Broncos Camp Day 6: Courtland Sutton Update | Takeaways

The Denver Broncos remain focused on "load management" as training camp marches on.

Most fans associate that term with the NBA, but the Broncos have a protocol, and they're sticking to it this summer. Denver's "load management" applies to individual players and veterans, and perhaps the team as a whole, as the players practiced on Thursday in shells and shorts after three straight days of pads.

Day 6 wasn't as physical as the preceding three practices, but it wasn't lacking in the intensity departement. Let's get to Thursday's news and notes, our takeaways from practice, and the biggest winners and losers.

Jaylen Waddle Watch

Waddle was out on the field on Thursday, though he wasn't a full participant, working instead on the side field. He exited Wednesday's practice with a minor injury, and after Thursday's practice, head coach Sean Payton said Waddle is dealing with a "strain" but assuaged the greater concerns.

“I think we’ll see him back in the next four to five days,” Payton said of Waddle.

Courtland Sutton Watch

For the third straight day, Sutton did not practice during team period. It's highly unusual for a team to give a veteran consecutive rest days in training camp, let alone three, but he stayed on the side field during practice with Waddle and others.

After practice, Payton said that Sutton is not injured and that these rest days are simply part of the Broncos' "protocol," aka "load management." Payton also intimated that Sutton will be back in the sing of things soon.

It doesn't appear that the team is trying to hide Sutton, as he was made available at the podium after practice. He did his best to explain what's going on without violating Payton's strictures on discussing topics like "health" and "injuries" with the press.

"It's a long season ahead of us. Just trying to make sure the body stays as fresh as possible as long as possible," Sutton said on Thursday. "I know everyone gets all anxious and excited about 'ball is back,' and we've got the opportunity to see us go run around and everything, and the different narratives get drawn out—this and that, whatever—but like I say, I try to be a good soldier. Whether it's something that I want to do or not, I just try to be a good solider so that, at the end of the day, I'm doing what's best for the team, and putting myself in the best position to be able to have a fresh body going into the long part of the season."

When asked point-blank whether he's healthy, Sutton replied, "Indubitably," before glancing away. Thus ended that line of questioning.

So is Sutton hurt? He may not be injured in the strictest sense, but I've been covering this team long enough to know that three straight rest days go well beyond standard veteran protocols. I won't theorize what could be going on with Sutton, but at the very least, I believe him and the team when they say that this is all about making sure he's good to go for the war of attrition that is the regular season.

Injury Watch

Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper — Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) and linebacker Jonathon Cooper (0) during training camp at Broncos Park. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Outside linebackers Nik Bonitto and Dasan McCullough and center Luke Wattenberg joined Waddle and Sutton on the side field during practice. Wattenberg tweaked something in Monday's practice, while Bonitto's injury came on Tuesday.

There's no reason to believe that either starter's injury is serious. They're still out on the practice field, dressed in their jersey and shorts, even if they're not running drills or participating in team period. They'll be back soon enough, but the Broncos clearly aren't in any hurry.

McCullough is an undrafted rookie, and he's now missed multiple practices. It's a deep outside linebacker room, so each missed practice could be costly when it comes to his roster outlook. Hopefully, he makes it back soon.

Left guard Ben Powers practiced during individual, but sat out of the team period. It appears to be a veteran rest day, nothing more.

Mike Shanahan Day

The Mastermind is in the 🏡

Welcome to #BroncosCamp, Mike Shanahan! pic.twitter.com/YSt6kROd3T
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 6, 2026

It was great to see former the Broncos' former head coach out there at practice on Thursday. Shanahan led the Broncos from 1995-2008, winning back-to-back Super Bowls.

As the winningest coach in Broncos history and one of only a handful of head coaches in NFL annals to win back-to-back World Championships, Shanahan has been out of the NFL officially since January of 2014. He's been eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for years, but he continues to get passed over in the voting.

Payton believes it's a matter of when, not if, Shanahan gets his due from the Hall of Fame. Payton also expressed his admiration for Shanahan and the influence he's had on his career as an offensive coach and on the NFL.

It's great for the players to see a living legend like Shanahan observing practice, especially with this team's Super Bowl aspirations. He's directly responsible for two of the three Lombardi Trophies the players see in the facility.

Indirectly, one could argue that Super Bowl 50 has some Shanahan fingerprints on it, too, since the head coach of that team, Gary Kubiak, was one of his long-time lieutenants and an acolyte of his philosophy and scheme.

