ENGLEWOOD – To serve as motivation before last season, Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian put the Pro Bowl Games logo on his cell phone screen.

Entering this season, it’s not going anywhere.

“It’s still up there,’’ McMillian said after a training camp practice Monday at Broncos Park. “I haven’t got that Pro Bowl yet, but I’m working towards that goal and competing each and every day is going to get me better.”

Yet before McMillian can have any Pro Bowl hopes, he must hang onto the job he has had the past two seasons as Denver’s primary nickel back.

With the No. 20 pick in the NFL draft last April, the Broncos selected Jahdae Barron out of Texas. He has been competing with McMillian at nickel back since training camp got underway two weeks ago.

“It’s going good,’’ McMillian said of the battle. “I think (Barron) is doing a great job of coming in and learning the defense. … I’m always competing. That’s every year with me. … We brought corners in every year (since McMillian’s 2022 Broncos arrival). And guys we have compete. It brings the best out of you. So I embrace that and I feel like it’s a good thing for everybody.”

After being undrafted in 2022 out of East Carolina, McMillian spent his rookie year on the practice squad, getting into one game. He became Denver’s primary nickel back in Week 4 in 2023 and held that job throughout last season.

Broncos coach Sean Payton was asked Monday how McMillian has looked in camp and how the competition with Barron is progressing. He only addressed the first part, saying McMillian is “doing well.”

Denver media personality and former Broncos defensive back Nick Ferguson, who has watched training camp practices, was much more expansive.

“With Ja’Quan being the more experienced guy, I’d say things tilt toward him now,’’ said Ferguson, who played for the Broncos from 2003-07, “There’s still a lot of things that Jahdae definitely has to learn as a young player, but his talent is still there. It’s going to make for a great competition but I would tell people to kind of put a pause on the idea it’s going to be an instant thing (with Barron).

“I know the guys in the building who drafted Jaedae think highly of him. … Everybody wants to see the new shiny car but sometimes it’s not best to put that player in right away. I have no doubt Jaedae has the ability to develop into a top player but right now I would give the nod to Ja’Quan.. … Most people are counting Ja’Quan out, but he’s not going to give up that spot freely.”

According to Pro Football Focus, McMillian actually had a better season in 2023 than in 2024. He had a 68.4 rating and was ranked No. 47 among 127 NFL cornerbacks in 2023 compared to a 60.8 rating and being ranked No. 78 among 116 in 2024.

McMillian’s agent, Deryk Gilmore said Monday his client did a great deal of film work during the offseason.

“He wanted to take his game to the next level and he felt film was very important,’’ Gilmore said. “So for him to watch even more of it than in past years, he wanted to kind of understand different players in the league, trying to understand what people are trying to do. I think he wants to be even more anticipatory because that’s helped him in the past.”

Gilmore said the “only thing (McMillian is) focused on is winning a Super Bowl and how he can be a part of it.”

While it remains to be seen how snap counts will go, the Broncos should have plenty of options in the secondary. Reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain holds down one spot at outside cornerback and Riley Moss is in good shape to remain the other starter. Regardless of who wins the nickel job, McMillian and Barron both could be on the field at the same time in dime packages. And while Brandon Jones and Talanoa Hufanga are in line to be the starters at safety, Denver also has P.J. Locke, last year’s starter.

“I feel like the whole (defensive back) room is doing a good job,’’ McMillian said. “We’re all competing. We have a lot of depth.”

After the Broncos practice Tuesday, they will travel to the Bay Area Wednesday for a joint workout Thursday against San Francisco and the preseason opener Saturday against the 49ers. McMillian is looking forward to it.

“When you’re going against a different team, you really see they’re trying to run coverage beaters, whatever beats your defense,’’ McMillian said. “So that allows you to see which things you need to work on and how teams are going to attack you in different ways in the run game, pass game.”

With McMillian’s goal to make the Pro Bowl, he can test himself against the 49ers, including against tight end George Kittle, a six-time Pro Bowl selection.