Since December 2023, the Broncos’ 2022 fifth-round pick has been working his way back from a torn ACL suffered during a game against the Chargers. He finally returned to practice late last October — but wasn’t activated from injured reserve. His reward for a year and a half of tribulation? A scrap for a roster spot in a loaded secondary.

Call it like it is, as he told The Denver Post on Tuesday.

“All of us can’t stay here,” Turner-Yell said. “So, I feel like whichever, whatever happens, we’ll all go and we’ll all succeed, just because we had so deep of a camp.”

That applies well beyond the Broncos’ secondary. This is the deepest training camp roster Sean Payton’s had in his three seasons in Denver. A number of veterans could find themselves on the bubble when roster cuts come in late August, and three preseason games on the horizon will decide battles at several positions.

Here’s The Post’s first stab at a Broncos 53-man roster projection entering the week of their first preseason game against San Francisco:

OFFENSE (25)

Quarterback (2)

Locks: Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham

In the mix: Sam Ehlinger

Bubble consideration: There are tremendous vibes with this group, between Nix chasing Stidham in drills and all three throwing their hands up like Mii characters when they hit the intended pocket in net-toss drills. Ehlinger, though, might be hard-pressed for a roster spot after an uneven start to camp. The Broncos did take three quarterbacks last year, but with the amount of depth and upside at skill-position spots, they could cut back here in 2025.

The call: Nix and Stidham.

Running back/fullback (4)

Locks: J.K. Dobbins, RJ Harvey

In the mix: Jaleel McLaughlin, Michael Burton, Audric Estime, Tyler Badie, Blake Watson

Bubble consideration: Boy, where to begin? Payton has repeated throughout the offseason that nobody will know how this room shakes out until the preseason kicks off. Just look at McLaughlin, who staff thought was a nice practice-squad rookie in 2023 before he popped in the preseason. Estime seemed like he could wind up on the chopping block after the Broncos signed Dobbins, but the second-year power back has put together a run of good days. The key factor here is Burton, who didn’t crack the initial 53-man roster in 2024 but ended up playing in all 17 games with elevations from the practice squad. Here’s betting Payton plays his cards similarly this year.

The call: Dobbins, Harvey, McLaughlin, Estime.

Wide receiver (6)

Locks: Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., Troy Franklin, Pat Bryant

In the mix: Devaughn Vele, Trent Sherfield, Michael Bandy, Joaquin Davis, Courtney Jackson, Jerjuan Newton, Kyrese Rowan, AT Perry

Bubble consideration: It’s strange to not have Vele as a lock after a 41-catch rookie season, but he hasn’t quite flashed the same as the Broncos’ young Mims-Franklin-Bryant triumvirate in camp. He’s still probably too valuable to the room and too much of a 6-foot-5 Payton ideal to cut. Sherfield has made plays throughout camp and might end up playing a large number of snaps this year as both a special-teamer and blocking receiver. That makes the choices here fairly clear-cut, even as Davis, Jackson, Newton and Rowan have all authored standout July moments.

The call: Sutton, Mims, Franklin, Bryant, Vele, Sherfield.

Tight end (4)

Locks: Evan Engram, Adam Trautman

In the mix: Nate Adkins, Lucas Krull, Caleb Lohner, Caden Prieskorn

Bubble consideration: Engram’s arrival has shaken up this group substantially, and there’s not much room for a heap of pass-catching tight ends beyond him. Adkins brings inherent value as a blocker/receiver/fullback/ST guy. From there, the battle is between Krull and the rookie Lohner. Krull led the Broncos’ tight ends in catches last year, but Lohner, for all of his football inexperience, has made more plays in camp.

The call: Engram, Trautman, Adkins, Lohner.

Offensive line (9)

Locks: Luke Wattenberg, Ben Powers, Quinn Meinerz, Garett Bolles, Mike McGlinchey, Matt Peart, Alex Palczewski

In the mix: Centers Alex Forsyth and Joe Michalski; guards Nick Garguilo, Calvin Throckmorton and Will Sherman; tackles Marques Cox, Frank Crum, and Xavier Truss

Bubble consideration: This is quite literally the same group as last year, and it’s tempting to just toss out the exact same names that kicked off the Broncos’ 53-man in 2024. Beyond the Wattenberg-Powers-Meinerz-Bolles-McGlinchey starting quintet, Peart and Palczewski have continued to establish themselves as the key next men up at tackle. Forsyth is Wattenberg’s natural backup, so he’s set for the roster again. That leaves Crum (who surprisingly made last year’s initial roster as an undrafted rookie) and Garguilo to duke it out with some youngsters. If Denver wants more guard depth, though, they’d likely lean Garguilo.

The call: Wattenberg, Powers, Meinerz, Bolles, McGlinchey, Peart, Palczewski, Forsyth, Garguilo.

DEFENSE (25)

Defensive line (6)

Locks: Zach Allen, John Franklin-Myers, D.J. Jones, Malcolm Roach

In the mix: Matt Henningsen, Sai’vion Jones, Garrett Nelson, Jordan Jackson, Eyioma Uwazurike, Kristian Williams, Jordan Miller

Bubble consideration: There is plenty of continuity on this front, too. This will likely shape up as a three-man battle for two spots between third-round rookie Jones, second-year Jackson and 2022 fourth-rounder Uwazurike. Jackson cracked the initial 53-man roster fairly easily last year and played a sizeable rotational role, but this might be a tougher proposition. Uwazurike’s had a standout camp, and Sai’vion Jones could be the eventual replacement for any of the Allen-Franklin-Myers-Roach core that the Broncos don’t extend.

