Denver Broncos Training-Camp Takeaways: Trinity Benson keeps turning heads

Editor’s note: Welcome to 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. — Training camp officially ends Thursday, but the last traditional training-camp-style practice took place Wednesday. Thursday’s work is expected to look like Monday’s practice, with the No. 1 offense facing a scout-team defense, and vice versa.

The Broncos’ TB12

Two touchdowns on Saturday confirmed for game-day onlookers what has been evident in practice: Trinity Benson is becoming a legitimate force.

In his third training camp with the Broncos, his stock is up, and it’s remained on the ascension this week despite some clunky moments for the offense. Wednesday, he had the offensive play of the day, catching a deep touchdown pass down the seam from Bridgewater for the biggest splash play of the day.

Benson’s route-running has improved, and he continues to work on cobbling out a special-teams role — although when the Broncos went into a punt-protection period Wednesday, the players handling punt returns were Diontae Spencer and KJ Hamler. Hamler might be the No. 4 receiver, depending on the status of Tim Patrick. Tyrie Cleveland and Seth Williams are firmly in the mix to be the fifth and sixth pass-catchers.

“We’re deep at receiver, as you’ve seen out there,” Fangio said, “We’re going to have some hard cuts to make there.”

Thus, the best thing Benson can do Saturday is have another game like he did in Minnesota, when he caught touchdowns from both Bridgewater and Drew Lock.

“When you come [via] Trinity’s path, you’ve got to keep showing,” Fangio said. “If you slack off — and I don’t mean slack off effort-wise because I know he won’t — but if your play slacks off, you forget about what you saw last week.”

Jewell almost all the way back

Justin Strnad played well over the two weeks that he filled in for Josey Jewell, but on Monday, Jewell returned to the practice field after missing two weeks of work due to a groin injury.

He’s not all the way back, he acknowledged, but he has advanced enough to return to a normal workload.

“Yeah, I’m pretty close to 100 percent. I’d say probably 90 or something like that,” Jewell said. “[I] just don’t want to re-tweak it out there. [I’m] still taking it kind of slow and being careful with what I accelerate on because I don’t want to re-injure it. I feel pretty good. Just take it day-by-day and keep on getting better.”

Jewell’s return this week coincided with that of rookie Baron Browning, who came off the physically-unable-to-perform list Monday after missing all of training camp to that point due to a leg injury.

Will starters play in the preseason finale next week?

It’s possible, Fangio said.

“Yeah, I definitely think that some of the guys could play the third week,” he said, later adding that both Lock and Bridgewater could play in that Aug. 28 game agains the Los Angeles Rams, whether there is a quarterback decision before then or not.

Rams coach Sean McVay has already announced that his first-teamers will not play at all in the preseason. He opted for the same approach in 2019, the last preseason before this one.

DNVR Stock Report

Trending up

DE Dre’Mont Jones: Throughout training camp, just as much pressure has come from the interior as it has from the edge rushers, and Jones had multiple pressures throughout the day.

OLB Bradley Chubb: Two of his pressures could have been sacks under game conditions as he continued to consistently generate pressure, particularly on Bridgewater.

G Netane Muti: He continues to impress and display improved technique to go along with the power he has possessed since his days at Fresno State. In each of the past two days, Muti has rotated in with the first unit for at least one series at right guard.

Trending down

G Dalton Risner: Just as it was a dominant day for the defensive line, it was a rough day up front, and Risner allowed multiple pressures to Jones and McTelvin Agim.

Quote of the Day

“Drew is just a guy who is thirsty for knowledge. He’s thirsty to be one of the best quarterbacks in this league. When you have a guy like that who is thirsty—he’s been through some things early in his career. He’s had some different guys in and out of the room. You want that stability. For Drew, I think it’s good that he’s getting that stability. It’s the second year in this offense. That’s huge for his growth. You talk about stability and so many changes in this league. To have that stability, it gives you a sense of comfort. You see that now. We come out here and we practice and he’s having fun. We go in the meeting room and when we’re talking, he’s asking questions. We’re glad that he’s on our team.”” — Bridgewater, on what he’s learned about Lock that has surprised him

Injury and Availability

OLB Von Miller: After being excused from practice for two days because of the birth of his first child, Miller was back on the field Wednesday.

CB Pat Surtain II: A lower-leg injury suffered Tuesday kept him sidelined Wednesday. “He’s just got a little slight irritation in the lower leg,” Fangio said. “I think he’s OK, but we’re being precautious with him.”

OLB Malik Reed: An ankle injury kept him out for the day.

WR Tim Patrick: He remained sidelined due to a groin injury.

S Trey Marshall: He remained sidelined with an ankle injury suffered on the opening kickoff last Saturday in Minnesota. That is expected to keep him out for two weeks.

OLB Andre Mintze: The undrafted rookie suffered a concussion Saturday and remains in the league-mandated post-concussion protocol.

Name to Know

CB Kary Vincent Jr.: The seventh-round pick has shown flashes since making his training-camp debut after starting camp on the COVID-19 reserve list, but Fangio noted that the LSU product’s camp to date has been “up and down.” Said Fangio: “He’s had some good plays that make you happy and perk up and then he’s had some that deflate the bubble a little bit. I’ve been happy with him overall, but he’s got a long way to go.”