ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — It’s game week!
The Denver Broncos came back from their second off day on Monday for their 11th practice of training camp. They’ll continue practicing through Friday ahead of their first preseason game in Indianapolis against the Colts on Sunday.
The Broncos figure to have a couple of padded practices—they didn’t wear pads on Monday—at some point during the week. I’d put my money on Tuesday and Wednesday, and maybe Thursday, but that’s just a guess.
What we know for sure is that the Broncos are continuing their install through Thursday before turning their sights to the Colts on Friday.
Here’s what we learned at Monday’s practice…
Quarterback Scoreboard
Jarrett Stidham: A-
Jarrett Stidham didn’t let the ball hit the ground on Monday.
He started the day with a sharp seven-on-seven period. Michael Bandy caught a quick curl. David Sills caught a ball in the middle of the field for 13 yards. After not finding any options initially on 3rd & 5, Stidham rolled out and hit Hunter Kampmoyer on a scrambled drill.
Then, Stidham hit the big-gainer.
Sills came free up the sideline after Tremon Smith fell. Stidham hit Sills about 35 yards downfield and Sills walked into the end zone. The degree of difficulty was low, but credit to Stidham for finding the open receiver and taking advantage.
Stidham stayed sharp for the rest of practice. He found Troy Franklin on the sideline for 14 yards. He hit Greg Dulcich for a dozen yards.
He also found Michael Bandy, Blake Watson and Audric Estime on short passes. Estime had room to run for nearly 20 yards before contact.
Stidham’s efficiency is his calling card. On Monday, he rode that efficiency to one of his best practices of training camp.
Bo Nix: B+
Bo Nix‘s day didn’t start as sharply as Stidham’s, but it’s tough to blame him.
His first throw in seven-on-sevens was a beautiful touch pass to Javonte Williams on the sideline. Alex Singleton was in solid man-to-man coverage but Nix dropped the ball over Williams’ shoulder and into the running back’s hands… but Williams couldn’t hold onto the pass.
Nix hit Tim Patrick on a quick out. He hit Josh Reynolds on a curl that might have converted a 3rd & 5. He rolled out on 3rd & 10, but Lil’Jordan Humphrey couldn’t create enough space from Riley Moss to bring in the catch.
Nix fared better in team drills. He escaped a pocket that Thomas Incoom collapsed and connected with Humphrey on the sideline in a scramble drill. The play picked up 11 yards on 3rd & 5. He also covered a 3rd & 10 when he found Courtland Sutton in the middle of the field from 22 yards away. He picked up 15 yards on another ball to Sutton.
Zach Wilson: B
Zach Wilson had his best day of training camp, and for a second I wondered if he was going to spark questions about whether he can still win the starting job.
Wilson had two great throws in seven-on-sevens. The first was a bomb to Troy Franklin up the right sideline for a 50-yard touchdown. The rookie had gained a step on Damarri Mathis and Wilson hit him in stride. This was one of the best throws we’ve seen from any quarterback in a camp that has featured very few deep connections. Wilson backed that throw up with a clean throw to Jalen Virgil on a dig that easily converted a 3rd & 12.
But seven-on-seven drills don’t carry as much weight as team drills, where setting protections and navigating pressure increase the degree of difficulty.
Wilson threw a strike to Devaughn Vele on a slant. It hit Vele perfectly in stride.
But then Wilson tried a slant to Josh Reynolds on the other side of the field, and we saw a familiar mistake. Wilson was late seeing linebacker Levelle Bailey lurking in the middle of the field and had no choice but to leave the ball behind his receiver. Tremon Smith broke it up easily.
Wilson threw a ball too high to Vele on the sideline and took a couple of sacks.
There’s a lot to like from Wilson’s day, but he wasn’t able to capitalize on one of the hottest starts we’ve seen from a quarterback so far in camp.
GPAs
Average of daily grades.
Jarrett Stidham: 2.71 (B-)
Bo Nix: 2.58 (B-)
Zach Wilson: 2.04 (C)
Broncos waive Caden Sterns
The Broncos waived safety Caden Sterns Monday after failing to find a trade partner.
