Ryan McMahon set to make his New York Yankees debut, batting eighth against Philadelphia
New York acquired the 2024 All-Star from Colorado on Friday for a pair of 22-year-old pitchers in the low minors, right-hander Josh Grosz and left-hander Griffin Herring.
McMahon, 30, was hitting .217 with 16 home runs and 35 RBIs for last-place Colorado. His 127 strikeouts trailed only the 138 of Detroit's Riley Greene, but McMahon was hitting .300 with three homers and seven RBIs in six games following the All-Star break.
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NBC Sports
14 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Early 12-team, nine-cat fantasy basketball mock draft: Nikola Jokić was selected when?
While NBA training camps don't open for another two months, there's never a bad time to participate in a mock draft. I participated in an extremely early draft for a 12-team, nine-cat head-to-head fantasy league thanks to FBI Basketball's Adam King. While mock drafts can become a bit monotonous for some, they can serve as solid 'fact-finding missions' regarding the community's thoughts on players and their team situations. Going into this draft, there were a few players I was interested in regarding their early draft positions. Is Victor Wembanyama still a surefire top-three pick despite a blood clot ending his 2024-25 season at the All-Star break? He has been given full clearance, but that remains a worthwhile question to evaluate. Is Nikola Jokić still the first overall pick, or will it be Shai Gilgeous-Alexander? When will Cooper Flagg come off the board, and are any other rookies worthy of top-100 consideration? Below is a round by round breakdown of Sunday's mock draft, including thoughts on my strategy. For this mock draft, there was a third-round reversal. For those who may not know what entails, it simply means the draft order flips every other round. I picked eighth in the first round. Round 1 1.1: G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder 1.2: G Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons 1.3: C Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets 1.4: C Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs 1.5: F/C Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks 1.6: G Luka Dončić, Los Angeles Lakers 1.7: F/C Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks 1.8: G/F Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves 1.9: C Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks 1.10: G James Harden, Los Angeles Clippers 1.11: F/C Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies 1.12: G Derrick White, Boston Celtics It did not take long for things to get interesting. Not only was Jokić not the first overall pick in this mock draft, but he wasn't second, either. The three-time MVP was the third overall pick, with Detroit's Cunningham going second behind SGA. It's an interesting selection, to say the least. Cunningham's coming off his best season as a Piston, and he likely hasn't reached his ceiling due to age and seasons limited due to injury. With Jokić going third, that pushed Wembanyama to fourth overall. I decided to go with Edwards, as Giannis went off the board with the prior pick. Some likely would prefer KAT in that spot, but Edwards being the pick did not feel that controversial. Round 2 2.1: F/C Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat 2.2: F Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics 2.3: G Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers 2.4: G Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks 2.5: F/C Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers 2.6: G/F Devin Booker, Phoenix Suns 2.7: G/F Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder 2.8: G Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors 2.9: F Kevin Durant, Houston Rockets 2.10: G LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets 2.11: G/F Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets 2.12: F Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic Tatum going with the 14th overall pick is a serious reach, given that he may not be healthy enough to play in time for the fantasy playoff weeks. And it's possible he doesn't play at all next season. The first three picks for the manager who selected Tatum were Jaren Jackson Jr., JT and Tyrese Haliburton. Two players facing steep odds of playing next season, and one who may not be ready for the start of the season after undergoing surgery earlier this month. Thompson and Banchero being second-round picks is intriguing, but at least they're healthy. I used my second-round pick on Mobley, which may be a reach due to the partnership with Jarrett Allen. However, Mobley still has a ways to go before he reaches his ceiling, so it's a gamble I'm willing to