The call: Allen, Franklin-Myers, D.J. Jones, Roach, Sai’vion Jones, Uwazurike.

Outside linebacker (5)

Locks: Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Jonah Elliss, Dondrea Tillman

In the mix: Andrew Farmer, Que Robinson

Bubble consideration: Pretty straightforward here. Elliss has too much upside to cut, and Tillman has been — in the words of Cooper — balling throughout camp. The Broncos took only four here on their initial 2024 53-man roster, but Robinson might force their hand. The fourth-round rookie missed the last couple of days of camp but flashed throughout offseason work. He carries special teams upside, too, which hits on two birds with one stone.

The call: Bonitto, Cooper, Elliss, Tillman, Robinson

Inside linebacker (5)

Locks: Dre Greenlaw, Alex Singleton, Levelle Bailey

In the mix: Justin Strnad, Drew Sanders, JB Brown, Karene Reid, Jordan Turner

Bubble consideration: With the Broncos’ recent rash of injuries here, this is likely the most interesting and unpredictable room on the roster. Singleton and Greenlaw have both been banged up during camp, and Sanders will be out upwards of a month. That will create some interesting gymnastics, though, as the Broncos probably wouldn’t want to slap Sanders with an IR designation. They may take five here with Strnad or Turner, the latter of whom has shone as an undrafted rookie out of Michigan State.

The call: Greenlaw, Singleton, Bailey, Sanders, Strnad

Cornerback (5)

Locks: Jahdae Barron, Ja’Quan McMillian, Riley Moss, Pat Surtain II

In the mix: Kris Abrams-Draine, Mario Goodrich, Damarri Mathis, Quinton Newsome, Joshua Pickett, Jaden Robinson, Reese Taylor

Bubble consideration: The Broncos brought in five CBs last year, but the amount of positional flexibility in this room would let them shave here. Barron and McMillian are competing for the starting nickel job, but both — particularly Barron — can play outside. Mathis, Taylor, Abrams-Draine and Newsome have all battled for second-team reps throughout camp, but Abrams-Draine carries the higher upside after a couple of standout performances in 2024.

The call: Barron, McMillian, Moss, Surtain II, Abrams-Draine

Safety (4)

Locks: Talanoa Hufanga, Brandon Jones

In the mix: Sam Franklin Jr., P.J. Locke, JL Skinner, Delarrin Turner-Yell, Devon Key, Keidron Smith

Bubble consideration: How much do the Broncos value special-teamers? Franklin is the pivot point here. He’s a free-agent signee who likely won’t contribute much in the secondary but could be a key part of Darren Rizzi’s unit. Key, Locke, Skinner and Smith all made last year’s initial roster, but as Turner-Yell himself said, they all aren’t making it here. Locke played the second-most snaps of any Broncos defender in 2024, but keep an eye on him throughout preseason. He’s in a backup role, and Denver would save over $4 million in cap by cutting him.

The call: Hufanga, Jones, Locke, Key

SPECIAL TEAMS (3)

Locks: Jeremy Crawshaw (P), Wil Lutz (K), Mitchell Fraboni (LS)

In the mix: No one

Bubble consideration: Unless there’s an injury and the Broncos bring back Matt Haack or Zach Triner from the cutting-room floor, there’s no competition here. Cut-and-dry. Man, can Crawshaw boot, by the way.

The call: Crawshaw, Lutz, Fraboni

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On the snap, he crackles and pops offensive linemen.

Wednesday, a single play explained his brilliance. Quarterback Bo Nix caught the ball in the shotgun and center Luke Wattenberg and left guard Ben Powers slid the protection over to Allen. With four hands and 610 pounds locked on his chest, Allen did not flinch, holding the point of attack and freeing edge rusher Nik Bonitto to get around Garett Bolles.

A few players later, Allen provided pressure up the middle, making a running back’s life miserable.

The Broncos are having the type of training camp that has players talking about the Super Bowl without smirking. They have a giddy coach, an ascending quarterback, a happy receiver, and a nasty defense.

But it is going to feel hollow if they don’t hammer out a contract extension for Allen.

“I would pay him,” said ex-standout Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe, who knows a little something about Allen’s position. “He changes games and is always available.”

Can the Broncos Venmo $50 million?

Allen is in the final season of a three-year, $45 million deal. At $12.74 million this season, he has a Walmart rollback price tag dangling from his jersey. You should reserve Kleenex for more worthy causes. But in the business of the NFL, Allen is grossly underpaid.

“If we were playing the Broncos today and game-planning against the defensive line, the first thing we would say is, ‘How do we deal with No. 99?’ ” said former Broncos Pro Bowl guard Mark Schlereth. “I am not saying Nik Bonitto isn’t great. But the first guy has to be Allen because he is a handful and has the closest path to the quarterback.”

The Broncos delivered their best practice in three years Wednesday, according to tight end Adam Trautman. It was the perfect blend of competitive spirit and trash talk — Is Malcolm Roach fat or phat? — without it spilling over into fights.

And Allen was in the middle of it. And on the left side. And the right. His versatility and intensity have helped create an environment where players not only support one another but challenge each other.

The Broncos have taken a series of right steps under the Walton-Penner ownership group. When they bought the team in the summer of 2022, there was no rush to pay anyone, save for Russell Wilson. Three years later, the roster is so stacked, thanks to coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton, they have to prioritize them.

Courtland Sutton’s deal got done first for two reasons: 1) He was amenable to taking a little less to leave more for teammates, and 2) He was never going to approach the top of the scale at his position. Bonitto’s deal will get done last, likely during the season, because he is wisely waiting until Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson and Micah Parsons agree to new contracts.

