Three things to watch on offense for the Denver Broncos at OTAs

Most of the attention in the offseason for the Denver Broncos went to their defense.

Two of their three big-ticket free-agent signings were there — inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safety Talanoa Hufanga. So was their first-round draft pick, defensive back Jahdae Barron.

And they’ll get inside linebacker Alex Singleton back from a torn ACL suffered eight months ago at Tampa Bay.

But the offense has some questions still left to answer — and some of those answers will come from young players stepping up, particularly among pass catchers for quarterback Bo Nix.

1. WHO WILL EMERGE BEYOND COURTLAND SUTTON AND MARVIN MIMS JR. AT WIDE RECEIVER?

By the second half of the season, the Broncos had an outstanding 1-2 punch with Sutton and Mims. The hybrid role with Mims unlocked his potential; his production from Week 11 through Week 18 put him on a 1,000-yard pace.

But who will be the next player up? Devaughn Vele’s production last year would give him an edge, but Troy Franklin’s touchdown catch at Buffalo in the wild-card loss was the flash that showed his potential might finally blossom into something tangible.

A.T. Perry will get some offseason looks after a season on the practice squad, but with this being his third NFL season, he faces more of a now-or-never moment than Vele and Franklin being in Year Two.

And then there’s Pat Bryant, the rookie whose presence could alter the dynamic of the room.

The Broncos don’t need all of them to hit, but if two of these four flourish, they’ll be thrilled. OTAs could begin providing a glimpse as to the answer.

2. HOW MUCH WILL EVAN ENGRAM BE READY TO DO?

After battling a shoulder injury last year, the Broncos might slow-play it with their “Joker” tight end, especially after not finding a supplement at the position early in the draft. They did add Caleb Lohner in the seventh round, but given the Utah product’s lack of experience, it might be a slow play with him.

Thus, the priority with Engram needs to be ensuring that he’s physically ready to go after missing eight games last year. Getting proper timing and cohesion with Nix and in the offense matters — but the most important aspect will be ensuring the physical readiness of the tight end who will be 31 years of age when Week 1 arrives.

3. HOW WILL THE BRONCOS’ RUNNING BACKS SHAKE OUT?

RJ Harvey showed plenty of burst during rookie minicamp, and with second-round status, would appear to be the favorite to be RB1 by the time the regular season arrives.

But with how Payton prefers to use running backs, Harvey is likely to be only part of the solution. Second-year running back Audric Estimé has the power-based skill set to complement Harvey well, but he needs to avoid the fumbles that plagued him last year from training camp through the regular season.

Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie and Blake Watson will have their chances, as well.

The fact that Badie was active for the wild-card game against Buffalo after being on injured reserve for three months shows the hope that Broncos coaches still had for him after his back injury; he can’t be overlooked in the running-back mix.

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