Broncos fans can only hope that Shanahan's day in the Hall-of-Fame sun will come sooner rather than later, as he's set to turn 74 later this month.

Dondrea Tillman Returns

After missing several practices with a hamstring injury, Tillman was back to work on Thursday, running drills and holding down his job during team period. The veteran outside linebacker made his presence felt on the second-team defense, getting some pressure on Jarrett Stidham on one play, per KOA's Ryan Edwards.

Tillman's return could be fortuitous, as I was starting to worry a bit about his outlook. He's been a reliable depth player for Denver since arriving in 2024, but he lacks a draft pedigree; meanwhile, the Broncos are super deep at outside linebacker, and all of Tillman's primary competition for roster spots have been drafted by the team.

First-Team Offense Visibly Frustrated

Although Bo Nix and the first-teamers got off to a good start on Day 6, things once again stalled late during the competition periods. The offensive starters' frustration is becoming obvious, per The Denver Post's Luca Evans.

To an extent, I understand why fans hoped to see the Broncos' offense start a little hotter in training camp, especially because of Nix's growth and the unit's overall continuity. However, the structure of these practices favors the defense slightly, especially one as talented as Denver's first-team unit.

New offensive coordinator Davis Webb is surely doing what he can to keep the defense guessing, but we're beginning to reach that point in training camp where the players have seen it all before. They're itching to go against an outside opponent.

Traditionally, the Broncos would hold a joint practice late next week ahead of the first preseason game to give the players some fresh faces to go against, but Payton opted not to do that this year. So, while the Broncos' defense may be able to anticipate what's coming, the onus is on Nix and company to throw some unexpected counterpunches.

Make no mistake: Nix and the ones have looked very good this summer. Progress is being made. Not every rep at camp comes during a full-blown competition period, so there's been plenty of room for the offensive players to grow.

Iron sharpens iron. If nothing else, going against this fierce and smothering defense will toughen up the Broncos' offense and build one heck of a callus come September.

Day 6's Biggest Winners

Denver Broncos wide receiver Pat Bryant (13) during Denver Broncos Training Camp. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Pat Bryant | WR
Jaleel McLaughlin | RB
Cameron Ross | WR
Jahdae Barron | CB
Riley Moss | CB
Kolbe Katsis | WR
Matt Henningsen | DL
Dondrea Tillman | OLB
Alex Palczewski | OL

Bryant continues to shine. Every single day, he's out there making one impressive play after another, and that didn't change on Thursday. He's the clear No. 3 wide receiver in terms of momentum, though any and all wideouts who dress on gameday will have some role in the offense.

McLaughlin is showing signs of growth as a receiver. The fourth-year running back made some moves on linebackers Taurean York and Red Murdock during one-on-one drills, per Evans.

Ross and Katsis — both undrafted rookies — have quietly turned in an impressive camp performance as receivers thus far. It just so happens that both also have some returner upside, which could create some additional value for them.

Ross caught a deep touchdown pass from Sam Ehlinger on Day 6, earning some oohs from onlookers, per Edwards. Katsis made some plays, too, but he's just been a steady producer since Day 1.

Barron may have had his best day of camp, much to the relief of many Broncos fans who've been worried about the 2025 first-rounder. Barron made three plays in rapid succession. I know fans have been worried about the lack of buzz surrounding him thus far, but he's doing fine and is very much a part of the team's plans for the defensive backfield.

Henningsen had his way with the third-team offensive line on Thursday (Evans). It's great to see, especially after the momentum Henningsen built up in the offseason program. This D-line competition is going to be difficult for the coaches to decide.

Tillman is a winner for returning to practice and making some plays. Palczewski makes this list because once again, he's the first depth O-lineman onto the field, whether at left guard for Powers or right tackle for Mike McGlinchey.

Day 6's Losers

First-team offense
Dasan McCullough | OLB

It's a rather short list today because there were no obvious "losers." I'm including the first-team offense for the same reasons I laid out above.

In fairness, though, it's hard to expect Nix and company to win the day when they don't have their top two receivers during team period, not their starting center, especially against this defense. Still, the Broncos won't get the benefit of that excuse in the regular season, if starters are missing, so this is good preparation for the offense, at least.

As for McCullough, the undrafted rookie can't afford to miss two straight days of practice. His stock may be affected by the injury bug, but it's down nonetheless.

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