Allen’s value is set. There is no new comp that will clear things up. His production indicates he deserves between $22 million and $25 million per season over four years. He has been that good. And he’s only 27.

He is exactly the type of player who should be rewarded. He doesn’t check every box. He is the box. Or the dresser at 6-foot-5, 285 pounds. Payton compared his motor to Saints star Cam Jordan.

Allen makes Vance Joseph’s defense work because he is smart — “He’s probably watching film right now,” nose tackle D.J. Jones said — and unselfish. He recognizes what opponents are trying to do, and if they dedicate too many resources in his direction, he gladly occupies blockers to let Broncos marauders Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper and John Franklin-Myers torch tackles.

But Allen is more often Johnny Carson than Ed McMahon.

Just Google his highlights.

Allen is too much for any one man to handle. He burst past Seattle’s Laken Tomlinson for a safety in the opener. He ran around Kansas City right guard Trey Smith for a sack, leaving him chasing like a puppy. He muscled through Raiders rookie Jackson Powers-Johnson as the kid dropped his head in shame. And he put Bills guard David Edwards on skates in the playoffs for some Allen on Josh Allen crime.

“I love the way that dude plays,” Wolfe said.

His 2024 contributions are quantifiable: 8.5 sacks, 40 quarterback hits and 67 pressures, the latter the most by an interior lineman, per Next Gen Stats.

Get this man a new contract, stat.

“Zach is able to get to the edge quick with hand swats. He knows when you are striking your hands, and he’s good at being able to knock them down, so you have to strike through him. He has the power to complement his speed,” said Powers, the left guard who spends chunks of practices lined up opposite the second-team All-Pro. “It makes him a really good pass rusher. And he brings it every play.”

The Broncos are cool again. It is clear the organization is in good hands with Payton. He has created a culture of accountability and an impressive roster.

But when a team is reaching for the clouds, it needs a few stars to light the path. The Broncos should not take their foot off the pedal now. Everything is headed in the right direction. The next mile marker in training camp is easy to see: a Zach Allen extension.

“He played next to J.J. Watt for a couple of years in Arizona. And the most sincere form of flattery is imitation. He has so many J.J. Watt traits, it’s crazy. He’s not J.J. Watt,” Schlereth said. “But he’s J.J. Watt Lite. I would definitely pay him.”

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Did not practice: Physically Unable to Perform list — WR A.T. Perry (foot/ankle). Out — ILB Alex Singleton (thumb), ILB Drew Sanders (foot), OLB Que Robinson (unknown), WR Devaughn Vele (unknown).

Robinson was a somewhat expected absence after he was seen limping toward the end of Tuesday’s practice. Vele, though, was surprisingly missing from action Wednesday. The second-year receiver previously missed all of Denver’s minicamp with injury.

Newcomer impact

Yesterday was rookie RJ Harvey’s day, shining amid a new-look Broncos running back room. Wednesday was J.K. Dobbins’.

On easily the chippiest day of camp yet, the Broncos’ defensive front — as has been the case for months — dominated the first team period. They hooted. They hollered. They locked arms in glee. At the heart of it all was emotional ringleader Malcolm Roach, who devoured Dobbins on an early run in 9-on-7 work (defense had nine) and let him know about it.

Dobbins, though, is no shy presence himself. In subsequent 11-on-11 work, he took a draw, registered split-second that Denver’s front had overloaded on the right, and jump-cut two gaps to burst through a clean hole in the middle of the formation.

And after trotting out the rest of his run, Dobbins came back off the field barking warning shots at Roach and the Broncos’ defense.

“It’s the sheer speed, power,” Dobbins’ high school coach Matt Kates said last month, “but the ability to make somebody miss in a phone booth is something that even great backs don’t have.”

Between Dobbins and Harvey putting plenty of shifty cuts on practice tape in recent days, Denver’s RB room has shown explosiveness in camp. Both have gotten their fair share of reps, but Dobbins has taken early pole position as the Broncos’ likely leading man.

Top Plays

Estime goes bowling: Speaking of Denver’s backfield … In one single rep, second-year back Audric Estime showed more pep than he’s had all training camp — and put forth his best play of the preseason. As undrafted rookie Jordan Turner filled a gap on an Estime carry, the linebacker took 230 pounds of accelerated force straight to the chest. Estime knocked him on his backside so hard, in fact, that it sent the offense and defense alike into a frenzy, Evan Engram bellowing in support and Roach verbally tipping the cap.

Courtland Sutton head-tap: The man certainly isn’t resting on his golden laurels. On a simple 5-yard out toward the end of 11-on-11, Sutton took flight to high-point a toss from Sam Ehlinger and pin it to his helmet, somehow maintaining control as he crashed to the grass on top of a defensive back. It’s the type of grab he’s paid $92 million to make.

Thumbs Up

Trash talk: Dove Valley was ablaze with chatter Wednesday. Dobbins, a veteran wholly unafraid to make his presence known, led the Broncos’ offense. Fellow veteran free-agent signee Engram joined him. Offensive lineman Quinn Meinerz yapped, too. None of them, though, could hold a candle to defensive tackle Roach, who ripped off his helmet and bellowed to anyone in earshot after a stop in early 9-on-7 run work.

“I mean, sitting next to him in the locker room, guy doesn’t shut up,” receiver Marvin Mims Jr. cracked after practice. “He’s talking crap to receivers. It’s like, you’re a fat guy.”

Roughly a half hour later, Roach retaliated with a rather choice finger on Twitter. Mims replied he needed PR training and literally tagged a Broncos PR staffer. The games continue.

