Three must-watch players in Broncos' first preseason game

The Broncos face the Cardinals in their first preseason action of the 2023 season on Friday night. Here are three must-watch players for Denver.

Russell Wilson, quarterback

Wilson must bounce back after the worst season of his career in 2022. In 15 games last season, he went 4-11 as a starter, threw a career-low 16 TDs and posted a 36.7 QBR, well below the league average. Denver hired head coach Sean Payton, a former Super Bowl champion, to resurrect his career this offseason.

Unlike last year, Wilson will play in the preseason, which could help him remove rust before the regular season, avoiding another disaster. Also, his performance will gauge if he is starting to understand Payton's offense and if their partnership can work.

Marvin Mims Jr., wide receiver

Denver already has depth issues at WR. Tim Patrick suffered a season-ending Achilles tear, and K.J. Hamler was waived due to mild heart irritation. Mims Jr.—the 63rd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft—must step up and become a viable WR3.

The former Oklahoma Sooner possesses blazing speed. He ran a 4.38-second, 40-yard dash at the combine in February. His quickness could make him an explosive, deep-ball specialist, something the Broncos need after they finished 19th in passing yards in 2022.

Drew Sanders, inside linebacker

It's not clear where Sanders fits in Denver's linebacking corps. Denver's already loaded at ILB with Josey Jewell and Alex Singleton. But defensive coordinator Vance Joseph signaled he wants to give the third-round pick plenty of playing time. "He's a super athlete," he recently said of the rookie LB.

Sanders was an adept pass-rusher at Arkansas. During his final season, he logged the 14th-most sacks (9.5 in 12 games) in the FBS. If this skill translates to the NFL level, Denver could use him as an edge-rushing LB. The Broncos are thin at OLB. Baron Browning is still on the PUP list with a knee injury, and his backup Nik Bonitto only had 1.5 sacks in 15 games during his rookie season.