What to watch for in Broncos' joint practices sessions with Niners

It might seem like a glorified training camp practice, with the Niners in town, but think again.

Joint practices during the run-up towards a preseason head-to-head have become the norm across the NFL, and the Denver Broncos have been no exception over the past several seasons. 

This week, the Broncos will join up with the San Francisco 49ers for a couple of practice sessions prior to their Monday night exhibition game in Denver.

Often times referred to as a joke or a way to increase the risk of injury to players on both teams, joint practices are often overlooked and deemed completely unnecessary in the grand scheme of things. However, there are several underlying stories to unfold from teams participating in these preseason scrimmages.

As a coaching veteran in this league, Broncos head man  Vic Fangio is no stranger to holding practices with other teams. And judging from his comments on Sunday, Fangio is really looking forward to meeting up with the 49ers on Thursday and Friday.

“I must have done more than 40 of these over the years and it’s just great to go against somebody else,” Fangio said. “Offensive linemen having to block different pass rushers and run block different D-Lineman. Corners covering different receivers. Wide receivers going against different corners, different schemes. I think it’s great. I would do two of them a camp if I could.”

While having multiple joint practices per preseason may not be entirely feasible given the restrictions of the CBA, the point remains valid. These are more than just a farce of an endeavor.

Litmus test against outside competition

Arguably the most important aspect of these practices is the ability to line up your guys against somebody they are completely unfamiliar with and test them against alignments and schemes they don’t see on a regular basis in everyday situations.

It’s an incredible scouting tool for not only your roster, but also as a baseline for identifying strengths and weaknesses in your upcoming opponent.

Unique evaluation tool

It also serves as an evaluation tool for your coaching staff and scouting department. There can also be found a baseline for possible trade scenarios later on down the road, something that 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke to on Wednesday afternoon.

“I think you should always use these opportunities as an advantage to learn other teams and things like that as much as you can,” Shanahan said as he was addressing the local media. “Not just knowing each other, but also scouts, everyone. It helps you for trade possibilities, but it also helps you.

“Sometimes it’s nice to see how guys work and things like that as opposed to watching guys on game tape. It’s nice to see how guys practice and things like that. So it’s always good to be around other people in this league, because it’s a pretty close fraternity and usually your paths cross more than once.”

While there probably won’t be any impending trades coming out of these practices, having an inside look at how a certain player may be developing could form the basis of a trade agreement. The Broncos are currently going through injury struggles at the tight end and linebacker position, and seeing a roster bubble candidate from the 49ers could birth negotiations down the road.

Broncos' GM John Elway and the 49ers organization have a storied past when it comes to dealing players over the past several seasons, seeing TE Vernon Davis and RB Kapri Bibbs swap jerseys between the two teams in 2015 and 2017, respectively. The line of communication is already intact, and another baseline deal could be in the works following this weekend.

Brings out the best in players

As far as the players themselves are concerned, getting to play against new, outside competition can bring out fiery competitiveness that you don’t see on the day-to-day grind that is an NFL training camp. Roster battles get stale and unproductive at times. 

Some players use their elite tools to dominate other lower level players on the roster, so to speak. Others struggle to figure out their niche, getting down on themselves as they continue to get beat in practice.

It can often light a fire under a player that has been underwhelming, or even offer a humbling slap to the face to a player than has been dominating against his own teammates. Going against an unfamiliar opponent definitely offers a way to self-scout from a player’s perspective. Most relish the opportunity to compete with somebody new.

“It definitely gets to be a grind when you’re just going against the same person every day,” defensive end Derek Wolfe said on Sunday. “It will be nice to get a new body out here to work my craft gainst and to see where we’re at against another team.”

A chance to socialize

There’s also a friendship aspect to consider. Aside from the competitiveness factor, a lot of these players have former teammates from their college years on the opposing roster. Some of these friendships and relationships still hold firm, even though they live thousands of miles apart.

Take Broncos' RB Phillip Lindsay for example. He and 49ers DB Akhello Witherspoon spent three years together as teammates at the University of Colorado. From the sound of it, Lindsay is looking forward to seeing some of his old teammates and counterparts.

"Yeah, we’re going to have to go against them anyway, but it’s always good to see how they practice," Lindsay said. "A lot of us have friends on the team. It’s always good to reunite with them. Just battle. Other than beat up on each other all day, going against somebody that doesn’t know our plays and isn’t familiar with us all the time.”

A great evaluation tool

Overall, these practices are a lot more than glorified training camp sessions. Though it doesn't get much in the way of headlines, some players "cheat" in practice by knowing how certain blemishes or intricacies of their teammates, making them look ever so slightly like they are better than they actually are. Going against a different opponent can truly peel back the layers and allow for a better evaluation period.

A cornerback can jump a route to make a routine interception more easily against his teammates because of his formation recognition and play alignment he's seen countless times. Against an unfamiliar scheme and player, he could get burned.

Same with an offensive lineman bullying a fellow teammate in the running game, only to see a new face use a new swim move to shed the block and make a play in the backfield.

There are so many insights to take away from these joint practices. You just have to read between the lines. 

Follow Lance on Twitter @SandersonMHH.