What Today's Broncos Practice Really Told Us About Their Future

It was only one practice — and the first full-tilt session of training camp — but we may have caught a glimpse of what's in store for the Denver Broncos.

Day 1 of Broncos camp was electric. It was explosive. The fans were in attendance for the first time this summer, feeding the team's energy under the hot Colorado sun.

Perhaps it was by design — maybe it was happenstance — but on the first day with the fans, new Broncos offensive coordinator Davis Webb had his unit absolutely humming against one of the best defenses in the NFL.

Davis's offense attacked vertically, resulting in multiple big plays down the field. And it wasn't just Bo Nix hitting first-team receivers like Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle.

Marvin Mims Jr. was consistently in on the action, as was tight end Evan Engram. He may be a first-teamer, but Engram's biggest play of the day was a 50-yard dime from backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham.

Even depth receivers like Michael Bandy and newcomer Hakeem Butler got in on the vertical action. Denver's offensive playmaking was indiscriminate. It felt like everyone was getting their beaks wet.

Echoes of Last Summer

Denver Broncos quarterbacks coach Davis Webb calls plays vs. the Arizona Cardinals in preseason action. | Dustin Bradford / IMAGO / Icon Sportswire

Friday's offensive display may have reminded some observers of the Broncos' preseason game vs. the Arizona Cardinals last year. Nix didn't play in that game, but Stidham went 16-of-23 for 240 yards and two touchdowns, while Sam Ehlinger went 14-of-15 for 162 yards.

The man behind the Broncos' play-calling that day was Webb. The Broncos finished with 395 passing yards and a whopping 167 rushing yards that day.

Webb may be unproven when it comes to calling plays in the NFL — and only four years removed from playing quarterback in the league — but his body of work in that preseason win over the Cardinals was a resounding testimonial to back up Sean Payton's decision to hand him the headset.

Firing On All Cylinders

Bo Nix and Jarett Stidham. — Jul 31, 2026; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) and quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) warm up during training camp at Broncos Park. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On Friday, it wasn't just the deep stuff that was working; even the Broncos' screen game was productive. As the play-caller of the past three seasons, Payton stuck doggedly to the screen game in the offense, despite it rarely availing the Broncos. With Webb, the screen game could be finding new life.

On top of that, two of the playmakers Payton arguably under-utilized last year — Engram and Mims — were extremely involved in the game plan on Friday. That bodes well for the Broncos getting a return on their $23 million investment in Engram.

The short shrift Mims has gotten in Payton's offense since arriving as a second-round pick in 2023 has been mystifying, especially considering how impactful and reliable he's been when the Broncos have either chosen to feature him or had no choice but to turn to him due to injuries.

The latter was why Mims saw so much action in the playoffs, with Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant going down with injuries. But Mims rose to the occasion, answered the bell, and finished as the Broncos' leading postseason receiver.

Even with Waddle in town, Friday illustrated how there should be enough room for both of them in this offense. They are similar receivers, even if Waddle is faster, more explosive, and certainly more proven as a wideout.

Lastly, all three quarterbacks looked excellent on Friday. Nix was smooth and in command, leading the first-team offense, while Stidham and Ehlinger also executed well.

Glimpse of the Future

Friday's practice could foreshadow what the future holds for the Broncos' offense. Webb has talked about the parallels he sees in Josh Allen's third-year leap back in 2020 and where Nix stands entering Year 3.

In 2020, Webb was Allen's backup when the Buffalo Bills acquired veteran wideout Stefon Diggs via trade. Allen went from being a toolsy but inconsistent quarterback to one of the NFL's elite in Year 3.

“There’s some similarities," Webb said back in June. "When I was with Josh Allen going into Year 3—similar to Bo going into Year 3—and we traded for Stefon Diggs. And that was a good year. That was a good two-year run in 2020 and 2021, when I was together with them.

"Just seeing the growth from both players at that time. There’s some similarities of what’s starting to happen here. It doesn’t mean it’s going to. We’ve got a long way to go, but man, he’s [Waddle] good."

Could Waddle's arrival herald a similar third-year leap for Nix? It's only one practice, but Friday gave us a glimpse of Webb's vision for the offense and why Payton was so willing to relinquish the play sheet and headset, despite his 20-plus years of being a primary play-caller.

The Takeaway

No doubt, Vance Joseph's side of the ball is going to come out hot on Saturday, looking to avenge their setback, so it'll be interesting to see if Webb and company can continue to keep the pedal to the metal.

Broncos Country should be thrilled, though. This offense already looks different and in all the best ways.

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