Editor’s note: Welcome into one of many takeaway pieces to come during Broncos training camp. A staple of DNVR’s training camp coverage, these stories will be posted after each and every practice of camp. Who is standing out, who is lagging behind and who is looking like the favorite in each of the position battles? Those questions and many more will be answered right here.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The last time the Broncos practiced in front of fans, their quarterback was Joe Flacco, John Elway was still the general manager and “pandemic” seemed to be the stuff of sci-fi disaster flicks.
The world is a different place now. Elway handed off the reins of control to George Paton in January.
But optimism reigns, even when coming off of a fourth consecutive losing season. And Jerry Jeudy is a huge reason why.
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The hype train for the 2020 first-round pick is like a bullet train speeding past Mount Fuji. And even if you want to slow its pace, the most rational and even-keeled of Broncos takes the microphone after practice and predicts for Jeudy some of the loftiest recognition the sport can offer.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that Jeudy can have an All-Pro, Pro Bowl season this year,” said safety Justin Simmons. “He’s just that good. Everyone wants to talk about what happened last year, but I’m worried about it one bit. I’ve seen the work that he’s been putting in during the offseason. I saw what he did in OTAs.”
Jeudy’s longest catch of the day came on a pass from Drew Lock, who located him downfield after the receiver gained separation from cornerback Nate Hairston and safety Caden Sterns during a team period. But he made plays from both quarterbacks. He caught a 20-yard catch to close a seven-on-seven period, reaching back to grab a pass from Lock while keeping his stride.
That reception came a few moments after he leaped for a pass from Teddy Bridgewater, which was thrown high and in front of Jeudy as he cut toward the sideline to avoid blanket coverage from Bryce Callahan. Callahan’s work ensured that Jeudy’s separation was miniscule, but he made the grab anyway.
Jerry Jeudy smiles at Broncos practice on July 28, 2021. (Andrew Mason)
“Jerry, he made a great play today. He put his foot in the ground,” Bridgewater said. “It was third down and he went up and made a tough catch and came down with it. Those are some of the things that we’re excited about.”
Jeudy worked with Bridgewater in South Florida and with Lock in Denver during the time between minicamp and this week. It showed.
That said, Bridgewater noted the contributions of the entire wide-receiver room in the same breath as his praise of Jeudy. And that’s part of what makes No. 10 so dangerous; over-committing coverage resources to him means open lanes for Tim Patrick, Courtland Sutton, K.J. Hamler, tight end Noah Fant and other productive targets.
“Competition is something he never shies from, and I know he’s going to be tremendous for us this year,” Simmons said.
Still, someone has to be the alpha in the room. With more days and games like Wednesday, Jeudy might become that guy.
“We only got a snippet of it today [of him] snagging passes out of the air way outside his body frame,” Simmons said. “That’s just the beginning.”
Play of the Day
It’s not a play, but a moment: Von Miller leading the fans in rhythmic clapping before the start of pre-practice calisthenics.
Fans are back. @VonMiller is back. #BroncosCamp is back. Hallelujah. pic.twitter.com/q9T2IQCw4f
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) July 28, 2021
It’s hard to not be emotional about sports when you see a moment like that and consider the journey taken over the last 16 months to reach that point. Miller needs interaction from fans like the rest of us need the air we breathe. But the fans needed it, too.
For most, football has been a sport viewed from the distance of flat-screens and living rooms for the last year and a half. Just 21,122 spectators attended games at Empower Field at Mile High, with three games played in front of no spectators at all and another contested in front of a small friends-and-family throng.
Miller’s sprint to the fans and the subsequent call-and-response bellowed one sentiment above all: Somehow, we made it.
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RT CALVIN ANDERSON A day after Fangio advised observers not to sleep on the third-year tackle, Anderson worked on the first team. He shouldn’t get comfortable; Fangio said he plans to rotate first-team right tackles, noting, “Every day will be somebody different.”
It wasn’t all smiles and sunshine for Anderson; he gave up a sack when Von Miller whipped around his right shoulder, getting to Lock for what would have been a sack in game conditions. But Anderson, to his credit, shook off that play and delivered some solid repetitions the rest of the practice.
No one was prouder than left tackle Garett Bolles, who let Anderson stay at his place last year.
“We talk all the time; we text all the time; we watch film all the time,” Bolles said. “So he has ‘it,’ and it’s up to him. So if he wants that job he going to go out and get it. I’m excited for him. He brings a whole strong side to that right side, so I’m really looking forward to seeing his improvement every day as we talk. We’re like big brother/little brother, so I love that relationship, and I’m grateful he’s here.”
Broncos TE Eric Saubert runs a route at training camp on July 28, 2021 in Englewood, Colo. (Andrew Mason)
TE ERIC SAUBERT: Regarded as a long-term project when he broke into the NFL as a fifth-round pick from Drake University in 2017, Saubert distinguished himself with some lunging, athletic catches during the practice from both Lock and Bridgewater.
Saubert played for tight ends coach Wade Harman in 2017 and 2018 in Atlanta, then hopscotched through four teams before joining the Broncos in the offseason.
Fangio was effusive when asked about the five-year veteran.
“He’s tough, knowledgeable, knows how to play the game, got good hands, very competitive,” the head coach said. “He’s a good teammate, good guy to have. I like him a lot.”
Broncos WR Trinity Benson runs a route at training camp on July 28, 2021 in Englewood, Colo. (Andrew Mason)
WR TRINITY BENSON: He caught long touchdown passes from Drew Lock and Brett Rypien, with Lock hitting him on a post and Rypien finding him closer to the sideline. On the pass from Lock, he gained separation from safety P.J. Locke and cornerback Parnell Motley; on the grab from Rypien, he worked past rookie Mac McCain.
“He’s getting more polished as a receiver,” Fangio said adding that on one of the touchdowns, a safety might have held up to avoid a collision.
“Trinity can run. He’s bearing the fruit of being here, being on the practice squad and developing. He’s in the hunt.”
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No one. It’s Day 1.
Quote of the Day
“I’m a survivor. Throw me in the jungle, and I’m going to come out with a fur coat and a headband that I made out of some leaves. It’s about surviving at this point.”
— Bridgewater
Injury and Availability
WR COURTLAND SUTTON: Although he is only expected to play in one preseason game, he took a step in the right direction by seeing some brief team-period action Wednesday. Lock targeted him on one pass, but Sutton broke in one direction and Lock threw in the other.
OLB BRADLEY CHUBB: The fourth-year veteran took part in individual drills, but watched Malik Reed work in his place during team periods after missing OTAs and minicamp. “It’ll probably be another couple [of] days before we cut him loose,” Fangio said. “We want to get him in shape because he was not able to do much in a good bit of May, a good bit of June. So we’ve got to get him in shape first.”
TE ALBERT OKWUEGBUNAM: Like Sutton, he’s on a pitch count, but his cuts looked decisive and strong during individual and seven-on-seven drills in particular. “He’s doing good. He took part today in all the drills. Obviously, we’re limiting his snaps, and limiting how much he’s working.”
Name to Know
CB MAC McCAIN: The undrafted North Carolina A&T product showed quick reaction, breaking back to swat away a Rypien pass intended for rookie Seth Williams during a seven-on-seven period.
“Mac’s a young guy, limited college background in what he’s been exposed to from a football standpoint,” Fangio said. “He’s learning. He’s got a long way to go to be a regular player in this league, but we like his potential.”