make in that spot. Round 3 3.1: C Alperen Şengün, Houston Rockets 3.2: G Tyrese Haliburton, Indiana Pacers 3.3: G/F Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks 3.4: F/C Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder 3.5: F Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers 3.6: G Josh Giddey*, Chicago Bulls 3.7: G/F Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers 3.8: F LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers 3.9: G Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks 3.10: F Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors 3.11: G/F Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks 3.12: F Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks Sunday's mock draft was the third I've participated in this summer, and Flagg was a fourth-round pick in the first two. The prized rookie came off the board late in the third round of this mock, and he's the one rookie in this class worth rolling the dice on. Flagg will play plenty next season, and Kyrie Irving's absence due to a torn ACL may mean more time on the ball for the rookie, even with the signing of D'Angelo Russell. Giddey was a third-round pick despite his contract status still undetermined; staying in Chicago would represent his best shot at living up to that draft spot. With Haliburton set to miss a significant portion of next season, if not all of it, I grabbed Siakam. He might have been available in the fourth round, but I was unwilling to risk it. Round 4 4.1: G Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers 4.2: G/F Desmond Bane, Orlando Magic 4.3: C Domantas Sabonis, Sacramento Kings 4.4: F Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic 4.5: G Tyler Herro, Miami Heat 4.6: C Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz 4.7: G De'Aaron Fox, San Antonio Spurs 4.8: G Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets 4.9: C Myles Turner, Milwaukee Bucks 4.10: G/F Josh Hart, New York Knicks 4.11: F OG Anunoby, New York Knicks 4.12: G Jalen Green, Phoenix Suns Maxey still being on the board to begin the fourth round was wild; he's the biggest steal in this draft for that reason. While injury did end his 2024-25 season prematurely, the 76ers guard does not have the same injury profile as teammates Joel Embiid and Paul George. Anunoby, selected with the penultimate pick of this round, also represents solid value, while I decided to use my fourth-round pick on Murray. He was a top-20 player in nine-cat formats last season, still appearing in 67 regular-season games despite dealing with some health issues. Green's an intriguing option in Phoenix. While he had his moments with the Rockets, the inconsistent production limited his fantasy ceiling. Does that change playing alongside Devin Booker? Round 5 5.1: F Michael Porter Jr., Brooklyn Nets 5.2: F/C Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves 5.3: G Jordan Poole, New Orleans Pelicans 5.4: G Darius Garland, Cleveland Cavaliers 5.5: C Nikola Vučević, Chicago Bulls 5.6: G/F Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics 5.7: G Jared McCain, Philadelphia 76ers 5.8: C Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers 5.9: C Ivica Zubac, Los Angeles Clippers 5.10: C Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers 5.11: C Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons 5.12: G Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies With Brooklyn's five first-round picks appearing to require a lot of patience based on their play in Las Vegas and Cam Thomas' contract status undetermined, Porter could be primed to put up gaudy numbers next season. Even if Thomas signs his qualifying offer or agrees to a deal with the Nets, Porter should be the top offensive option for the first time in his NBA career. Embiid going in the fifth round wasn't too surprising given the injury history, and it's unknown if he'll be 100 percent when the regular season begins. But McCain coming off the board one pick before, and he's also coming off a knee injury? That's a major roll of the dice. I played it safe with my fifth-round pick, selecting Vučević. The front office and ownership appears to be fine with competing for a play-in tournament slot, so Vooch's fantasy value should be safe for another season. Round 6 6.1: F Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans 6.2: F/C Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards 6.3: F Trey Murphy, New Orleans Pelicans 6.4: G/F Mikal Bridges, New York Knicks 6.5: F Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers 6.6: F Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls 6.7: F Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets 6.8: F Miles Bridges, Charlotte Hornets 6.9: F Jimmy Butler, Golden State Warriors 6.10: C Mark Williams, Phoenix