The Broncos’ rookies and quarterbacks reported to training camp on Saturday and the rest of the roster will be in the facility on Tuesday, followed by Wednesday’s opening practice.

The season opener at the New York Giants on Sept. 12 is a long way off, but that doesn’t mean The Denver Post can’t debate the Week 1 starting quarterback and center, predict which cornerback could be the odd man out and, well, figure out if this franchise is back to being exciting.

The roundtable’s participants: deputy sports editor Matt Schubert, columnist Mark Kiszla (live from the Tokyo Olympics) and Broncos beat writers Kyle Newman and Ryan O’Halloran:

1. The Great Quarterback Competition 2021 starts Wednesday between incumbent Drew Lock and newcomer Teddy Bridgewater. Who starts with the edge? Who starts in Week 1?

Matt Schubert: High marks for turning this uninspiring duel into a proper noun. Lock has to start with the edge to begin camp if only because he has an extra year in offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur’s system, and Bridgewater is new to the team. Here’s guessing Lock gets every opportunity to show he’s moved past the poor decision-making that defined his Year 2. If he doesn’t — and here’s guessing he won’t — Teddy will be taking the snaps in Week 1.

Mark Kiszla: Back in June, Vic Fangio gave me a call while I was out at a Denver restaurant celebrating my birthday. Coach wanted to talk football, rather than offer condolences about getting old. When I mentioned I would be in Japan, covering the Olympics, rather than at training camp, Fangio said: “Good! We’ll decide on a quarterback before you get back to Colorado. And if you disagree with the choice, I can say: ‘You’ve been in Japan for three weeks, what would you know about it?’” I’ve got to give Uncle Vic credit for not only having a fine sense of humor, but also making a good point. Who will be the starting QB in Week 1? I hope it’s Lock. I’m guessing it will be Bridgewater.

Kyle Newman: While Lock’s decision-making was subpar during minicamp, Bridgewater’s lack of arm strength was also alarming. As the incumbent, Lock has a half-pace lead on the newcomer coming into camp, but lots to prove. I predict Lock will do just enough, with one strong preseason start buoying his last-minute case.

Ryan O’Halloran: I would go with Lock, but will be shocked if he gets the Week 1 start. Why? The Broncos open at the Giants (third-year quarterback Daniel Jones), at Jacksonville (rookie Trevor Lawrence) and vs. the Jets (rookie Zach Wilson). Fangio could say, “My defense will keep them in check; I just need a quarterback to manage the game.” Edge to Teddy.

2. New Broncos general manager George Paton did what he should have done: Turned over a decent chunk of a 5-11 roster. Who will be the biggest impact newcomer offensively and defensively?

Schubert: And yet we’re still waiting for a franchise quarterback … but I digress. On offense, the impact newcomer has to be rookie running back Javonte Williams. As for the defense, let’s go with Kyle Fuller — the other free agent cornerback brought in. His lone All-Pro season came under Fangio’s watch in Chicago three years ago. Uncle Vic knows how to tap into his talent.

Kiz: Offense — Justin Fields out of Ohio State. Wait … what? Oh, yeah. Paton decided to pass on a quarterback and pick cornerback Pat Surtain with his first draft choice as the architect of Denver’s roster. So if Surtain doesn’t quickly prove to be all that and a bag of chips, Paton will have some ‘splaining to do. On the other hand, I do enthusiastically applaud Paton for taking Williams in the second round. Here’s betting he replaces Melvin Gordon as the team’s workhorse back, sooner rather than later.

Newman: Williams will not only be the newcomer with the biggest impact, he’ll be one of the Broncos’ offensive pillars. With little wear on his legs and a compact running style that induces a lot of tackling whiffs, watch out for Williams to rip off a couple big gains in the first few weeks before being named the full-time starter by Week 4.

O’Halloran: Offense — Williams is the easy choice so I won’t complicate it. Defense — Cornerback Ronald Darby didn’t have an interception last year, but his 16 pass break-ups were fifth in the NFL. He’ll be around the football.

3. A year after running out of cornerbacks, the Broncos have four starter-quality guys in Ronald Darby, Kyle Fuller, Bryce Callahan and Pat Surtain II. As camp progresses, who is most likely to be the odd man off the field in the nickel package?

Schubert: Given my answer to Question No. 2, there’s no way it can by Fuller. They’re paying Darby a heck of a lot of money (three years, $30 million), so it won’t be him, either. And there’s no chance the Broncos pull playing time from Surtain. So, by process of elimination, that leaves us with Callahan. He’s struggled to stay healthy since joining the Broncos in 2019, so perhaps it’s best to limit his reps anyway.

