I think Butt has some great days in front of him. However, maintaining reasonable expectations for him is advisable.
Actually, San Francisco is the Broncos’ most common preseason opponent. Denver and the 49ers have met 39 times in the preseason, with the Broncos holding a 22-17 series edge. They even met twice in consecutive preseason weeks one summer — in 1995, when they played in Tokyo, then dueled again in Denver. (Tokyo was the site of Terrell Davis’ thunderous tackle on kickoff coverage that helped him earn his coaches’ attention, launching his brilliant career.)
Arizona is the second-most frequent preseason opponent. The Broncos-Cardinals game on Aug. 31 will be their 27th preseason meeting, with the Broncos currently holding a 17-9 edge. Dallas and Indianapolis follow with 15 and 13 appearances, respectively, on the Broncos’ all-time preseason docket.
As for how the games are chosen, the league handles scheduling for the first three preseason games. Usually travel and convenience are considered, which is why Dallas, Seattle and Houston have been frequent opponents in recent preseasons. The final preseason week is arranged by teams, and for the Broncos, Arizona has been a frequent and logical foe, since Phoenix is the second-closest NFL market to Denver (the closest, Kansas City, is a divisional foe, which teams try to avoid in preseason play).