Thumbs Down

Ehlinger wayward: Jarrett Stidham was re-signed to a two-year deal this offseason to serve as Bo Nix’s unequivocal backup, meaning free-agent import Sam Ehlinger can’t afford many stumbles if he wants to force Denver to carry three quarterbacks on its initial roster. On Wednesday, he looked a beat slow in going through progressions, tossed a deep ball out-of-bounds when Jerjuan Newton had a step, and fired too high to an open Joaquin Davis toward the end of team work. Ehlinger had some solid moments this offseason and appears to have a great rapport in Denver’s quarterback room, but it wasn’t his finest day.

Odds and Ends

• The Levelle Bailey agenda is taking shape. Bailey’s been the biggest beneficiary of increased reps at ILB in Singleton and Sanders’ absences. After the offseason and camp he’s had, it’ll be extremely hard for anyone to play him out of a role. The second-year Fresno State product stood up Estime on an early run and filled gaps beautifully on a pitch to Jaleel McLaughlin and handoff to Harvey.

• Speaking of those increased ILB reps, undrafted rookie Jordan Turner caught some eyeballs on Wednesday, drawing verbal coaching praise after staying square and meeting McLaughlin on one run. Veteran Justin Strnad hasn’t popped much in recent days, and the room could see a notable reshuffling amid injury.

• Trent Sherfield was largely viewed as a special-teams add in free agency, but he has shown plenty of upside as a receiver in camp. He made two standout grabs Wednesday, catching a deep corner route from Bo Nix and strong-arming another ball over the middle. Head coach Sean Payton loves receivers who can block, and Sherfield fits the mold. He could be a sneaky-big factor in Denver’s wideout room this year.

“We’ve always had a handful of receivers that can run and stretch the field, and when you get one that can do that and then block also, you can set up play-action, marries well to the run game,” Payton said of him Saturday.

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The team announced Wednesday that half-priced single-game tickets to home games at Empower Field at Mile High will go on sale at 10 a.m. Thursday. Ticket prices start at $25 apiece.

Purchases are limited to four tickets per household. Buying tickets to multiple games is not allowed. These tickets cannot be resold or transferred.

Tickets will be available for the following games: Tennessee Titans (Sept. 7), Cincinnati Bengals (Sept. 29), New York Giants (Oct. 19), Dallas Cowboys (Oct. 26), Las Vegas Raiders (Nov. 6), Kansas City Chiefs (Nov. 16), Green Bay Packers (Dec. 14), Jacksonville Jaguars (Dec. 21) and Los Angeles Chargers (TBD).

Tickets will be available for purchase on ticketmaster.com.

The half-priced tickets are available under the operating agreement with the Metropolitan Football Stadium District for the construction of Empower Field at Mile High.

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Early November. Week of Broncos-Chiefs. Sean Payton, the man who has tinkered behind two decades of NFL offensive evolution, came to Mims: “We’re going to put you at running back.”

It was “crazy,” as Mims remembered last week, grinning after one Denver practice.

“I was probably, like, 180 (pounds) at the time,” Mims said. “I was like, ‘There’s no way.'”

There was. From Week 10 on, the Pro Bowl returner looked the part of a Pro Bowl offensive weapon, racking up 472 total yards and six touchdowns in his final eight regular-season games. Mims spun out on routes out of the backfield, took more reps in the slot, and became a legitimate playmaker for quarterback Bo Nix on go-get-it balls. The Broncos’ offense leapt from averaging 21 points a game to 30.

“That opened up everything for us,” Mims said. “I mean, I feel like whenever we started hitting with those things — offensively, we just took off last year. And started doing a lot of RPOs, and Bo just looked as comfortable as ever.”

Entering Year 3 in Denver, the 23-year-old lightning bolt is all grown up. The confidence has flipped, ever since Payton’s grand experiment. The route tree has expanded, from go-balls and posts to deep drags and comebacks.

Is he now officially a guy, then, that the Broncos have to find ways to get the ball?

“Listen, we’re trying to get a number of those guys the ball,” head coach Payton said last week. “He’s certainly good with it in his hands.”

Therein lies a first-world NFL problem with projecting a Mims leap: The Broncos have a number of those guys at wideout who are growing up, too. Payton said during OTAs that Mims was one of a few young players “competing for touches” — Troy Franklin, Devaughn Vele and Pat Bryant are others — and that battle has yet to clear up a week and a half into training camp.

Courtland Sutton was just promised $92 million over four years to build upon an 81-catch season in 2024. Tight end Evan Engram was given $23 million over two years to be the Joker to Bo Nix’s freewheeling Harley Quinn. New running backs J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey will draw a heap of dump-offs and screens between them. The available target pool for the young wideouts has shrunk, even as individual games have visibly expanded.

That will force Payton to get creative, just as he did with Mims.

“When something like that happens,” Payton said of Mims’ breakout, “then you’re constantly thinking — ‘Am I, are we collectively in that offensive staff room or defensively, are we doing things that suit each player?’ ”

Mims, now an elder statesman in the room despite lingering hints of a baby face, is the presumptive starter at Z-receiver. Second-year wideout Troy Franklin is nibbling at his heels, though, operating in his second training camp with a hair more muscle and a growing heap of explosive plays in practice.

“You’re seeing him play faster,” Payton said of Franklin in minicamp, “with a much greater awareness within each play.”

The 6-foot-5 Vele will command another large chunk of reps from the slot, too, limiting the number of alignments where Mims and Franklin could reasonably share the field. Rookie Pat Bryant has built notably quick chemistry with Nix, too, as a malleable and steady-handed target from both the slot and outside.