Kiz: You tell me. Can Darby play some safety, or even drop down to linebacker in passing situations? Although there’s no denying his injury woes, Callahan often appeared to be the team’s best defender on the field during 2020. My prediction is Surtain leads all four cornerbacks in snaps played. And Fangio loves Fuller. I think all these guys will get plenty of playing time and wonder if the odd man out might actually be safety Kareem Jackson. On a team that has endured more defeat during the past five years than any of us would’ve liked to see, I’m just happy there is one portion group on the roster with an overabundance of talent.

Newman: It’s going to be Callahan. He missed all of 2019 with a foot injury and a different foot injury limited him to 10 games last year, ending his season in early December. If the Broncos want to get the most out of Callahan, they’ll limit his time on the field.

O’Halloran: Ranking the playing time — 1. Surtain; 2. Darby; 3. Fuller; 4. Callahan. Look for Fangio to play more six-defensive back personnel (four corners/two safeties). I would manage Callahan’s workload so he can make it to December.

4. In theory, besides quarterback, the only real camp starting position battle is at center. Who wins the job — Lloyd Cushenberry or Quinn Meinerz?

Schubert: Of all the moves made by Paton this offseason, drafting a potential replacement for Cushenberry in the third round was among the most surprising. Cushenberry appeared to improve as the season went along in his rookie campaign, and one would think that will continue in Year 2. Give Meinerz this much: He sure knows how to market himself. It’s not often a Division III offensive lineman gets this much attention for an exposed belly. But it’s a big leap from Wisconsin-Whitewater to the NFL. This is Cushenberry’s job to lose.

Kiz: For all the gushing about what a high-value pick John Elway landed in Cushenberry, I thought his performance was rather pedestrian. He wasn’t bad, but “Cush” didn’t absolutely convince me he’s the long-term solution at center. Every GM wants to see the guys he picked in the draft succeed. So with Elway now off playing golf, methinks that Meinerz will be given every chance to do Paton proud and take over as the starting center at some point during the season.

Newman: Cushenberry was far from flawless last year. He struggled in the first half (15 pass-rush “disruptions” per Denver Post game charting, and four sacks), but in Games 9-16 he allowed only four disruptions and one sack. He’s going to carry that momentum into 2021 and emerge as a stabilizer along the line. If Cush stays healthy and continues to improve, he’ll start all 16 games.

O’Halloran: Cushenberry didn’t miss a snap last year, but that doesn’t appear to mean much this year. When they drafted Meinerz, I figured it was to get him ready to play guard in 2022, not center in 2021. I’ll say Cushenberry hangs onto the job … at least early on.

5. We’ll save the win-loss predictions for later, but what can the Broncos hang their hat on entering camp? What is the most exciting thing about this team?

Schubert: Not sure I’d use the word “exciting” to describe much about this team. All the buzz this offseason had more to do with the QB fans hoped Paton would trade for (Aaron Rodgers) than the three already on the roster. With all the young weapons on the two-deep, it’s easy to wonder if they will be properly utilized. That said, this team should have an elite defense, presuming Von Miller comes back healthy and the cornerback overhaul pays dividends. T

Kiz: Is it OK if I go a little rogue here? Unless Rodgers finds his way from Green Bay to Denver in a blockbuster trade, I’d be surprised if the Broncos make the playoffs. So the most exciting thing about this year? For me, it’s the relief that we’ll all be spared from mud-slinging in the courtroom from attorneys that represent the bickering Bowlen kids. I know it’s early to be making a wish list, but all I want for Christmas is for the future ownership situation of this team to have some clarity by the end of the calendar year.

Newman: As the roster currently stands, either Lock or Bridgewater would have to take an enormous leap to get the Broncos into playoff contention in a division that also features Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, Justin Herbert and the Chargers and Derek Carr and the Raiders. Denver’s uncertainty at quarterback is liable to take some shine off the team’s brightest spot, its defense. An above-grade D will mean little if there’s another fall of QB incompetence. How’s that for excitement?

O’Halloran: Hey, I covered the Jacksonville Jaguars for six years (2012-17) and I still got excited at the start of each training camp, save for ’17 (for various reasons). But, hooboy, it’s tough to get excited about any team that doesn’t have an established quarterback. Defense may move the needle, but not in August. Entering camp, I rank Kansas City and the Chargers ahead of the Broncos in the AFC West.