Suns 6.11: C Brook Lopez, Los Angeles Clippers 6.12: C Onyeka Okongwu, Atlanta Hawks Two more players whose draft spots jumped out to me were Williamson and Leonard. Both have been plagued by injuries in recent seasons, but the latter brings more to the table regarding overall fantasy value. That said, Williamson still went four picks ahead of Leonard in this mock draft. While I would argue that Kawhi should have been off the board before this point, I'm not sure I can say the same for Zion. Also of note in this round was Buzelis being selected with the sixth pick. He certainly looked good at summer league, but is he ready to make this big of a jump? Buzelis should be locked in as a starter, but expecting sixth-round production may be a bit much, especially with Giddey's status undetermined. I selected Miles Bridges with my pick, but would have preferred Butler, especially considering his fit alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Round 7 7.1: G Coby White, Chicago Bulls 7.2: F Jaden McDaniels, Minnesota Timberwolves 7.3: G/F Deni Avdija, Portland Trail Blazers 7.4: C Kristaps Porziņģis, Atlanta Hawks 7.5: G Fred VanVleet, Houston Rockets 7.6: C Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers 7.7: C Kel'el Ware, Miami Heat 7.8: F DeMar DeRozan, Sacramento Kings 7.9: C Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves 7.10: F Julius Randle, Minnesota Timberwolves 7.11: G CJ McCollum, Washington Wizards 7.12: G Immanuel Quickley, Toronto Raptors Another round, and another safe pick for yours truly. However, I like VanVleet's position in Houston, with the Rockets adding Kevin Durant. Adding one of the sport's all-time offensive greats should clear space for everyone. VanVleet's field goal percentage has never been great, but I would not be surprised if his three-pointer and assist production were boosted next season. I hoped to grab Avdija, but he went off the board two picks before I was on the clock. Porziņģis in Atlanta is intriguing; does he start alongside Onyeka Okongwu, or will one come off the bench with Zaccharie Risacher remaining a starter? I'd bet on the former scenario, especially if Jalen Johnson is healthy and can capably defend small forwards. Round 8 8.1: G Anfernee Simons, Boston Celtics 8.2: C Deandre Ayton, Los Angeles Lakers 8.3: G/F Zach LaVine, Sacramento Kings 8.4: C Jakob Poeltl, Toronto Raptors 8.5: G Andrew Nembhard, Indiana Pacers 8.6: G Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics 8.7: F Lauri Markkanen, Utah Jazz 8.8: F Cameron Johnson, Denver Nuggets 8.9: G Dylan Harper, San Antonio Spurs 8.10: C Daniel Gafford, Dallas Mavericks 8.11: G/F Christian Braun, Denver Nuggets 8.12: G Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs The second rookie went off the board in this round, with Harper being the ninth pick. Given San Antonio's perimeter depth, will there be enough room for him to provide top-100 value as a rookie? Last season, no rookie finished ranked within the top-100 in nine-cat formats, with Kel'El Wre and Zach Edey leading the way. According to Basketball Monster, the highest-ranked rookie with guard eligibility was the aforementioned McCain, and he only played 23 games due to a knee injury. Ayton can play well above his draft position, mainly if he stays healthy. Playing alongside Luka and LeBron represents an excellent opportunity for the Lakers' new starting center. Nembhard and Pritchard's draft positions were boosted due to the Haliburton and Tatum injuries, but the latter finished last season as a top-100 player. I took Johnson, who moves from Brooklyn to Denver, and he could benefit immensely from playing alongside Jokić and Murray. Round 9 9.1: F PJ Washington, Dallas Mavericks 9.2: F Toumani Camara, Portland Trail Blazers 9.3: G/F Quentin Grimes*, Philadelphia 76ers 9.4: G/F Norman Powell, Miami Heat 9.5: F Tari Eason, Houston Rockets 9.6: F Paul George, Philadelphia 76ers 9.7: G Donte DiVincenzo, Minnesota Timberwolves 9.8: G Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks 9.9: G Malik Monk, Sacramento Kings 9.10: G Jalen Suggs, Orlando Magic 9.11: G Scoot Henderson, Portland Trail Blazers 9.12: C Isaiah Hartenstein, Oklahoma City Thunder Irving being a ninth-round pick when other players with similar injury concerns went much earlier was interesting. And his chances of returning early enough to help fantasy managers are higher than those of Haliburton or Tatum. Other interesting picks in this round included Powell, who was traded to Miami and will figure prominently in the Heat offense, and Henderson. The departure of Anfernee Simons means it's 'prime time' for Scoot, even with Portland adding Jrue Holiday in that deal. With Damian Lillard back but unlikely to play this season, Henderson has an excellent opportunity