OTAs kick off next week as the Denver Broncos take the field for the first time since they played in the AFC Championship game back in January.
Whether or not we see Bo Nix in a limited fashion is arguably one of the biggest storylines for the offense as we get to see at least one day of practice next week.
Denver Broncos OTAs: Three Offensive Storylines
Despite having a cleanup procedure recently on his previously fractured ankle, all eyes are going to be on the participation status of Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, his new playcaller, and his new pass-catching weapon, Jaylen Waddle.
Bo Nix participation status at OTAs
With Denver’s first OTA practice taking place this upcoming Tuesday, everybody will be wondering if Bo Nix will be on the field in limited capacity — which entails position drills during indy period or even if he’s on the side field.
Right now it’s unclear what day us media folks will get to attend, but typically Sean Payton gives us the third day of the first phase of OTAs. If that trend continues, we’ll be watching Thursday’s practice.
During rookie minicamp, Payton came out and gave an update on Nix and his status after he had the cleanup procedure done, and indicated that at some point here in June, we would see him. That could be during OTAs, or it could be during mandatory minicamp, which takes place June 16-18, where we’ll be able to see all three practices in their entirety.
“Without trying to, I think we have a round of OTAs, a round of OTAs, a set of mini camp practices,” Payton said. “You guys know from watching, those kind of look the same. The only difference in the mini camp is the meeting time can be a little longer on the field, but it’s the same tempo. He’s going to want to push that earlier. I’m probably… We’ll be smart with [Vice President of Player Health & Performance] Beau [Lowery], and the trainers and the doctors. You’ll see him. I’m sure you’ll see him in probably mini camp, maybe, but he’ll be full speed throwing everything in July before we even get back here. He’s doing good.”
Nix, Jarrett Stidham, and Sam Ehlinger returned to Denver this weekend after they and their wives took a trip to Mexico before the tumultuous grind of the season begins.
Davis Webb gets more practice reps as playcaller
We had the chance to see Davis Webb on the field during rookie minicamp for the first time as Denver’s new playcaller. After working with rookies, he’ll get his first on-field look with veterans and rookies alike, where they’ll ideally go through their early installs of the offense.
Some of the bigger questions surrounding Davis are what personnel groupings will look like and how often Denver switches out personnel in comparison to Sean Payton, what the rep share will look like with J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey, and Jonah Coleman.
After turning down opportunities elsewhere, including a head coaching opportunity in the AFC West with the Las Vegas Raiders, Webb decided to stay in Denver with Payton, turning over playcalling duties to him. If Denver’s offense takes off this season, he’ll be one of the league’s hottest head coaching candidates in the 2027 cycle.
His relationship with Nix is incredibly strong, and one thing that will be worth monitoring is how it progresses with Webb calling plays.
Jaylen Waddle’s first look as a Denver Bronco
During next week’s practice, we’ll get our first look at Jaylen Waddle in a Broncos uniform. Denver’s key offseason acquisition is set to take the field.
We may have to wait some time to see Nix throwing to Waddle, but Denver’s new star receiver will be catching passes regardless next week.
He and Courtland Sutton are anticipated to be the top two target share options inside the offense. Waddle thrives against both man and zone coverage, and how NFL defenses adjust to how they cover Sutton and Waddle will hopefully unlock Denver’s offense even more. Sutton faced bracket coverage at a consistent rate last year during key passing downs, and having Waddle’s presence could lead to more one-on-one opportunities for Denver’s long-standing vet.
If defenses continue their approach with Sutton, Waddle could be the explosive weapon Denver’s consistently looked for. However, despite Waddle’s addition, other receivers like Troy Franklin, Marvin Mims, and Pat Bryant will have important roles inside the offense, Franklin in particular, after he saw 100+ targets last season.
Denver’s receiver room is the deepest it’s been in over a decade, and how this room produces in 2026 is going to be one of the more intriguing storylines to watch.