Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton played the team’s starters in their preseason opener on Friday evening. Playing starters for at least a portion of preseason to get reps before the regular season seems to be the conventional strategy for most NFL teams. It comes with risks, though.
The biggest risk to playing starters in preseason is the risk of injuries. The Broncos lost starting nose tackle D.J. Jones to a concussion in the first quarter of Friday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.