to take a leap forward. Is he up to it? George was also a ninth-round pick, and the injuries had a lot to do with that. I used my pick on Eason, who can offer solid value as a rebounder and defender despite coming off the bench. Round 10 10.1: C Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies 10.2: G/F Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana Pacers 10.3: F/C Kyle Filipowski, Utah Jazz 10.4: G/F Shaedon Sharpe, Portland Trail Blazers 10.5: F Tobias Harris, Detroit Pistons 10.6: G/F RJ Barrett, Toronto Raptors 10.7: C Nic Claxton, Brooklyn Nets 10.8: F/C Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors 10.9: F Bilal Coulibaly, Washington Wizards 10.10: F/C Bobby Portis, Milwaukee Bucks 10.11: G Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers 10.12: G/F Dillon Brooks, Phoenix Suns Edey was the first pick of the tenth round, but due to ankle surgery it's possible he won't be ready to go when the season begins. His rookie season in Memphis was good, but it's fair to wonder if the 7-foot-4 center is a player whose ceiling is limited but the floor is reliable. The Filipowski pick is interesting; Taylor Hendricks may return to the starting lineup after suffering a broken leg early last season, but Filipowski's offensive value makes him an intriguing option in fantasy leagues. Can Claxton get back to being the free-throw punt option he was before last season? Among the factors that will impact that is how Brooklyn addresses the point guard position. Wanting another player with center eligibility, I selected Draymond since he can also be used at forward and offers solid value outside the points category. Round 11 11.1: G Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers 11.2: F Keegan Murray, Sacramento Kings 11.3: F/C Santi Aldama, Memphis Grizzlies 11.4: F Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons 11.5: G Bradley Beal, Los Angeles Clippers 11.6: G/F Devin Vassell, San Antonio Spurs 11.7: F Aaron Gordon, Denver Nuggets 11.8: G VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia 76ers 11.9: G/F Kyshawn George, Washington Wizards 11.10: G Dejounte Murray, New Orleans Pelicans 11.11: G Keyonte George, Utah Jazz 11.12: C Dereck Lively II, Dallas Mavericks Due to the health of JJJ and Edey, Aldama's ceiling may be raised, at least for the early portion of the season. Murray may be in a challenging spot in Sacramento, but the Kings adding a point guard (Dennis Schröder) could help matters. Sacramento did not address the position after trading De'Aaron Fox, negatively impacting Murray's opportunities. He could represent significant value in fantasy leagues, regardless of size, if that changes. Beal's recent injury history has not been good, but he was worth the gamble for me in the 11th round. I doubt he's on the board this late in drafts when actual fantasy drafts are held in the fall. Murray is an interesting 'draft and stash' option since he won't be fully recovered from his Achilles injury when the season begins, and fantasy managers may also have to wait on Lively. Keyonte George being selected despite Utah's logjam at the point is interesting. Isaiah Collier jumped him to take over the starting point guard duties last season, and Utah added Walter Clayton Jr. in the draft. Lastly, another rookie was selected in this round, with Edgecombe coming off the board. His ceiling will be determined partly by the availability of Philadelphia's more experienced perimeter players. Round 12 12.1: G/F Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors 12.2: C Khaman Maluach, Phoenix Suns 12.3: F John Collins, Los Angeles Clippers 12.4: G Bub Carrington, Washington Wizards 12.5: G Jaden Ivey, Detroit Pistons 12.6: C Goga Bitadze, Orlando Magic 12.7: G/F Cam Thomas*, Brooklyn Nets 12.8: G Kevin Porter Jr., Milwaukee Bucks 12.9: G/F Andrew Wiggins, Miami Heat 12.10: G T.J. McConnell, Indiana Pacers 12.11: G Russell Westbrook, Free Agent 12.12: G Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Atlanta Hawks The final round of fantasy drafts is about the 'home run swing,' as it's a low-risk, high-reward spot. Porter appears on track to be a starter in Milwaukee next season, and the combination of that opportunity and his improved play down the stretch factored into my decision to select him. However, Minnesota's Terrence Shannon Jr. and Detroit's Ron Holland II are two players I wish I'd considered more. While one can argue that Holland's situation isn't great from a fantasy standpoint with Jaden Ivey returning from a leg injury, Shannon should have added value following Nickeil Alexander-Walker's exit in free agency. Also of note in the final round of this mock draft is that Cam Thomas remains a restricted free agent, and Westbrook is still an unrestricted free agent.
