From spring into winter, the ghost of Wilsons Past still floated around Dove Valley in 2024, haunting the Broncos’ front office.

No, Denver didn’t pay Russell Wilson the $350 million he was asking for. But after a franchise-altering decision to dump the QB, they still had to toss $53 million on the books for 2024. It’s hard, naturally, to pay veterans around such a massive roadblock. So Denver, as head coach Sean Payton noted earlier in June, played a “lot of young players” last fall.

“So you hope, quite naturally,” Payton said, “that those guys are further along.”

The reliance on youth was enough to bring 10 wins to Denver last year, the kind of success not seen since Peyton Manning was behind center wringing the final drops of juice from his 39-year-old arm. And young talent is solidified in a variety of key roles to the Broncos’ climb in 2025, from Bo Nix to a glut of top receivers.

But others in the youth movement made their presence felt this spring and summer — in one way or another. With the Broncos carrying a full 91 on their offseason roster, here’s a stock watch on some young players as time ticks before training camp kicks off July 22.

Heating up

Levelle Bailey, MLB: An undrafted free agent signing out of Fresno State in 2024, Bailey played seven defensive snaps at inside linebacker for Denver in his rookie year. If offseason workouts are any indication, that count will rise in ’25. The 6-foot-2 Bailey’s skill in coverage — three picks his senior year — was perhaps his best skill at Fresno State. And he stood out on a few reps this offseason, nabbing a goal-line pick off Jarrett Stidham to end the team’s first day of mandatory minicamp in June.

Here’s betting Denver’s anticipated starting MLB duo of Alex Singleton and Dre Greenlaw, both coming off major injuries in 2024, don’t combine for 34 games. Someone behind them will get reps in 2025. Justin Strnad is back on a one-year deal, but Bailey’s positioned himself well.

Dondrea Tillman, OLB

After popping over from the UFL a month before training camp in 2024, the 270-pound Tillman made an immediate impact off the edge for Denver’s defense, finishing fifth on the team in pressures in just 13 games. He’s 27, but has just a year of NFL experience. Payton hinted at minicamp that Denver needs to be careful with sack leader Nik Bonitto’s snap count in 2025 — a guy also, ahem, in a contract year — and Tillman could wind up a benefactor after a solid offseason program.

“We’re not huge on the edge, but he’s one of the guys who’s 260-plus, right?” defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said at minicamp. “That gave us size on the edge. So run-game-wise, even in the Buffalo playoff game, man, he was knocking guys around. So, he had a great year.”

Simmering Jahdae Barron, CB

Enough ink has been spilled on Barron, the Broncos’ first-round pick. But his first extended look in a Denver jersey this spring was a mixed bag. Payton, Joseph and a variety of players have gushed over Barron’s natural instincts and versatility, but there’s a ton on the Texas standout’s plate between learning both inside and outside spots. He was constantly in the right position in team periods, but Barron’s wheels seemed to visibly turn on a variety of plays — not quite playing fully free yet. It’s natural for a rookie, and a point to watch during training camp.

Drew Sanders, LB

What is Sanders, exactly? He’s certainly an inside linebacker now. He took big-time reps during minicamp, with Singleton and Greenlaw still working through respective rehabs. But Payton described the 2023 third-round pick as a “pressure player” in camp — an inside guy with outside instincts who the Broncos could feasibly rush from a variety of alignments.

Where will he play? When will he play? It’s a mystery. Sanders could wind up being the Broncos’ version of a pinch-hit specialist in the MLB, for blitz-package home runs. Think, like, the Rockies’ 2017-era Pat Valaika.

Cooling Audric Estime, RB

After the Broncos’ signing of J.K. Dobbins, pretty much all of their top RB names bring some sort of unique dish to a cluttered backfield table. Dobbins is a potential three-down guy who can dart between the tackles. Rookie R.J. Harvey is a home-run hitter who could catch a lot of passes. Jaleel McLaughlin is quick and doesn’t make mistakes. Tyler Badie earned a Payton shout-out for his pass protection.

The 227-pound Estime could be a goal-line bruiser and maybe even a bell-cow in the right offense. But his skill set overlaps more with Dobbins’ than any back in the room. Estime didn’t pop much on his reps in minicamp and will undeniably need to make a strong second-year impression in training camp.