Broncos Camp Notebook | Day 1: 3 Key Takeaways
Englewood, Colo.— For the first time since the 2015 Super Bowl 50 team, the Denver Broncos have the entire league buzzing about their potential for greatness in 2022.
Second-year GM George Paton resurrected Broncos Country from the depths of quarterback starvation by landing nine-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson in a trade with Seattle. Combine Wilson's elite playmaking ability with an offensive brain trust headed by first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett, and nothing short of winning is expected.
Much to the defense’s delight, Denver’s reinvented offense will aid the talented secondary that is led by Justin Simmons and Patrick Surtain II. The stale penchant of the Broncos' defense carrying the brunt of the workload game in and game out is over.
I was there to observe the debut of the Wilson era in Denver. Here are my three red-hot takeaways from Day 1 of Broncos training camp.
Wilson Resurrects Broncos Camp
In the absence of spectacular QB play, let alone winning production, Broncos fans have quite literally checked out from the fluttering teams over the last half-decade. Following the COVID pandemic, I expected fans to be eager to get a glimpse of their favorite players at camp in 2021, but that was far from the case.
Last summer’s training camp featured an abysmally low attendance from fans, who seemingly chose better things to do in the sun than watch Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater compete for QB1 under the incompetency of Vic Fangio. Heck, there was even a rumor that camp attendance numbers released from the team were very team-friendly in wake of the disappointing turnout.
But that was not the case on Wednesday with Wilson and company. Multiple fans I spoke with prepared to wait in line as early as Tuesday evening, and into the early morning hours of Wednesday just to be the first ones through the gates at UCHealth Training Center. It was quite literally raining No. 3s with Wilson’s jersey seen all over the crowd.
The 33-year-old Walter Payton Man of the Year (2020) also gave high-fives to fans sitting on the berm to begin training camp, along with special teams kicker Brandon McManus, who played a casual game of catch with fans. But when Wilson strapped up the helmet, he was all business, capitalizing on a bullet throw to second-year Broncos TE Eric Saubert in the red zone for a score, tossing another to RB Mike Boone on a swing route.
While official attendance numbers have yet to be released from the team, it’s abundantly clear that Broncos Country is all in on the 2022 squad. Families are traveling from out of state with expensive gas prices to be a part of the training camp experience in the Mile High City.
I can’t help but wonder whether that if fans are this invested during the free training camp dates, then sold-out crowds are a guarantee for home games at Empower Field at Mile High. The NFL had better prepare for the orange wave that’s about to hit.
Players Respond to Hackett’s Practice Philosophy
The first thing I noticed on Wednesday was the music. The always popular hip hop and rap songs were tastefully tamed down for the families in attendance but the music had players loose, excited, and running around with an extra spring to their step.
Music is back on the practice field as Hackett has replaced former Fangio’s dull, boring, and ineffective sessions with hyper-focused energy and high-paced action.
But more than just listening to their favorite songs, players utilized the energy and music of the practice in the most basic of aspects, running from one drill to the next, to coaching each other during water breaks. There was no sitting around from any players, including the sometimes-lackadaisical third-phase specialists who seemingly work on their own.
Special teams coordinator Dwayne Stukes was fired up to the highest degree on Day 1, communicating loudly with players as he coached them up on mistakes and motivated them to complete their assignments. No, he wasn’t screaming and yelling at players on the first day, but the tone that was set by this special teams unit was one of no funny business and all work.
Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero had his talented defensive unit flying all over the field. From pass breakups caused by CB K’Waun Williams to the camp’s first interception by Simmons, the defensive pressure was turned up to work hard and make the most of their practice time.
Williams even had a forced strip on a Wilson completion to Jerry Jeudy in a goal-line drill that ended the day, resulting in the second defensive turnover of the day that ultimately concluded practice.
Hackett’s energy has been described by his assistant coaches, players, and Paton. On Wednesday, fans got a small taste of that energy as the first-year head coach executed a productive and fast-paced first day of camp.
RB Competition Starts Behind Javonte Williams
Make no mistake, Williams is the undisputed starter on offensive coordinator Justin Outten's unit. Williams' angry and violent running style, paired with his tough pass protection and playmaking ability, has earned him his stripes after a stellar rookie season in 2021.
Melvin Gordon, who split carries 50/50 with Williams last season, saw similar success in addition to struggling with ball security and missed assignments. Gordon may be the senior back in his positional room but don’t ink him in as the No. 2 back just yet.
On Wednesday, Boone received second-team reps and showed nice burst, vision, and the instincts to hit the optimal running lane. The former Viking, who was inked in the 2021 offseason after the release of Phillip Lindsay, battled injuries last season and is expected to contribute on special teams immediately in 2022.
But do not count this man out when it comes to making the roster. Boone has the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and has an excellent football IQ, which could pay dividends in a running back-friendly offense.
Damarea Crockett, who was undrafted in 2019, spent various stints on the Broncos practice squad dating back to 2020 and was third in line for running back reps at Wednesday’s opening practice. He demonstrated a low center of gravity with nice ball control, burst, and a smooth-running style that differs from the rumbling, steamrolling style that is Williams.
Gordon was also worked into the rotation as the fourth back early in practice, before taking reps with the starting unit towards the end of the day. Some fans speculated this could be due to Gordon missing voluntary workouts in the spring, but it’s too early to read the respective tea leaves just yet.
If you are a Gordon fan panicking that he was last in the rotation, take a breath. All backs, with the exception of Williams, worked in rotations with the second and third-string offense, making the most of their time in the 91-degree heat.
However, there is no such thing as a cushy gig when it comes to making an NFL roster and earning a role, especially at the running back position, which favors youth, durability, and consistency. If competition truly brings the best out in players on the same team, the battle between these three backs to relieve Williams should reveal the best option for Denver's offense.
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