Broncos minicamp Day 1: Here's how Drew Lock seized the day

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — If Drew Lock had more days like the one he had Tuesday, it might never have been necessary for the Broncos to trade for Teddy Bridgewater. That said, it’s still merely a June practice in minicamp, just like the OTAs of the previous three weeks that saw each week of work open up with Bridgewater looking steady.

The first read was usually the best read for Lock, and as practice progressed, he generally spent less time in the pocket, typically getting the football away within 1.75 seconds.

All of that allowed Lock to overcome a ragged start, beginning with the opening seven-on-seven period of practice.

His first repetition saw him hold the ball too long, leading to the whistle blowing to end the play. A pair of short underneath completions to Tyrie Cleveland and Seth Williams followed. On Lock’s next seven-on-seven series he misfired down the middle on a deep post to Trinity Benson, throwing into double coverage that nearly resulted in an interception for safety P.J. Locke, who dropped the potential pick. Another repetition saw the whistle blow again.

After that, Lock found his rhythm.

Throughout the team and seven-on-seven periods that followed, Lock connected on a series of high-velocity quick strikes, usually on his first read. This represented by far his most consistent work of the four offseason practices that have been open to media viewing. Lock shone in the red zone, firing touchdown passes to Cleveland, Noah Fant and a leaping Andrew Beck.

Lock was quick and decisive.

“My confidence is high right now, but that’s just because we’re in practice and everything,” Lock said. “I’m just excited where this is going. I see a lot of things that we’re building on, so to say, where we get to focus on some minor details now. Instead of maybe last year, focusing on some bigger-picture things. I think that’ll help us be 10 times better in the long run.”

It certainly helped him be better in the opening day of minicamp in a practice that gave him plenty of chances to play to his strengths.

AS FOR BRIDGEWATER …

The eighth-year veteran opted for caution rather than unnecessary risk, focusing on short-to-intermediate passes — although he did look deep for second-year WR Damion Willis in the red zone, but saw a chance for a score end when Ronald Darby arrived to break up the pass. Bridgewater subsequently chose to throw the ball away on two red-zone attempts to Tyrie Cleveland and rather than risk a turnover with tight coverage on a receiving corps that by that point did not include Jerry Jeudy (stomach issue).

While Bridgewater has been willing to take chances and push the football downfield when the opportunity arises, he acknowledged that the ability of the Broncos’ skill-position players to accumulate yardage after the catch plays into his decision-making process.

“This offseason, I’ve just been trying to complete the football by pushing the ball down the field, crossing them over the field, throwing a shallow cross and throwing it to the back out of the backfield,” Bridgewater said. “I’m just trying to complete the football because if I complete the ball to our guys, we have a high chance of making a big play.

Bridgewater’s best throw of the day was a 23-yard toss in seven-on-seven to multifaceted contributor Kendall Hinton. Bridgewater lofted a pass to Hinton, who was breaking toward the sideline and reached out in stride for the football.

SPEAKING OF HINTON …

One gets the feeling that the Broncos are going to find a spot for him on their roster somehow, someway.

It won’t be as a thank-you for being pressed into service at quarterback and handling one of the most adverse sets of circumstances ever thrust upon a player with dignity and resilience. It will be because Hinton EARNED it as a wide receiver.

When a reporter asked Fangio whether a specific player had impressed him throughout the offseason, he immediately pointed to Hinton.

“The guy that has had a really good camp from the start of OTAs until now has been Kendall,” Fangio said. “He’s really looked good as a receiver and he’s improved a lot. He’s in the hunt for one of those spots.”

Hinton’s work impressed Lock.

“You feel like you can throw him a ball one-on-one, and he’s going to go get it,” Lock said. “[He] runs super-defined routes … he’s definitely shown that he is here to work, and he really cares about the game of football.”

NOTES

• Incumbent Sam Martin had the punting chores Tuesday. Rookie punter Max Duffy held for Brandon McManus on placekicks during a special-teams period. McManus connected on all but one of his field-goal attempt, with his only miss coming from 51 yards.
• RB Melvin Gordon III returned to practice after not taking part during OTAs the last three weeks. “It felt good, man,” he said. “It felt good being out there just playing football and moving around. No matter what you do in training, you can’t simulate being on the field, making those cuts and just being around the guys in general. I kind of missed them.”
• WR Jerry Jeudy left practice because of a stomach issue, Fangio said.
• Among the players working out on a side field while they recover from injuries were WR K.J. Hamler, LB Josh Watson, NT Mike Purcell, LB Baron Browning, DE Shelby Harris, OLB Bradley Chubb and safety Trey Marshall.
• With Bobby Massie still sidelined, Quinn Bailey worked at right tackle.
• Free-agent pickup Mike Boone got the first touch of the initial team period of practice and ran strongly throughout the day. Both Boone and rookie Javonte Williams continued to do well at reading blocks as they developed and accelerating through quick-opening gaps.
• Former Seahawks LB Shaquem Griffin saw work in the team and seven-on-seven periods as he went through a minicamp tryout. Griffin, a fourth-year veteran who could bring some needed speed to the special-teams units, wore jersey number 65. “He’s got enough tape out there, and we know who he is or who he can be on special teams,” Fangio said. “We just need to evaluate him in total [to know] whether there can be a spot for him on the team to bring him to camp and if he’s worthy enough of it.”

PARTING SHOT

Drew Lock was dialed in, and that’s a fact,
On first reads, he let bullets fly,
Teddy was steady, but didn’t take risks,
Can that be enough to get by?