The move was a surprise. Sterns appeared to competing to be the top backup option at safety, with an outside chance of stealing a starting job.
But Sterns has missed much of the last two seasons with season-ending hip and knee injuries. The fifth-round pick only had one year remaining on his rookie contract.
My read is that two factors played into the decision to move on from Sterns.
- Injuries. Either the Broncos didn’t think Sterns was himself after the injuries, or they’d rather move on from him now than have the rug pulled out from under them when he became injured again.
- The Broncos like their depth at safety. JL Skinner is the first name that comes to mind but Devon Key is another name to watch. He’s had a great camp and his special teams value will help his case on cutdown day. If the Broncos don’t add an NFL-ready safety in the coming days, it’s a sign that they think Key can be important depth this season.
For more on Caden Sterns’ departure,
Eyioma Uwazurike is back
News broke that the NFL had reinstated Eyioma Uwazurike shortly after the Broncos took the field, and Uwazurike joined them.
The defensive tackle, drafted in the fourth round in 2022, was suspended last summer by the NFL for betting on NFL games during his rookie season. His suspension lasted just over one year. He takes the roster spot opened by Sterns’ departure.
“He was out a year and so our job now is to make sure that we’re slow to get him ready back because he’s missed quite a bit,” head coach Sean Payton said. “He’s big, he’s explosive and he’s strong. He’s got those traits to push the pocket and I think he’s young. We see him like he’s a [defensive] end candidate. He’ll play inside and we’re glad it’s worked out for him.”
Uwazurike’s path back to the field might be slow. He passed an “extensive physical” and will slowly integrate into team work. The Broncos don’t know when he’ll be ready to participate in a preseason game, but all signs are pointing toward him missing at least the first one.
Uwazurike will probably face an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster, but he is a prime candidate for the practice squad.
One-on-Ones
The Broncos held a round of one-on-ones between the wide receivers and cornerbacks on Monday. They started at the 20-yard line but moved to the 5-yard line about halfway through.
- Pat Surtain II ran Josh Reynolds out of bounds on a fade. He had no chance to make a play on the ball. Brandon Johnson tried a back-pylon fade against Surtain and the cornerback broke it up.
- Courtland Sutton caught a back shoulder ball against Damarri Mathis. From the five-yard line, Sutton tried to bring in a jump ball over Mathis, but Mathis won the battle. Then Sutton tried a quick out against Mathis and the cornerback broke it up.
- Reese Taylor picked off a post against Phillip Dorsett. Then Taylor broke up an out route in the end zone.
- Marvin Mims caught a deep ball for a touchdown.
- Devaughn Vele caught a fade over Quinton Newsome. The next fade was a jump ball that Vele and Newsome wrestled for. Newsome came up with the interception. Newsome also broke up a fade to Lil’Jordan Humphrey.
- Lil’Jordan Humphrey fought through tight coverage from Kris Abrams-Draine to get a hand on a fade, but he couldn’t reel it in. Then Abrams-Draine broke up a pass to Humphrey in the end zone. Sills has the next try against the rookie cornerback, but Abrams-Draine broke that pass up, too.
- Tim Patrick caught a dig against Ja’Quan McMillian, and Jalen Virgil caught a goal-line slant against him. McMillian won his final rep when Michael Bandy lost his footing.
- Brandon Johnson caught a slant against Riley Moss. Troy Franklin beat him with an out at the goal line. Josh Reynolds beat him with a corner route.
- David Sills caught two slants against Art Green, one of them at the goal line.
- Phillip Dorsett caught a comeback and two slants against Tremon Smith.
Notes
- Mike McGlinchey‘s wife had a baby, so he missed practice. He is expected back on Tuesday.
- The Broncos tried out three linebackers on Monday: K.J. Cloyd of Miami, Alec Mock of Air Force and Abraham Beauplan of Oklahoma.
Click here for our updated 53-man roster projection.
Check out our Day 10 notes here.
Check out our Day 9 notes here.
Check out our Day 8 notes here.
Check out our Day 7 notes here.
Check out our Day 6 notes here.
Check out our Day 5 notes here.
Check out our Day 4 notes here.
Check out our Day 3 notes here.
