Sean Payton Puts Broncos' WRs Corps on Notice as Training Camp Ends

With two preseason games already in the books and the Los Angeles Rams in town for joint practices, polishing up the nuances and details of the Denver Broncos operation is important to head coach Sean Payton.

Injuries remain a constant worry as the September 10 kickoff looms ever larger, especially in the immediate wake of Jerry Jeudy's "moderate" hamstring injury that'll cost him "several weeks." Payton is already shuffling his pack to overcome the loss of Jeudy (even if it's only short-term) and fellow wide receivers Tim Patrick and Jalen Virgil, both of whom will miss the entire 2023 season.

Wideout depth is now a major issue, and veteran Courtland Sutton will have to really help carry the load. In recent days, though, a troublesome bout of ball insecurity led Payton to dispense some tough love to his wide receiver corps on Wednesday.

Otherwise known as drops, Payton talked about the impetus for dropped passes, whether it's mental or physical, sending a clear message to his wideouts.

“They’re probably a little bit of both,” Payon said. “They come from fatigue, they come from concentration, and at some point, they have to go away. Periodically, I’ve had really good receivers that might drop a pass early in a game, and then you wouldn’t see it again. [Former Saints WR] Marques Colston, once in a blue moon, would have an early drop, and he’d always exit the sideline wherever I wasn’t. But then he’d come back and catch 15 balls or 12 balls. There were a few out there today from a handful of different players. If your job is a receiver, you’re paid to catch. It’s pretty simple.”

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When it comes to the Broncos' plan to maneuver around Jeudy's injury — relative to the depth chart and key offensive roles — Payton had to punt on the subject at the podium on Thursday, though he did later compliment Marvin Mims, Jr. and Kendall Hinton.

“It would be way too early to say," Payton said. "Typically, in our system, too, we bring receivers in and out. He [Jeudy] plays ‘Z,’ and he plays in the sub-position for us. We have a lot of guys.”

At this late juncture in the Broncos' preparation, it's worth noting that Payton has raised a red flag over some fatigue issues. Ever since he started to address the more basic elements of coaching a football team, the receivers gasping for breath was expected to be a thing of the past.

Running a few more gassers might be required at the more base physical conditioning level, but when it comes to exorcising any possible mental demons, Payton knows that timing and confidence require patience to perfect.

“It has to happen kind of organically. It has to happen within the framework of what you’re doing,” Payton said. “Sometimes, it can be the following pass pattern, That player’s open and that’s where you’re going. Sometimes, it might take a minute. Getting players started is easier to do when you’re calling plays in the script and trying to get players off to a good start. There were a number of players I’ve coached where it was important for us, as a team, to get them a handful of touches early to get them active in the game. I’m sure that will be the case here as we get to know these guys and we start putting together opening scripts for games.”

Dealing with a few gremlins in the machinery is better handled prior to any meaningful action getting underway. Similarly, Payton has been bold enough to become the principal witch doctor who's attempting to conjure a remedy ahead of time.

Consistently dropping the ball has a destabilizing trickle-down effect on an offense, and it affects the confidence of any quarterback, irrespective of their ego or experience. At this pivotal stage of Russell Wilson's career renaissance, you can fully understand Payton's eagerness to reapply some mental Stickum to suddenly greasy mitts of his pass-catchers.

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