The Denver Broncos returned to the fields at UCHealth Center Friday. For many, it was the first day of practice with the storied franchise. Rookies joined some second-year members of the team on the field and head coach Gary Kubiak had a message for them as they went through light exercises and workouts.
“Really I just kind of want them to really know what it means to be a Bronco when they leave,” Kubiak said Friday afternoon. “I just hope they get a feel for being around this building, understanding how we want them going about their business, deal with you guys, understand who they are in this town. When they walk in the locker room Monday I want them to be as comfortable as they can because that is a big shock for them. So, a little bit of football, a lot about life for a couple of days.”
The Broncos will continue with two more days of rookie camp and then they will reconvene with the entire team at minicamp later next week. After practicing, the members of the rookie minicamp continued with a lifting session but three of the Broncos 2016 draftees, quarterback Paxton Lynch, offensive lineman Connor McGovern and safety Justin Simmons spoke to the media on the adjustment to life as a professional football player.
“It’s winning tradition. It’s carrying yourself with class, high-character and most importantly, Coach Kubiak hits it hard, carrying yourself as a professional,” Simmons said of the day one message from the staff. “It means a lot and it really makes you want to carry yourself the right way and have the right mindset when you’re in the facility and even out off the field as well.”
Kubiak spoke Friday at length about how important this first practice is for the youth of the team and emphasized its purpose of preparing them for training camp in late July.
“The great thing now with these young players is we basically, through OTAs and stuff, get training camp before you ever get to training camp,” he said.
The players took part in position drills and walkthroughs with little in the way of contact with each other. The first-round pick, Lynch said he threw “decent” while under the watchful eye of Kubiak and described his day.
“Obviously, it is a whole new offense, it’s an NFL offense so there are going to be struggles with everybody,” he told. “But I knew what was going on. I don’t think I was picking it up as fast as I should have. It feels good to come out here and get reps under your belt and see what it feels like to go through the cadence, and call the play and take your drop.”
McGovern, the Broncos fifth-round pick, is slated to play inside at guard or center for the Broncos and will likely push the other young members of the interior offensive line for playing time. On day one, he had a simple approach to staying focused on his new team’s schemes.
“You just focus on one play at a time,” McGovern declared. “They tell you that a lot here, they told us that in college. If you can’t focus on the now you are going to keep messing up. It doesn’t matter what happened or what is about to happen, just focus on that one play, push everything out and then refocus for the next play.”
Simmons, the team’s third-round selection, was also relieved to hit the playing field after the long draft process. He was drafted to play a versatile role at mostly free safety and will compete immediately for a backup role as well as for playing time in nickel formations.
“Man, finally, “he said in between long sighs. “It is definitely a lot better to get back out here and have Xs and Os and working through your defensive schemes and things like that.”
The Broncos introduced its newest members to what goes into preparing like a professional, playing like a champion on the field and acting like one off of it. For Kubiak, it is very necessary and just the beginning.
“It’s extremely important because it is quality time for us,” he said emphatically. “In this camp last year, we had Bennie [Fowler] in this camp, Matt Paradis was in this camp, Shaq [Barrett] was in this camp, so somebody is coming out of this camp that is going to help our football team this year too. I don’t know who it is going to be but there will be some surprises out of this group.”
The rookies will take back to the field tomorrow morning and Devontae Booker, who was absent today as he attended his commencement from the University of Utah, is expected to be back with the team.
