Sean Payton: Broncos starters sit Saturday but play finale

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton said Thursday that most of the team’s starters will not play in their next preseason game on Saturday, following two joint practices in the last two weeks.

Payton shared that news right after the Broncos wrapped up their joint practice with the Arizona Cardinals, who they will match up with at Empower Field on Saturday. That exhibition contest is the second of three preseason games. The first was in San Francsio last week, where the Broncos won, behind a few snaps from their starters. The finale is next week in New Orleans, and the starters will get a few reps in that game, too.

Payton said he has never held two joint practices in the same preseason and plans to rest his “front-line” players — including the starting offensive and defensive lines, quarterback, top corners and receivers. Denver also had a joint practice in San Francsio ahead of last week’s exhibition game.

“Neither Jonathan (Gannon) or I will play the ones. There’ll be a few, five or six players on an eight-play pitch count that we consider ones, but maybe lack reps,” Payton said. “We’re going to feature the twos. There will be a group in the first half and a second half.”

“I’m sitting them because of the uniqueness of two of these in about a week’s time frame. Next week, I’m going to play those guys eight to 10 plays and get them out.”

It means that because of the strange scheduling quirk, the Broncos’ starters will not play in the preseason at home but get limited action twice on the road. And that the second preseason game, which is normally the biggest one, has been reduced to the least important for the team’s biggest names.

“We’re going to feature two phases… there’s going to be a group in the first half and a group in the second half,” Broncos head coach Sean Payton announces the majority of the starters WON’T go against the Cardinals, but WILL play 8-10 plays against the Saints. Interesting. pic.twitter.com/mIpo55t21u

— Will Petersen (@PetersenWill) August 14, 2025

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