Broncos Camp Notebook | Day 3: Three Key Observations
Englewood, Colo.— There’s been much debate on social media regarding fan attendance at the Denver Broncos' first two public practices held at UCHealth Training Center. But on Friday morning, Broncos Country stormed the gates at Dove Valley, nearly filling up the hill where Mile High faithful and media alike congregate to view practice.
The weather couldn’t have been more perfect as the sun crept back out after a rainy Thursday, making practice an ideal 80 degrees without a cloud in sight. No. 3 jerseys could be seen at each glance, in addition to the numerous Hall-of-Fame jerseys that grace Dove Valley regularly, including the likes of Peyton Manning and John Elway.
Friday was the last day for players to practice together before the pads are donned on Saturday, which will mark the Broncos' free ticketed ‘Back Together Saturday,’ an event that sold out in minutes earlier this month. Friday was quite literally the calm before the storm of thumping and controlled pops on the practice field.
With that, let’s get to the meat and potatoes of what I observed on Day 3 of Broncos camp.
Offensive Installation Day
It’s all about perspective when analyzing and interpreting training camp practices. For instance, during the red-zone drills on Day 1, QB Russell Wilson threw a dart to WR Jerry Jeudy in the end zone, who caught the ball and then had it stripped for a turnover. Some folks (depending on their angle) thought they saw a Wilson —interception, but that was not the case.
Fast forward to Day 3, and players had a relatively light day in terms of workload. That’s not to say there wasn’t sweat dripping onto the field, but it was clearly a learning day.
Extra padding was applied to players' helmets on the exterior to prevent close-contact collisions during what I would describe as a 60-percent speed limit. After practice, head coach Nathaniel Hackett called it 'jog-through' speed.
There were loads of communication between Coach Hackett, OC Justin Outten, and Wilson during run and pass plays alike. Corrections were made on the spot, and while the bullets weren’t flying, it was refreshing to see players respond to coaching in real-time as opposed to years past.
There was light contact between the offensive and defensive line in the trenches, and defensive backs even trailed off receivers' routes to pinpoint timing between QBs and their targets' routes.
We’ve seen two light days (Thursday and Friday) and one medium day in terms of intensity and labor-intensive action in camp. This more than likely means that Saturday will be a special day for all in attendance as players will likely be amped up to put on a lively pad popping practice.
No, it won’t be the two-a-days of Remember the Titans, but expect the best practice in camp all week.
Optimism for Bradley Chubb
I can feel the collective eye roll when I say that Broncos Country should be excited about Chubb, at least for right now. I know his injuries have stacked up from both knees tendons to the ankle, and the wear and tear in between hasn’t allowed him to play a full season since his rookie year in 2018.
But on Friday morning, the 26-year-old looked loose, limber, and ready to go. In position drills, No. 55 was in the front of the line leading his pass-rushing pack in various swim and rip drills against the dummies and one-man sled. Chubb’s lower body looked particularly explosive as he consistently fought to get to the inside of the offensive tackle’s hip to flip the corner and make a direct line for the QB.
Heck, it’s been obvious that Wilson or other offensive coaches have directed Chubb not to wreck practice. No, that’s not a slight to LT Garett Bolles, who is having a nice week as well.
But so far, Denver's former No. 5 overall draft pick looks lean, light, and is unquestionably in prime condition for the vigorous workload he’ll receive this fall.
Last spring, GM George Paton exercised Chubb’s fifth-year option, which guarantees him a salary of $12.72 for this season. If Chubb hopes to remain in the Mile High City or seeks a top-dollar contract elsewhere, he’ll have to produce early, fast, and maintain production for the variety of the season.
With players set to put pads on Saturday, there should be a healthy level of contact between Chubb and whoever lines up in front of him. Likely, it'll be Bolles, and the sparks between the two will continue to fly.
Wilson Activates TEs in New-Look Offense
One of my favorite debates about Wilson’s utilization of teammates is to dismiss the notion that he’s not fond of tight ends. First of all, name me a Seattle Seahawks tight end, other than Jimmy Graham’s two-year stint, that was worth his salt as a pass-catcher for Wilson.
Much like how the Broncos have dealt with tight-end injuries, Wilson hasn’t been able to count on that position throughout the duration of his career. That has already changed, at least three days into training camp.
It started on the first two days when Wilson fired a touchdown pass to Eric Saubert in each practice and continued on Friday with the rest of the room. While Albert Okwuegbunam has been consistent and looks prepared for the offense, there hasn’t been a ton of stand-out moments to speak of.
On Friday morning, Wilson connected with 30-year-old Eric Tomlinson and fullback/tight end hybrid Andrew Beck on multiple occasions. Some were check-down plays, while others utilized the open man in the seam and in the middle of the field.
Remember, third-round rookie TE Greg Dulcich is on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list nursing a hamstring injury, which could open the door for a third player to get in the mix especially on special teams.
For me that man is Saubert out of Drake University. This entire week, the 2017 fifth-rounder has not only been flashing but he's been a red-hot favorite of Wilson and Coach Outten.
On Thursday, Saubert caught a pass from Wilson and went for 40 yards to dunk the ball on the goal post, demonstrating his athleticism and competitiveness. Last season, Saubert caught his first career touchdown pass, and today, was chirping with hard-hitting safety Kareem Jackson.
Saubert isn’t lacking in confidence or momentum as he heads into his sixth NFL season and second year with the Broncos. Don’t view Saubert's lack of production in ex-OC Pat Shurmur's anemic system as a reflection of his performance.
Instead, expect a special teams ace and grind-it-out football player eager to help his team win.
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