“It helps to be consistent … somebody you can trust,” rookie cornerback Jahdae Barron said of Bryant during minicamp. “And that’s him.”

Mims, for his part, is a Swiss Army Knife with 4.3 speed. He wants to make plays every game — however that looks. In the Broncos’ loss to the Bengals last year, Mims racked up eight catches for 103 yards and had no punt returns. In another win over Indianapolis, Mims had 20 receiving yards but 97 on punts. Either is fine with him.

“It’s not really returner, receiver, none of that,” Mims said. “But just like, if I’m out there, I want to try and make a difference in the game.”

He needs the ball to do that, though. And he’s one of more than a few.

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“It wasn’t about me,” the Broncos’ veteran receiver told me after practice Tuesday at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit. “At the end of the day, yes, we work in a business of compensation.

“(There’s) talent in that locker room, guys that are coming up, that are trying to get their second contract. I was blessed to be able to get my third. They put the work in just the same way as I have. And some of those guys have more accolades than I have when it comes to the NFL side of things … and to be able to sign the deal that we did, it gives us a chance to keep those guys around.”

Nik Bonitto’s reps are pursuing an extension. Zach Allen, John Franklin-Myers, Malcolm Roach, P.J. Locke, Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad are all heading into contract years.

“Were you conscious of that?” I asked Sutton.

He nodded.

“1,000%,” the wideout replied. “1,000%.”

Big 14 and the Broncos agreed to a four-year deal worth $92 million on Monday. He’ll take home $23 million per year, on average. Nice work if you can get it, only there’s a twist: Spotrac.com’s “market value” estimator pegged Sutton’s worth at about $27 million annually, even suggesting a three-year deal for him in the range of $79.8 million.

DK Metcalf’s playing on a four-year deal with Pittsburgh worth $33 million in annual salary. The Eagles’ A.J. Brown signed a three-year extension through 2029 reportedly worth an average of $32 million a year.

Sutton’s racked up more catches than Metcalf since the start of the 2023 season (140 to 132). Court’s also accounted for 19 touchdowns over that span, compared to Brown’s 14 and Metcalf’s 13.

In other words, at age 29, on what might be his last massive NFL payday, the dude left a little money on the table.

You know what? That was by design, the receiver says. Sutton wants to keep the band together as badly as you do.

“The deal that we wound up signing is a great deal, and it was very beneficial to myself,” he said. “And it gives us a chance to be able to keep a lot of really good players around on this team and for years to come.”

Even with Russell Wilson coming off the books, it’s going to take some cap gymnastics to keep one of the best defenses in franchise history intact. Every nickel helps.

And if you want a no-drama training camp, well, that starts at the top. As a captain, Sutton has remained one of the Broncos’ good soldiers — through joy, pain, hail, locusts, Patrick Star and Nathaniel Hackett.

When pressed about state secrets, Sean Payton makes the KGB look warm and fuzzy. Yet the Broncos head coach trusts Sutton unflinchingly. That says a lot, too.

“If you didn’t say a word, the young guys watch his preparation and his work ethic,” Payton said. “Obviously, his experience (rubs off) with all of those players. But it really starts with this preparation in here (and) onto the field. He’s everything you want in a pro.”

After Payton arrived in Dove Valley two years ago, he brought Sutton, who’d battled injuries and inconsistency, into his office. Worried that Sutton had gotten too heavy, the coach put on some clips from No. 14’s Pro Bowl season in 2019.

“Look,” Payton told him. “I want this guy.”

So far, he’s gotten it. Sutton set personal bests in targets (135), catches (81) and receiving yards (1,081) last fall.

When talking about Sutton Tuesday, Payton sounded positively effusive, especially by Sunshine Sean standards. He even likened No. 14 to Marques Colston, arguably the best receiver he ever had in New Orleans.

“When you get to know him, he doesn’t have too many bad days,” Payton said. “Those guys with the right energy — man, there’s a lot to be said for that.”

There’s a lot to be said for a $27 million receiver who takes $23 million happily, puts his head down, and gets to work.

“I had the utmost faith that something was going to get done,” Sutton said. “And the last thing that I wanted to be was a distraction. That’s what I’ve done my entire career, and that’s what I want to continue to do is not be a distraction.”

And where would Bo Nix be without him? Sutton caught six of his eight TDs last fall from the Broncos’ second-year quarterback after Halloween. During the offseason, the pair couldn’t help but get a little giddy about what they’d already built over such a tiny window.

“I may have the years on him in terms of (an) NFL career. But the dude understands ball and understands leadership to a different level,” Sutton said. “That’s why he is where he is. And so to be able to walk hand-in-hand with him is amazing. And we just try to lead the best way we possibly can for this team so that we can ultimately get to the end goal.”

“Did Bo ever twist your arm to get this contract done?” I wondered.

“He never pressured me in a bad way,” Sutton said. “And that’s the one thing I respected whenever he and I had conversations — he always was right there with me.

“But he knew that I wanted to be here at the end of the day. He knew that this was home. He knew I would do whatever I possibly could to be able to stay here. And make sure that everyone else gets what they deserve as well.”

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Did not practice: Physically Unable to Perform list — WR A.T. Perry (foot/ankle). Out — ILB Alex Singleton (thumb), ILB Drew Sanders (foot).

Payton confirmed that Singleton was set to have surgery on his broken thumb Tuesday. He should be back with the team by Wednesday and then start practicing in about a week, though he’ll be wearing a club.

Newcomer impact

There’s already been a lot written about the Broncos’ running back room, but rookie RJ Harvey has made several plays since the pads came on for the first time Monday.

