to create openings, and that could make Hamler a key piece.

Hamler has been candid about the struggles of his first three seasons. It has not been an easy road in the NFL and his latest injury was a frustrating blow that interrupted his offseason preparation. But Hamler has benefitted from a strong day-to-day routine that has been created in concert with Patrick, the veteran teammate who invited Hamler to live in his home this offseason.

“We’ve got a routine right now and that’s one of the things I’ve been preaching to him,” Patrick, who is in the final stages of his own recovery from an ACL injury, said during OTAs. “Do the same thing every day and don’t get bored with it, because that’s what’s going to get you far. That’s what we’re working on right now is holding each other accountable and doing the stuff that’s going to make us healthy and better versions of ourselves this year.”

Matt Henningsen, defensive line

Perhaps more than anywhere else on the roster, the defensive line offers an opportunity for multiple players to step into larger roles. In our inaugural Broncos fan survey, voters expressed some doubt as to whether there is enough depth on the roster to fortify the position after Dre’Mont Jones and DeShawn Williams left in free agency. Zach Allen, who played for new Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph during the previous four seasons in Arizona, signed a three-year, $45.75 million deal with Denver in free agency and is expected to provide significant pass-rush production as a defensive end — a de facto replacement for Jones.

But what about replacing Williams, who was a 15-game starter in 2022 and broke out with 4 1/2 sacks? The Broncos did not sign an obvious replacement in free agency — though veteran nose tackle Tyler Lancaster could play multiple spots on the line — and did not select any defensive linemen in the draft. Matt Henningsen could be ready to fill the void after a strong finish in 2022. Even as a rookie, teammates credited the former Wisconsin standout’s ability to quickly grasp the playbook, a trait that should help him quickly master any changes with Joseph’s scheme. The sixth-round pick in 2022 played more defensive snaps (229) last season than fellow rookie and fourth-round pick Eyioma Uwazurike (165) and was active for all 17 games, carving a bigger special teams role as the season progressed. That experience should give him a bonafide opportunity to compete for a starting role in training camp.

Adam Trautman, tight end

Few players flashed in the wide-open air of offseason practices as much as Greg Dulcich, the second-year tight end out of UCLA whose effortless strides helped make him a frequent target of Denver’s quarterbacks during OTAs and minicamp. Dulcich has the talent to be an impactful piece of Denver’s offense under Payton, who has said the Broncos will use the 23-year-old in a “Joker” role that prioritizes mismatches with opposing defenses. But just how quickly can Dulcich grasp and master the nuances of Payton’s offensive scheme? If he can do so quickly, he’ll be heavily featured in game plans from week to week. But it’s also fair to predict the process could take time, and that’s where Trautman comes in.

Trautman caught 42 passes for 434 yards and three touchdowns while proving to be a reliable in-line blocker during his two seasons in the Saints offense under Payton (2020 and 2021). He brings an institutional knowledge of how Payton likes to scheme tight ends into the offense, and at 6-foot-5, 253 pounds, he has some better-than-expected burst in the open field when he catches the ball in space.

The Broncos need Dulcich to be their top receiving threat at tight end. A breakthrough camp by fourth-year tight end Albert Okwuegbunam would be a bonus. But Trautman’s impact should not be discounted, particularly when considering that Dulcich and Okwuegbunam have dealt with injury issues early in their respective careers.

“He’s the versatile tight end that can play the ‘F’ tight end,” Payton said after the Broncos acquired Trautman in a trade with New Orleans during April’s NFL Draft. “He played a lot, most recently on the ball. Generally, when you draft a tight end out of college, they do one thing better than the other — (usually a) blocker first. When we drafted Adam, we felt like was one of those guys that was solid in both areas.”

Ja’Quan McMillian, cornerback

Entering training camp, cornerback appears to be largely solidified with burgeoning superstar Pat Surtain II leading a group that also includes veteran free-agent acquisition Tremon Smith and recent draft picks Damarri Mathis and Riley Moss. But McMillian, an undrafted player out of East Carolina who had some nice moments during his lone NFL start during the 2022 regular-season finale against the Chargers, made himself hard to ignore during the offseason program. The 5-foot-10, 183-pound corner may not be a physical prototype like the 6-foot-2, 202-pound Surtain, but he has a knack for being around the ball, demonstrating an ability during OTAs to break quickly on receivers.

In that start against the Chargers, McMillian had seven tackles and also had what appeared to be an interception — and subsequent touchdown return — but the incomplete pass ruling was held up on replay review. Turnover or not, McMillian gained confidence, to use Payton’s terminology, through the ability he demonstrated in that game to stick with NFL receivers and read the quarterback.

“I was on the practice squad the whole year, and I just kept working and kept learning from the older guys,” McMillian said after that Week 18 game. “I paid attention in meetings. I never veered away from what we were doing in the meeting room and on the field. I just stayed the course and it felt great to come out here and show what I can do.”

McMillian is not a lock to make the initial roster. But given what he’s made out of his opportunities to this point, it would not be a surprise if he ultimately finds himself with another chance to make an impact for the Broncos at some point in 2023.

(Top photo of Caden Sterns: AAron Ontiveroz / The Denver Post via Getty Images)

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Nick Kosmider is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Denver Broncos. He previously covered the Denver Nuggets for The Athletic after spending five years at the Denver Post, where he covered the city’s professional sports scene. His other stops include The Arizona Republic and MLB.com. Follow Nick on Twitter @NickKosmider