NBC Sports
15 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Blue Jays at Orioles Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for July 28
It's Monday, July 28 and the Blue Jays (63-43) are in Baltimore to take on the Orioles (47-58). Chris Bassitt is slated to take the mound for Toronto against Zach Eflin for Baltimore. The Toronto Blue Jays have the best record in baseball with a blazing 8-2 start since the All-Star break. Toronto is coming off a 10-4 loss to Detroit, but won the series and all three series post-break. Baltimore will host this four-game home-stand after beating Colorado 18-0 and 5-1 in the last two games. However, Baltimore is 3-6 over the past nine contests. On the season, these two have split 3-3 over six games. Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We've got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts. Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long. Game details & how to watch Blue Jays at Orioles Date: Monday, July 28, 2025 Time: 6:35PM EST Site: Oriole Park at Camden Yards City: Baltimore, MD Network/Streaming: Sportsnet, MASN Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out. Odds for the Blue Jays at the Orioles The latest odds as of Monday: Moneyline: Blue Jays (-124), Orioles (+104) Spread: Blue Jays -1.5 Total: 9.0 runs Probable starting pitchers for Blue Jays at Orioles Pitching matchup for July 28, 2025: Chris Bassitt vs. Zach Eflin Blue Jays: Chris Bassitt, (11-4, 3.88 ERA) Last outing: 3.68 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 8 StrikeoutsOrioles: Zach Eflin, (6-5, 5.78 ERA) Last outing: 3.60 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts Blue Jays: Chris Bassitt, (11-4, 3.88 ERA) Last outing: 3.68 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 8 Strikeouts Orioles: Zach Eflin, (6-5, 5.78 ERA) Last outing: 3.60 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type! Expert picks & predictions for tonight's game between the Blue Jays and the Orioles Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700. Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts. Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager. Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Blue Jays and the Orioles: Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Toronto Blue Jays on the Moneyline. Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Baltimore Orioles at +1.5. Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0. Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC. Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Blue Jays at Orioles Toronto is 4-1 over Bassitt's last five starts Baltimore is 0-4 over Eflin's last four starts The Blue Jays' record in their last 5 games stands at 4-1 8 of the Orioles' last 10 matchups with the Blue Jays have gone over the Total The Orioles have failed to cover the Run Line in 3 straight matchups against the Blue Jays If you're looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports! Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: Jay Croucher (@croucherJD) Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
New York Times
43 minutes ago
- New York Times
Broncos defense 'can be as good as we want to be,' but climb requires patience
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Dre Greenlaw was put on a pitch count as the Denver Broncos began their first week of training camp, so he came with all fastballs. During a team period in the red zone on Saturday, Denver's newest linebacker bolted from his spot on the far side of the field to make a beeline toward Marvin Mims Jr., who had caught a short pass and was momentarily pausing to set up his blocks near the goal line. Before Mims fully accelerated, Greenlaw tagged him down in the two-hand drill, and the linebacker moved so fast that his momentum brought both players to the ground. Advertisement The play was followed by a standard command from coaches during non-contact periods ('Stay up! Stay up!'). But internally, there was an acknowledgement that Greenlaw knows only one way to play — and it's the reason the Broncos pursued him so heavily in free agency. Just wait, Sean Payton said afterward, until real football begins. 'He's impressive when you put the tape on,' the Broncos coach said of Greenlaw, who the Broncos are bringing along slowly after the linebacker dealt with an offseason quad injury. 'Monday will come with the pads and there are certain players that really express themselves in the full gear, and he'll be one of them.' The brief scene with Greenlaw in Saturday's practice can be viewed as a microcosm of a Denver defense that played with an explosive edge during the first week of training camp. The new inside linebacker gives the Broncos an aggressive, sideline-to-sideline presence they didn't have last season. Talanoa Hufanga, Greenlaw's teammate then with the 49ers and now with the Broncos, has brought a similar torpedo play style to the safety position, where Denver is also benefiting from the return of a healthier P.J. Locke after offseason spinal surgery. In front of both players is a confident, trash-talking defensive front that was relentless in its pursuit of the quarterback last season — a franchise-record 63 sacks — and appears to be picking up where it left off after returning nearly every player who contributed to that league-high total. The pressure during team periods during the first week of camp, whether it was coming inside or on the edge, was nearly constant. 'You've got to know what other guys are thinking, what other guys are feeling on certain plays or on certain calls and knowing each other's jobs,' veteran outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper said. 