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We already talked about the eight Denver Broncos players who I believe could have breakout performances during training camp and the preseason. That list included a lot of the expected names like Jahdae Barron, Jonah Coleman, Que Robinson, and others. However, there are five players who I left off this list who I believe could have breakout performances that are currently a bit under the radar.
These aren’t your big names, but players pushing for a roster spot or an elevated role on the team that could solidify their spots on the roster and with the team after a strong performance during camp and the preseason.
With all that said, here are the five under-the-radar Denver Broncos players who I believe could have breakout performances
TE Caleb Lohner
Lohner was a 7th-round pick last season by the Broncos in 2025 and was a long-term developmental player for them. He was a former basketball player with one season of college football under his belt but had the size and athletic traits that Sean Payton and the Broncos believed they could develop.
His rookie year was pretty quiet, as expected, and he spent the entire year on the Denver Broncos practice squad. Despite that, teams attempted to pry Lohner from the Broncos’ practice squad, but the developmental rookie decided to stay with the team that drafted him. Now, he enters year two looking to push for a spot on the Broncos’ 53-man roster.
Lohner made some noise early in the offseason during the Broncos 2026 rookie minicamp after Head Coach Sean Payton went out of his way to praise the developmental second-year player.
Payton was then asked what Lohner is doing better this year compared to last year. He simply said, “Everything”.
“Everything. In fairness to him, remember [he] was a basketball prospect that had limited snaps of a year. So one year into the program, and how he’s moving, what he’s doing, everything looks entirely different. That learning curve and growth curve was greater for someone who had far less experience maybe than others, if that makes sense. It’s entirely noticeable, and he’s in great shape. You see his athleticism. I would say the one thing that you don’t know is… [Pro Football Hall of Fame Coach] Bill [Parcells] used to say, ‘If they don’t bite when they’re puppies, they’re probably never going to bite.’ There’s a physical aspect to the way he plays. Even on look team last season, he’d play an outside linebacker rushing our tackles. He’s 6’7”, 265 pounds and he’s not afraid of the contact. So it’s been good to see him in Year 2. You knew there was going to be a developmental upside, but that was encouraging.”
Unfortunately for Lohner, his hype would be short-lived after he would undergo a cleanup procedure that would sideline him throughout the entirety of the Broncos’ offseason program. However, he is expected to be 100% for the start of training camp and will look to reignite the hype he had this spring and push for a roster spot.
The Broncos tight end room is a bit of a weak point on paper. They have veterans Adam Trautman and Evan Engram, and behind those two, you have Lohner, Nate Adkins, Lucas Krull, and rookies Justin Joly and Dallen Bentley. So, it will be interesting to see how everything shakes out here and where Lohner lands when everything is set and done.
WR Hakeem Butler
Late in the spring, the Broncos signed former UFL wide receiver Hakeem Butler to a one-year deal. He is a 6-5, 227-pound wide receiver with good speed and athleticism. He was a former 4th-round pick back in 2019 by the Arizona Cardinals, but it simply never worked out in the NFL. He would join the UFL and become the best wide receiver in UFL history, which included two Offensive Player of the Year awards, and rejuvenate his football career. That performance earned him a chance with the Broncos, where he would sign on to their 90-man roster and now will look to compete for a spot on their 53-man roster or on their practice squad.
I have Butler as an under-the-radar breakout candidate simply because he is a bit of a wild card. He is 30 years old, but has great size at 6-5, 227 pounds, and has high-end athleticism to go with that size. I wouldn’t be surprised if he went out there and dominated against the Broncos’ second and third-string cornerbacks during camp and did the same in the second half of the Broncos’ preseason games.
He does seem like a bit of a long shot, but the size and athleticism are there, and we’ll see if he can turn his UFL success into success in the NFL this summer.
S/STer Devon Key
Devon Key was a breakout player for the Broncos on the special teams side of the ball last season. He went from a fringe roster player to becoming an All-Pro special teamer for the Broncos by the end of the season. Now, could he see a similar growth on the defensive side of the ball?
I am not saying he will turn into an All-Pro safety, but the third safety role left behind by PJ Locke, who signed with the Dallas Cowboys, is there for the taking, and Key seems like the logical in-house replacement. I believe Key, who has earned the trust of the Broncos coaches, will get the first crack at it, and if he does well, will have an elevated role on the defensive side of the ball this season.
I would expect veterans Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones to get days off throughout camp, so Key and others figure to get some first-team reps this summer. If he performs well, he could be an under-the-radar breakout candidate who goes from fringe roster player to All-Pro special teamer to becoming a key defensive reserve on top of his special teams work.
Rookie Miles Scott, JL Skinner, special teamer Tycen Anderson, and undrafted rookie Parker Robertson will all be competing with Key for that role on the defensive side of the ball this summer.
UDFA LB Taurean York
One player I am higher on than most is undrafted rookie linebacker Taurean York. He is rather undersized, a big reason why he went undrafted, but he is very talented and has the instincts you want from an NFL linebacker. If he were 6-1, 235 pounds, he likely would have been a day 2 selection and talked about as one of the top linebackers in this draft class.
A big reason he could have a breakout summer is the depth at the Broncos linebacker position. The depth behind starters Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad is very young and inexperienced and offers York (and others) a road to climb up the depth chart. If York is able to survive in the NFL despite his size, I believe his talent will carry him to a spot on the Broncos’ 53-man roster.
The Broncos have had a lot of success with former undrafted free agent players, and I firmly believe York will be the one we are all talking about this summer. His football IQ, intelligence, leadership, and instincts will make him a coach’s favorite from the start, and his play on the field will have him rising up the depth chart. Again, size will be an issue, but it was when he played in the SEC, and he still thrived, so hopefully he does the same in the NFL with the Broncos.
IDL Eyioma Uwazruike
We are all talking about Sai’vion Jones and rookie Tyler Onyedim, two players I mentioned in my breakout piece, but I believe the massive Eyioma Uwazurike is somehow flying under the radar.
At 6-6, 320 pounds, he is an imposing presence on the field and features a mean bull rush and has a motor that does not quit. Coming out of college, he played some edge rusher and displayed his high-end athleticism despite his size, so he does have pass rush potential. We have seen Uwazurike grow as a player on and off the field and went from being suspended for an entire season to being a key reserve on a top-ranked defense in the NFL. Now, with a role opened up by John Franklin-Myers, who signed with the Titans during free agency, could Uwazurike take over that role?
Due to his massive size and strength, Uwazurike could take on extra blockers and allow Zach Allen, Nik Bonitto, and others to thrive with one-on-one blocks. He also has the size, strength, and athleticism to disrupt the pocket and get after the quarterback.
He will be competing with Malcolm Roach, Sai’vion Jones, rookie Tyler Onyedim, and others for snaps and a role along this defensive line. While all the talk is about Jones and Onyedim, I wouldn’t rule out Uwazurike being the player who steps up and takes over that role left behind by John Franklin-Myers.
