Cardinals vs Broncos: Previewing Broncos Preseason Week 4 Matchup

The Denver Broncos will close out the 2015 preseason on Thursday night with a home game against the Arizona Cardinals. This will mark the fifth year in a row that the two teams have concluded the preseason by facing one another.

Though the games don't count in the standings, the Broncos have put together a strong preseason—particularly on the defensive side of the ball, the highlight of which has been the 15 sacks the team has racked up.

The Broncos would like to get things clicking offensively as well, but that will have to wait until the beginning of the regular season.

Denver opens the regular season by hosting the Baltimore Ravens on September 13. But there are still some roster spots to be earned, and that is what the team hopes to sort out Thursday night against Arizona.

Read on for more on this game, including an injury report for the Broncos and matchups to watch once the two teams take the field.

Location: Sports Authority Field, Denver

Time: 9 p.m. ET

TV: KTVD (Local)

News and Notes

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John Elway Looking to Trade a Linebacker?

The Denver Broncos shipped offensive lineman Chris Clark to the Houston Texans for a seventh-round pick, but as Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post details, John Elway may have mentioned that he is looking to move a player at inside linebacker during a discussion with Texans general manager Rick Smith. 

The conversation was aired during a segment on HBO's Hard Knocks series.

Are there more moves to come for the Broncos? Could Elway be looking to add depth elsewhere or stockpile more future picks for a player he knows he will end up cutting anyway?

This is a situation to keep an eye on. As far as which players the Broncos could be toying with the idea of trading, Todd Davis, Steven Johnson and Lamin Barrow all come to mind.

Denver Starters to Sit Out Against Arizona

This should come as no surprise, but Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com reports that the Broncos will rest all of their starters in the preseason finale against the Cardinals.

This is customary for many teams around the league who choose to use the last preseason game to determine the last few roster spots on the team.

As Legwold points out, running backs Montee Ball and Kapri Bibbs will get extensive work in the game. Their performances could be critical to their futures in Denver.

Zac Dysert Claimed by Chicago Bears

The Broncos officially gave up on quarterback Zac Dysert when the team waived him earlier in the week, but he didn't have to wait long for a new team to come calling. In fact, he will be reunited with coaches John Fox and Adam Gase with the Chicago Bears, reports Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com.

The surprising play of seventh-round pick Trevor Siemian this preseason allowed the Broncos to move on from Dysert, who never played in a regular season game for the team.

Latest Injury News

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Heading into the final preseason game, the Broncos have managed to make it through without suffering too many tough injuries. However, there is one player fans have yet to see on the field this preseason—wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders.

Sanders has been nursing a hamstring injury throughout the last several weeks, but according to Nicki Jhabvala of the Denver Post, Sanders is planning to take the field in the season opener.

The Broncos will need to hope he is on the field and doesn't have any setbacks during the season. Without Sanders, the Broncos would be forced to rely on players such as Cody Latimer and Andre Caldwell.

That's not a great proposition, at least not at this stage in the season.

Key Matchups to Watch

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Lorenzo Doss vs. J.J. Nelson 

This will be an important game for rookie cornerback Lorenzo Doss. Though Curtis Marsh has probably had a better preseason, the Broncos will likely favor Doss when it comes time to cut down to the final 53-man roster. 

This will be a good opportunity for Doss to prove he belongs. Like Doss, J.J. Nelson was drafted in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL draft. He has turned in a solid preseason and looks like a great prospect for Arizona's future.

Doss could draw Nelson in several one-on-one matchups, and he will need to be up to the task.

Gino Gradkowski vs. Xavier Williams

Prior to the start of training camp, it seemed as though Gino Gradkowski had a firm grip on the starting center position. But once practices began, second-year player Matt Paradis wrestled it away from him. 

Now, Gradkowski could be on the outside looking in when final roster cuts are made. If he is to remain with the team, he will need a good performance on Thursday night.

At 6'2" and 309 pounds, undrafted rookie Xavier Williams is a player who could give Gradkowski plenty of trouble.

Gradkowski is familiar with Gary Kubiak and his offensive style, but he will have to fight for his place on the final roster.

Montee Ball/Kapri Bibbs vs. Arizona Run Defense

C.J. Anderson, Ronnie Hillman and Juwan Thompson are all going to make the team. The Broncos have no more than one spot left at running back, and the team may choose to cut both of these guys. 

Ball and Bibbs will be running to keep their jobs. In the case of Ball, he will need to be much better than he has been through the first three preseason games.

If the Broncos part ways with one or both of these guys, they shouldn't have much trouble finding new homes.

Matchup X-Factor

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Matchup X-Factor: Trevor Siemian

Trevor Siemian, a seventh-round draft choice out of Northwestern, has been a pleasant surprise for the Broncos this preseason. He should see extensive playing time on Thursday night.

With the decision to waive Dysert being made, it appears that Siemian has won the No. 3 quarterback spot with the team. That is, if the team chooses to keep three quarterbacks. If not, he would be a lock for the practice squad.

Look for Siemian to cap off a strong preseason with a big game against the third- and fourth-string defenses of the Cardinals.

Though Peyton Manning is the man in Denver for as long as he wants to be and Brock Osweiler appears to be the future, fans will have plenty to talk about with what they see out of Siemian in this game.

Prediction

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This game will only matter to those players fighting and clawing to stay on the team, and for viewers, the action could get pretty dull.

But there is still evaluation to be done by the coaching staff and roster spots to be earned, so the game is still important. However, the final score won't be.

The Broncos will be getting the Cardinals on their home field, and they have a defense that is giving up just 14 points per game this preseason. That includes a kickoff return for a touchdown that was allowed by special teams in the preseason opener.

That said, the Broncos will get the job done in this one and cap off a perfect preseason.

Final Prediction: Broncos 20, Cardinals 9