'Those conversations don't stop whether we're on the field or whether we're off the field. We're constantly talking about football and constantly building a better connection with each other so that we can go out there and perform the way that we're supposed to.' The attacking front is buoyed by a secondary that added Hufanga and drafted Jahdae Barron in the first round, a versatile defensive back who has already trained at multiple spots this offseason but is likely to start out manning the nickel position, where the Broncos already have a capable presence in Ja'Quan McMillian. Barron is flanked by Pat Surtain II, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, and Riley Moss on the outside, the latter of whom was one of the early standouts during the opening week of camp as he enters his second season as a starter. Advertisement 'Look, he's sticky,' Payton said of Moss. 'Obviously, he's going to get a lot of traffic and a lot of balls thrown his way. I like his length and his ability to mirror and shadow. He's a good tackler and he does a lot of things well. He's come back in really good shape, and I think we saw it in training camp last year.' The tantalizing potential of Denver's defense doesn't only reside among its front-line starters. Dondrea Tillman, the outside linebacker who had five sacks during his first NFL season in 2024, has been a menace in training camp so far, collecting would-be sacks in every practice. Inside linebacker Levelle Bailey has shown impressive chops in coverage, intercepting one pass and deflecting at least two others, an encouraging development given that Denver is set to face an extended period without fellow reserve Drew Sanders due to a foot injury. Rookie defensive end Sai'vion Jones has been a consistent presence in the backfield, a long and rangy lineman with the tools to make an early impact against the run. Kris Abrams-Draine, the second-year cornerback who was pressed into action late last season and had an interception against Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 16, splashed with multiple deflected passes during Saturday's red-zone period. 'I have never been a part of a team that had this much depth,' safety Brandon Jones said. 'It's really exciting and kind of scary to see that with the twos, the threes and the fours, there's no drop-off. People go in and everybody is executing at a high level, playing full speed, so it's super exciting.' The ingredients for an elite defense have been plain to see early in camp. But for all the excitement that exists within that unit regarding the levels it can reach in 2025 — 'We're going to be as good as we want to be,' Jones said — there is also a recognition that the process to achieve lofty goals requires patience. Linebacker Alex Singleton has had to exercise patience ever since tearing his ACL in Week 3 last season. When he began running full speed for the first time in February, he could start to envision himself back on the field. When the Broncos signed Greenlaw one week later, eliciting a 'Hell yeah!' reaction from Singleton, the veteran started to imagine what the two could do as a wrecking-ball inside tandem. Singleton had targeted his return to the field for the start of training camp for months, so it's telling that he was thinking about the long game as he took a seat on a bench after the first full practice of camp. Advertisement 'It has to be a marathon thought,' he said. 'These early days are almost hard because you want to scheme against each other. The offense is going to want to run a play and we're going to want to change a call, little things that don't matter right now. It's four installs (during the first week of camp) and then we'll repeat them next week. So it's the marathon mentality and we're not even at the first quarter mile. It's really just getting these fundamentals correct because those are hard to fix in Week 6 or 7 and their easy to fix right now. If we can have two-, three-, four-deep of guys who can step in and play — we have guys right now with the twos and threes who would be starters all over this league. We have so many guys who are learning and doing things the right way and that's exciting. We have to enjoy the process, enjoy these long days and just get to know each other.' Pat Surtain II, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, on expectations for this season: — Nick Kosmider (@NickKosmider) July 22, 2025 Further mileposts in training camp provide an opportunity for the Broncos to test graduate-level concepts in Vance Joseph's defense. Of the 11 projected starters, nine have played in Joseph's scheme for at least two seasons. It's a rare continuity that gives the Broncos a shorthand as they adjust calls and make changes on the fly. But none of that means the Broncos can take the next step of their defensive evolution for granted, the veteran coordinator cautioned. The practice standard must match the elite expectations the unit strives for. It's why Joseph can be heard bellowing 'Finish!' during nearly every practice rep at camp. It's why Cooper has been shouting 'Don't be satisfied,' even when he exits the field after creating pressure that spoiled an offensive play. 'My entire sell this offseason has been, 'Let's start over again. Let's keep improving,'' Joseph said. 'Last year counts, but it doesn't matter moving forward. We have to continue to improve. When you watch our cut-ups from the fall, it wasn't perfect in every area. Third down, we have to get better. There is lots of room for improvement and every year is different.'