Tuesday during a mostly defense-dominated team period, Harvey made one of his trademark jump cuts to the right, left Jonathon Cooper in the dust, turned the corner and ripped off a big gain. That’s one way to open eyes.

“He had a run today that was somethin’,” Payton said. “We kind of turned and looked at each other. But there’s that learning curve for all those young players. … He’s doing exceptional.”

Harvey’s got soft hands and catches the ball very naturally, too. Pass protection, though, remains a work in progress. He got beat a couple of times Tuesday alone.

Top Plays

Not so much a single play on Tuesday but more a reminder that the Broncos defense has all the ingredients to be among the league’s elite. They made life awfully difficult for quarterback Bo Nix and the Denver offense throughout team periods. Up and down the ranks from the No. 1s through the No. 3s, Vance Joseph’s group made plays, generated pressure and just generally didn’t allow Payton’s offense to get into any semblance of rhythm.

“I just finished talking (to the team) about these physical practices and the necessity of what we’re building,” Payton said. “And how we go about doing it. I think it’s fantastic. It’s a back and forth. There will be some days coming off this field where you guys will feel like one side of the ball (won) and that’s the ebb and flow of training camp.”

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Semi-multi-talented:  A funny scene: The Broncos’ quarterbacks usually take a special teams period and throw the ball into nets that have pockets. They navigate around tackling dummies and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb to work on footwork and reaction time, then eventually throw into the net. On Tuesday, Courtland Sutton and Evan Engram wanted to get into the action, too. Sutton’s got a good arm and put a pretty decent throw on the net, drawing a huge cheer from the fans in the bleachers behind them. Engram then took his shot and fully airmailed the entire setup. Not to worry, though, he got another chance a couple of minutes later and had a much better attempt. Sutton, it should be noted, is 4-of-4 passing for 84 yards and a touchdown in his NFL career, including 2 of 2 last year. Engram? He’s played 93 career games and never had the opportunity to chuck it.

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Lightly toasted: One bad rep in a 1-on-1 drill isn’t going to be the difference in job security for Ja’Quan McMillian. After all, this is a guy who got Pro Bowl consideration and has been one of the better nickels in the NFL the past season-plus. All the same, he’s in a hot competition for the nickel job with first-round pick Jahdae Barron and is in a secondary that features no shortage of options. So on Tuesday, when he got roasted by Trent Sherfield on a corner route during 1-on-1s, it at least crossed the mind that neither he nor any of the other defensive backs have much room for error over the next couple of weeks.

Odds and Ends

• With Singleton and Sanders both out, there are a ton of reps to go around for the other linebackers, but particularly Levelle Bailey and Justin Strnad. Bailey, a second-year player out of Fresno State who went undrafted in 2024, has made a series of splashy plays over the past few days.

“Man, he’s in good shape. He looks like an NFL linebacker,” Payton said. “… I would say I’m clearly seeing a jump from Year 1 to Year 2 in confidence.”

• The Broncos have depth on their defensive line, but rookie Sai’vion Jones is an early camp eye-opener. The third-round pick out of LSU has length and power, to be sure, but he just plays with a degree of nastiness. Blocking him seems like an unpleasant assignment.

Jones has several veterans ahead of him, including stalwart Zach Allen and rotational regulars John Franklin-Myers, D.J. Jones and Malcolm Roach, along with Jordan Jackson, but at this rate, he’s got a chance to push for playing time.

“Playing at a major college, that transition for some of these players is not as drastic because of where they played,” Payton said. “He’s doing well. We get a lot better evaluation now with these guys with the pads on. But he’s one of these guys that, man, through the OTAs and the on-ramp program, it’s much more difficult to see. But he’s doing well.”

• Second-year receiver Troy Franklin continues to make plays. He dispatched Barron and Damarri Mathis during 1-on-1s. Then he ran past coverage, throttled down and went up in traffic to catch a deep ball from Sam Ehlinger during team later in practice — one of only a few offensive highlights on the day.

• Maybe no surprise here, but Courtland Sutton was in a terrific mood the morning after signing a four-year, $92 million extension on Monday. Sutton was right at the front of the line for all manner of drills and had extra juice in his step throughout practice.

• Nix and center Luke Wattenberg had one quarterback/center exchange issue during a team period midway through practice. It’s not something that’s been a regular occurrence since the early proceedings of Nix’s rookie season — and it happens occasionally — but something to watch for, whether it’s a one-off or becomes some kind of recurring issue.

• Rookie tight end Caleb Lohner’s far from a finished product, but he doesn’t look like a guy who played 52 college football snaps and was mostly a basketball player. The seventh-round pick has logged some production through practices, even if he hasn’t made a bunch of big, explosive plays.

“I don’t ever want to set an ideal plan (for a player) because look, I had an ideal plan for Jaleel McLaughlin (as a rookie) and he exceeded it,” Payton said. “There was no way we were going to get him onto the practice squad three years ago. So a lot of it is, let’s pay attention to his progress early on and then let’s build on it. But let’s make sure the things we’re asking him to do early are things we feel like he can excel at early.”

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The Broncos rolled the Saints, 33-10. They delivered an emotional coming-home win for head coach Sean Payton. They ran the ball at will. They completely discombobulated New Orleans rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler.

Rookie quarterback Bo Nix rushed for 75 yards but threw for just 164.

None of them to Courtland Sutton.

In fact, not only did Sutton fail to log a catch, but for the only time in his seven professional seasons, he didn’t get a single target.

A good number of receivers in the league — particularly one like Sutton, who felt the need to protest his contract situation through the offseason — might have groused publicly.

Sutton instead smiled and downplayed the outing as an anomaly and one that didn’t matter because Denver had improved to 4-3.

