In their second preseason matchup, the Denver Broncos delivered a dominant 27-2 win against the Green Bay Packers. Pro Football Focus (PFF) released their player grades from the dominant performance on Monday.

The most exciting revelation from the player grades is the impressive performance of rookie quarterback Bo Nix. Nix outshone his teammates, securing the highest overall grade (85.8) among the three quarterbacks. His exceptional play also earned him the title of the week’s top-rated rookie quarterback from PFF. Jarrett Stidham (62.7), aided by a rushing touchdown, followed closely behind. Unfortunately, Zach Wilson’s (45.7) limited playing time significantly impacted his overall score.

Tim Patrick’s (89.0) first touchdown in over two years was a heartwarming sight for fans and a significant boost to his own performance. PFF recognized Patrick as the best wide receiver and overall offensive player of the game. Brandon Johnson (41.7), the highest-graded wide receiver last week, was not only the lowest-scoring wide receiver but also the lowest-scoring of any offensive player.

Despite his limited playing time, Tyler Badie (77.6) was the highest-rated running back due to his rushing touchdown. Badie was followed by Javonte Williams (66.4) and Blake Watson (62.2). Samaje Perine (59.1) saw a nice uptick following his poor Week 1 performance.

Luke Wattenberg (70.4) emerged as the top performer among the Broncos centers in Week 2. Sam Mustipher (62.0) followed closely behind. Alex Forsyth (55.5) struggled and was penalized for a costly holding call.

Third-round pick Jonah Elliss (85.9) dominated the edge rush in Week 2, earning the highest PFF grade among rookie pass rushers. His impressive performance included three total tackles, a sack, a quarterback hit, and a tackle for loss. Linebackers Andre Smith (95.4) and Justin Strnad (91.5) earned the best overall grades, followed by safety Keidron Smith (91.1). The team’s lowest-graded defender was defensive end Eyioma Uwazurike (32.0), who was just reinstated back to the league two weeks ago.

 

For the second week in a row, PFF highlighted rookie cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine (67.0). His strong performance throughout training camp has seamlessly translated to the game field, highlighted by his exceptional tackling skills, as evidenced by his impressive tackling grade (76.9).

The battle for the punter position between Riley Dixon (60.0) and Trenton Gill (59.3) remains close in the eyes of PFF. Although Gill’s performance got knocked for a muffed punt, he balanced it out with a 62-yard kick. The competition is likely to continue into Week 3.

The Denver Broncos Week 2 performance demonstrated a significant improvement over their Week 1 showing. As the team’s talented rookies continue to make their mark, the upcoming matchup against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3 will play a crucial role in solidifying the final 53-man roster and determining the winners of key positional battles.