At least, Denver Broncos football has (almost) returned.
The Broncos will face the Atlanta Falcons on the road at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in their preseason opener on Friday evening, and coach Sean Payton wants to see a "clean operation" to kick off the 2026 campaign.
“If you don’t have that, then it’s hard to get the proper evaluation, so I think that’s important," Payton said.
That means clean snaps with minimal flags and miscues. Otherwise, it's hard to evaluate players attempting to make the roster if their specific play doesn't even get off the ground.
Here is a quick list of five storylines we'll be following on Friday night.
5 storylines to watch for in Broncos' preseason opener
1. Davis Webb calling plays: Webb made his play-calling debut in a preseason game last summer, and coach Sean Payton gave him a game ball for his fast, efficient play-calling after a 27-7 win. Even though Friday is still just another preseason game, the stakes feel higher now that Webb has been given the play-calling duties for the 2026 season. The real test begins in the regular season, but Friday will give an early look at Webb's impact on the offense.
2. Broncos' plan at center: Luke Wattenberg and Alex Forsyth are both sidelined with undisclosed injuries, and third-string center Michael Deiter suffered a season-ending quad injury earlier this week. That leaves Calvin Throckmorton and undrafted rookie Gavin Ortega as the remaining options at center. Other candidates for the job could include star guard Quinn Meinerz and fourth-round draft pick Kage Casey. It will be fascinating to see how the rotation shakes out at center with three players sidelined.
3. Denver's draft class and UDFAs: Friday will provide the first live-game action at drafted rookies such as defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim, running back Jonah Coleman and tight end Justin Joly. The list of intriguing undrafted rookies to watch for includes linebacker Taurean York, cornerback Brent Austin and receivers Cam Ross and Kolbe Katsis.
4. Backup options to return kicks: The Broncos' depth chart lists Michael Bandy and Ross as the backup punt returners behind Marvin Mims, plus Tyler Badie, RJ Harvey, Jaleel McLaughlin and Katsis as the backup kickoff returners behind Mims, who is scheduled to become a free agent in 2027. Denver will likely carry at least one backup returner on the practice squad this fall, and preseason will provide a good opportunity to evaluate several candidates.
5. Broncos backup quarterback battle: Bo Nix won't play in Friday's game on artificial turf, but he will get reps in the team's home preseason games on natural grass later this month. With Nix not in the lineup, Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger will each play a half in Atlanta. Stidham is still listed as QB2 on the depth chart, but Ehlinger could push for that job with a strong preseason showing.
After Friday's opener, the Broncos will return to Denver and resume training camp practice on Monday. The team also has two home preseason games on deck before the regular season arrives in September.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: 5 storylines to watch for in Broncos' first preseason game