“We won,” Sutton said the following week. “That’s all that matters at the end of the day. Big win. … When you can run the ball that efficiently and effectively, it’s hard to be selfish.”

Easy to say. More difficult to actually stomach as a No. 1 receiver playing on a big salary cap number and sharing the field with the 10th starting quarterback of his career. Through seven games, Sutton had just 21 catches for 277 yards on 47 targets and was tracking toward the worst statistical season of his career.

Sutton, though, didn’t just say the right thing. He backed it up on the field.

Over the team’s final 10 weeks, he went on a run that cemented himself as quarterback Bo Nix’s go-to guy, a leader for a young position group, and a player Payton and the Broncos could envision featuring long-term.

That’s now reality after Sutton and the team agreed to a four-year, $92 million extension on Monday that comes with $41 million in guarantees. The deal ties him to the team through 2029, though it is likely more of a solid two-year commitment due to the terms.

Sutton followed the Saints donut by logging back-to-back 100-plus-yard outings for the first time in his career. Over a seven-game stretch in which the Broncos went 5-2 and solidified themselves as a playoff team, Sutton tallied 45 catches for 601 yards and four touchdowns. In that span, he averaged 9.4 targets and 86 yards per game and did so as Nix blossomed into a full-blown rookie of the year candidate.

Overall, Sutton played the final 10 weeks at a 1,366-yard pace.

Simply put, the receiver delivered and secured his own future in Denver in the process.

“Like any player, he’s dealt with some injuries,” Payton said Monday before the extension had been reported on. “There’s certain years — his 2019 film is outstanding. His film last year. It’s finding that right weight and balance, and then what are the things that he does well? Certainly, he’s a strong target. He’s smart. He’s clearly one of our leaders on this team.

“There’s a lot of things that he brings to the table.”

Sutton now checks in at $23 million per season from 2026-29, tied for 18th in the NFL in terms of average annual value.

That’s just about where he figured to end up, well short of the game’s elites but also comfortably above its middle class.

For their money, the Broncos retain a player who checks three boxes critical to Payton’s operation beyond just being a quality receiver.

He’s a leader with four seasons of captaincy under his belt already and a strong chance of getting the nod again this fall. He’s got the full and unwavering support of Nix, a young quarterback trying to ascend in Year 2. He’s become a sensei in a room full of young receivers the Broncos seem to like a lot more than the wider public.

Where Sutton goes, Troy Franklin, Devaughn Vele, Marvin Mims Jr. and Pat Bryant follow.

What Sutton does, those guys mimic.

“He brings, I don’t know if this is the right word for it, but like security for the group,” Franklin, a promising second-year player out of Oregon, told The Post recently. “We’re all young in the room, but we can lean on Court if we need any advice. We can watch what he does on the field, off the field and things like that.

“It’s great having Court. Plus, he’s a great guy.”

Similar to left tackle Garett Bolles, a third contract between the Broncos and Sutton never felt like a sure thing until that push toward the playoffs. Bolles got his extension in December. Sutton had to wait, but it felt like a matter of time. Look no further than Sutton’s sunny offseason disposition compared to his decision to skip all voluntary work in 2024.

Now he goes down as likely the second-to-last homegrown, pre-Payton player who forced his way into the Broncos’ long-term plans. Many, including Justin Simmons and Jerry Jeudy, didn’t make the cut after Payton’s first season. Pat Surtain II and Quinn Meinerz were never in doubt as foundational holdovers. Last year, outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper secured an extension, too.

Sutton became the fifth. The only other real candidate is 2022 second-round outside linebacker Nik Bonitto.

Payton, on Monday, happened to get into a conversation about team culture and how it solidifies over time rather than all at once.

“It happens — I don’t know that it happens with the signing of one (guy) — but you continue to look for a certain type of player,” Payton said. “… And then it begins to take shape. … We can aspire to have great culture, but if we don’t sign the right players, it’s going to be difficult to impossible.”

Sutton has been the right player for years in the eyes of many of his teammates.

The final 10 games in 2024 earned him the stamp of approval from Payton, too.

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Did not practice: Physically Unable to Perform list — WR A.T. Perry (foot/ankle). Out — ILB Drew Sanders (foot). Left practice — ILB Alex Singleton (hand).

The good news on Sanders, at least as head coach Sean Payton called it, is that he tore a ligament in his foot at Saturday’s practice, not a tendon as previously reported. As Payton explained it, ligament repair is much easier than tendon repair, and Sanders is evaluating whether he’ll need surgery.

The downside: Sanders will still be out “north of” four to six weeks, Payton said. The other downside: Singleton broke his thumb Monday. The starting ILB will be back next week, but it’ll leave plenty of reps for young depth the next few days.

Newcomer impact

Call him the Iron Law.

A couple of days after Payton labeled free-agent signee Dre Greenlaw as a breed of player who “express themselves in the full gear,” Broncos Country got its first look at the hulking linebacker in full pads. He’s been on a pitch count throughout offseason rehab, and Greenlaw was seen breathing hard after a few 7-on-7 reps. But he also knocked chests with fullback Michael Burton — in a walkthrough.

The 49er-turned-Bronco plays linebacker in a way that one “can’t help but notice it on film,” Payton said. And the sideline-to-sideline aggressiveness showed up on grass.

“He plays like Mike Tyson,” Payton said. “He’s tough, he’s physical, he’s built that way. There’s not a lot of leaky yardage. Some guys, he’s a knock-back tackler. They stop where he hits them.”

