What We Learned From Day One of Broncos Training Camp

Denver Broncos football is back.

Well, almost. The veterans reported to training camp on Tuesday, and while practice begins on Wednesday, the Broncos are back in the building.

There wasn't a practice to analyze on Tuesday, but there were two press conferences from Denver's All-Pro duo — cornerback Patrick Surtain II and right guard Quinn Meinerz — which offered plenty of insights to take away.

With that said, let's break down what we learned on the first day of Broncos camp, if you want to call it that. Remember, the first practice is Wednesday, but we're splitting hairs here.

New Facility Blows Minds

The Broncos spent the last month moving into their new state-of-the-art facility, a $175 million project the Walton-Penner ownership group bankrolled. The construction of the new facility has been ongoing for more than a year, and Tuesday was the first time most of the Broncos' players actually got to see it in the flesh.

Suffice it to say, minds were blown.

“This is incredible," Meinerz said on Tuesday. "I’m finding new things every time, and I’ve just stayed on the first floor of this thing... The locker room is close, the food’s right there, the weight room’s right there, the field’s right here. The ease of everything is just incredible. [Owner & CEO] Greg [Penner] and [Owner] Carrie [Walton Penner] have done an exceptional job, and I haven’t even gone to any of the other floors yet.”

Surtain was suitably impressed, too.

“Honestly, everything is state of the art," Surtain said. "When I first got in, which was yesterday, I was looking at it and I was like, ‘Wow.’ I was in awe. It’s pretty special. It’s a testament to the [Walton-Penner Family] Ownership Group, Greg [Penner] and Carrie [Walton Penner] for putting this together. It’s awesome."

Our new 🏡's state of the art. 👏@PatSurtainll & Quinn Meinerz react to the investment from Owners Greg Penner & Carrie Walton Penner in the new Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit: pic.twitter.com/NtholMW7gH
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) July 28, 2026

Meinerz appreciates how much thought went into the location of everything at the new facility. He's especially appreciative of the new underground parking, as he won't have to get into a 150-degree truck after practice each summer day.

The novelty and sheer spectacle that is the Broncos' stunning new facility might be a bit overwhelming to the players initially, but they'll settle in. As Surtain said, he's still trying to figure out the new lay of the land.

"It feels like I’m in a maze right now, though (Laughs)," Surtain said. I’m trying to figure out where to navigate and where to go, but it’s awesome.”

The Walton-Penner group spared no expense, as is their way. There's even a virtual golf simulator on the third floor.

The new locker room should help the Broncos' effort to continue forging strong bonds and chemistry, too. There's a lot to be excited about for these players, and the Broncos now have another feather in their cap when it comes to wooing prospective free agents and coaches.

This locker room though 👏 pic.twitter.com/ed95rRj6en
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) July 28, 2026

“Probably," Meinerz said when asked about the new facility being a recruiting tool. "You come here, and you see the first class everywhere. I went to the cafeteria; that’s wild. The new nutritionist area is incredible, the training room, the amount of tables that are in there, the pools, the tubs, the amenities. Like I said, I haven’t even been to any of the other floors, so I would assume whenever people come here and they take a tour, their mind’s going to be blown because we already had a really good setup, but this blows it out of the water."

What an auspicious way to kick off 2026 training camp. Great job, Walton-Penners.

Jonathon Cooper Reports

After the Broncos excused Cooper from mandatory minicamp in June, there was a lot of speculation on whether he'd be reporting to training camp, especially with his criminal case still ongoing and far from resolved. He showed up, though, and ostensibly with the team's blessing, which means the Broncos are accepting the possibility that his presence could be a distraction during training camp.

Let's hope it doesn't come to that. Cooper has been charged with felony assault stemming from an alleged altercation with his former girlfriend in June. He was arrested a second time one week later for violating the protection order the court put in place around his former girlfriend.

Time will tell how Cooper's criminal case unfolds, but the NFL could opt to suspend him for violating its Personal Conduct Policy. The Broncos will need to have contingencies in place should Cooper miss time, and fortunately, they're deep at outside linebacker.

With Cooper's arraignment hearing coming August 31, it's safe to assume that his criminal proceedings will stretch into the football season. Again, let's hope the Broncos can avoid his presence at training camp becoming a distraction that takes away from the team's overarching mission of competing for the Super Bowl.

Ben Powers Accepts a Pay Cut

On the doorstep of training camp, the Broncos' veteran left guard reportedly accepted a contract restructure that will pay him less money in total in 2026, though more of it will be guaranteed, per 9NEWS' Mike Klis.

Powers has been a reliable starter since signing as a free agent in 2023. He did miss significant time last season, though, after he suffered a torn biceps in Week 5.

With Powers entering the final year of his deal, we honestly expected the Broncos to address his contract back in March, but they waited until now. To be clear, the Broncos did not extend him or add additional years to his contract, so accepting a pay cut at the beginning of a contract year doesn't bode well for him returning in 2027.

It doesn't rule out either. The Broncos have been preemptive in their preparations for life after Powers, drafting Kage Casey in the fourth round this year, and re-signing Alex Palczewski — who filled in for Powers while he was out last season.

I'm still open to the possibility of Powers earning a new contract from the Broncos. He's a solid starter, very, very smart, and he's beloved and respected by his teammates.

“He really personifies the energy and what we have in our room here as an offensive line. He’s a tough S.O.B.," Meinerz said of Powers on Tuesday. "He’s funny, he works hard. It’s everything that you want in a guard and to have in your offensive line room.”

Super Bowl or Bust—One Week At a Time

Bo Nix and Patrick Surtain II — Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) puts his arm around cornerback Patrick Surtain II (2) during mandatory minicamp. | Ben Swanson/DenverBroncos.com

After having the rug pulled out from under them on the doorstep of the Super Bowl, the Broncos are setting their sights high for 2026. Of course, this team's ambition is to make it to the Super Bowl and win it, and their 14-win campaign last year makes it clear that Denver has the horses to do so, pardon the pun.

However, head coach Sean Payton often talks about how teams don't necessarily pick up where they left off each year. Instead, the way he puts it, each team has to start over from square one, like beginning a new board game.

In that spirit, Surtain acknowledged that the Super Bowl is "the main goal," but emphasized how the Broncos will need to take it as it comes and fully capitalize on the opportunity to improve in training camp this summer.

“Our expectations are pretty high, but we are just going to take it week-by-week," Surtain said. "Obviously, that’s the main goal, but it starts right here in training camp and it starts early on in the season. Our main focus is to start out fast and start out hot early. That way we can prepare ourselves to get to that stage.”

The Broncos have been slow starters under the Payton regime. This year, though, this team can't afford a slow start — not with the gauntlet the Broncos face in the first half of the season.

Slow starts are a hallmark of Payton-coached teams traditionally, but the Broncos have to figure out how to buck that trend if they want to survive long enough to exploit the second half of their schedule, which is the easiest in the NFL, based on opponents' expected win totals.

So, while the Broncos have the toughest first-half schedule, it's balanced by having the easiest path down the stretch. If they can emerge from the first eight weeks at .500 or better, they'll have all of their goals in front of them: winning the division, securing top playoff seeding, and advancing through the playoffs to the Super Bowl.

First thing's first: take it by the inch, it's a cinch. By the yard, it gets hard.

It'll be fun to see how this team looks on Wednesday, when the cleats hit the grass for the first time this summer at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit.

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