Broncos vs. Bears 2017 live stream: Start time, TV channel, and how to watch online

The Denver Broncos are on the road for their first preseason game of 2017 and will face their former head coach John Fox and his new team, the Chicago Bears. The Broncos announced just days ago that Trevor Siemian will be the starter — at least this week — for their road trip to the Windy City.

The game will air on NFL Network at 8 p.m. ET, with a live stream available on Watch NFL Network and the league’s mobile app.

The Broncos struggled at quarterback last year and haven’t been able to move past the competition between Siemian and second-year player Paxton Lynch this year. But Lynch will get his own opportunity to earn the starting role this preseason; he’s expected to start Week 2 against the 49ers.

Teams haven’t always found success after splitting first-team reps between two quarterbacks, but this was always the plan for the Broncos heading into the preseason. Denver head coach Vance Joseph uttered “No” about 14 times when asked if Siemian was taking the lead during camp, so the competition very much seems open.

Whether it’s Siemian or Lynch under center this season, both quarterbacks will have a bevy of receivers at their disposal. Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas are firmly entrenched as the starters. Cody Latimer and Bennie Fowler are behind them on the depth chart, which also includes a few rookies — Carlos Henderson, Isaiah McKenzie, and Anthony Nash — looking to make their mark.

McKenzie, who has earned the punt returner job, is one of two rookies expected to see snaps with the starters Thursday night. The other is first-round pick Garett Bolles, who will get the start at left tackle.

The Broncos will have other new faces on their much-maligned offensive line. Free agent addition Menelik Watson is listed as a starter while recent acquisition Allen Barbre is currently Max Garcia’s backup at left guard, but he could easily move into a starting spot once he has more time with the team under his belt.

One player who won’t make his Broncos debut yet is Jamaal Charles, according to Joseph. The veteran running back is still being eased back from a knee injury that cost him most of his final season with the Chiefs.

The Bears have their own quarterback situation brewing in Chicago. No longer able to blame their woes on Jay Cutler, they traded up to draft quarterback Mitchell Trubisky with the No. 2 pick. Before that, Chicago also invested in veteran Mike Glennon. Trubisky will be given time to adjust to the NFL and the team’s offense, with the starting role going to Glennon and the No. 2 spot belonging to Mark Sanchez — for now.

With all the weapons the Bears have in the run game, namely breakout rushers Jordan Howard and Jeremy Langford, the offense is expected to be heavily revolved around the ground game. The air attack lost Alshon Jeffery this offseason, but brought in veteran wideout Victor Cruz to complement third-year receiver Cameron Meredith. Meredith was forced into a bigger role last season, but that could lead to a big jump in production this year. The receiver group also welcomes back Kevin White, who due to injury has only played four games since he was drafted in 2015.

While preseason games aren’t usually too exciting, there are definitely a few reasons to watch this one. Both teams will have an opportunity to start fleshing out their QB situation, and the Bears have a chance for the first time since 2009 to see what their offense can be without Cutler. Plus, it’s still football, and that’s better than nothing.

When: 8 p.m. ET

Where: Soldier Field, Chicago

TV: NFL Network

Announcers: Ron Zappolo, Alfred Williams (Denver); Sam Rosen, Jim Miller (Chicago)

Online: Watch NFL Network, NFL Moblie app