Greenlaw is an important upgrade for Denver and widely viewed as one of the better weak-side linebackers in the league despite an Achilles tear that knocked him out for most of 2024. Enough of an upgrade to prompt Payton to fist-pump in his car — as he told reporters — when the Broncos held off San Francisco to ink him in free agency.

Once a kid caught in the foster system and eventually adopted by his high school defensive coordinator, loyalty has always run at the linebacker’s core. And Greenlaw told reporters Monday that Payton and the Broncos’ conviction sold him on heading east.

“Throughout the whole time I was talking to Sean, it was never no ‘ifs, ands, buts, maybe,’ this and that,” Greenlaw said. “It was like, ‘Man, we want you to be here.’

“… It’s not a lot of times that people just wanted me, you know what I’m saying?” he continued. “So, it just made me feel special.”

Top Plays

Harvey lights the burners: On a run-heavy first day of pads, Broncos’ second-round rookie running back RJ Harvey drew the most eyeballs. A few reps into the first 11-on-11 period, the UCF product took a handoff and exploded gap-to-gap for a nasty jump-cut, showcasing the kind of quick feet that have Payton and company so high on him.

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Not in Jacksonville anymore: A few months into his time in Denver, new tight end Evan Engram gave a sermon on how much he’s enjoyed the locker-room culture in Denver. He might’ve taken a bit of a potshot at Jacksonville, too, after his previous employer went 4-13 in 2024.

“I tell people, all my family, like, it’s hard to be the first one in the building,” Engram said. “Used to be the first one in Jacksonville, I was always the first one … here, it’s kinda tough.”

Not that tough, evidently. Engram has been the first Bronco out on the grass each of Denver’s last two days of training camp. And he’s continued to ramp up action as the pads have come on, showcasing soft hands and catching one pretty play-action deep throw from a rolling Bo Nix.

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Not much time for Estime: A fairly clear hierarchy has emerged early in camp with the Broncos’ running backs. Free-agent signee J.K. Dobbins and Harvey have taken a lion’s share of 11-on-11 reps, with the rest split between a quad unit of Jaleel McLaughlin, Tyler Badie, Blake Watson and Audric Estime. It’s a tough spot for Estime, in particular, as the second-year back desperately needs an impressive camp to reaffirm his place in Denver’s backfield. He’s come in looking like a tank with muscles and caught a nice dump-off in team action Monday, but he hasn’t popped much on his carries.

Odds and Ends

• After missing a couple of days for unknown reasons, Nix’s blind-side guardian Mike McGlinchey was back at practice in full pads Monday. A good sign, as the Broncos continue to build upon a well-established rapport on their starting front. In his brief absence, third-year tackle Alex Palczewski continued to build goodwill after he had three spot starts in 2024.

• Rookie tight end Caleb Lohner saw heavy action throughout 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 team work Monday, showcasing secure hands on a couple of grabs. Jimmy Graham dreams are a way off: Lohner’s simply trying to crack Denver’s roster. He’s looked plenty solid so far for a guy who’s caught a total of four passes since eighth-grade football.

• Malcolm Roach, ever the 290-pound Energizer Bunny, bellowed some encouraging words at undrafted linebacker Karene Reid during one team period. Denver’s ILB corps has been temporarily thinned by injuries to Singleton and Sanders, meaning Reid will get the reps to continue impressing.

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Just about an hour after he said the Broncos and top receiver Courtland Sutton were “real close” to a contract extension, the deal is done.

The sides agreed Monday to a four-year extension, the team announced Monday evening. Multiple sources told The Post the deal is worth $92 million.

The deal tacks four years onto the final year of Sutton’s 2021 extension, meaning he’s now tied to the Broncos through the 2029 season. It comes with $41 million in guaranteed money, sources told The Post. That includes the $14 million Sutton was set to make in 2025 plus $27 million in new money guarantees.

The extension averages $23 million per season, which puts Sutton tied for 18th in the NFL in terms of average annual value. The $92 million in new money mirrors in some ways a deal done in 2024 between Tennessee and Calvin Ridley. Ridley got $50 million in guarantees, but the terms are relatively similar for players who were taken in the same 2018 draft class and have put up similar career totals since.

Over the Broncos’ practices Saturday and Monday, Sutton participated in individual work and early practice walk-throughs but did not take any repetitions in full-speed, 11-on-11 work.

That, it turns out, is not because he’s holding out or protesting his contract status.

“Courtland is real smart. Here’s the deal, he’s been participating in all the individual, all the 1-on-1s,” Payton said Monday while describing the sides as “real close” to an agreement. “He’s done 7-on-7, he’s gotten team reps. He’s just being smart. So it’d be different if you felt like he was missing improvement or not being out here or being out here but just riding the bike or something.

“I know that player well enough to feel real good enough about where he’s at and his mindset both mentally and physically.”

Since Sutton took some team reps on Friday, his representatives and the Broncos had been moving toward the finish line of an agreement.

Sutton had expressed confidence he’d get a contract extension since the spring. Back in April, he said he thought the conversations were headed in a positive direction. That alone represented a tone shift from a year ago, when Sutton skipped the voluntary portion of the Broncos’ offseason schedule and eventually settled for adding $1.7 million in earnable incentives to his 2024 deal.

Sutton cashed in $1.5 million of those incentives by putting together perhaps his best season as a professional. The 2018 second-round draft pick quickly became the go-to target for then-rookie quarterback Bo Nix.

He caught 81 passes on 135 targets for 1,081 yards and eight touchdowns and helped the Broncos to their first playoff berth of his tenure here.

Sutton is the second-longest tenured Broncos player, trailing only 2017 first-round draft pick Garett Bolles. Bolles received a four-year, $82 million extension in December 2024.

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