Everything we learned from Sean Payton, Quinn Meinerz and Brandon Jones at the Denver Broncos' pre-training camp press conference

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Football season has arrived in Denver!

The Denver Broncos hosted a press conference on Tuesday, the day before the team takes the practice field for the first time in the buildup to the 2024 season. The first two practices—Wednesday and Thursday—are considered “acclimation” practices to ramp up to fans arriving on Friday for the start of training camp.

Head coach Sean Payton was followed by guard Quinn Meinerz and safety Brandon Jones at the podium.

Here’s what we learned…

Injury Report

This time of year, health is one of the most important storylines.

As of Tuesday, the Broncos appear to be fairly healthy.

Safeties Caden Sterns and Delarrin Turner-Yell will start the year on the physically unable to perform list. Turner-Yell tore his ACL in December. Sterns tore his patellar tendon in September.

Sterns would figure to be ahead of Turner-Yell in his recovery, but Payton gave a short answer when asked whether Sterns would return soon.

“We’ll see,” he said.

Linebacker Drew Sanders is also on the PUP list, having sustained a torn Achilles in March.

Undrafted rookie running back Blake Watson will begin camp on the non-football injury list. Mike Klis of 9News reported that he’s dealing with a “minor leg muscle tweak,” and there’s “no cause for concern.”

Otherwise, the injury news is good. Running back Audric Estimé is on track to return on Wednesday. Tight end Greg Dulcich is also expected back.

“The plan is he will practice beginning this week,” Payton said. “Hopefully, Greg can stay healthy, and we can go from there.”

Courtland Sutton will be in the building

Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton sat out optional workouts this spring before showing up for mandatory minicamp.

But, at the end of camp, Sutton said he still wanted a new contract and wouldn’t guarantee he would appear at training camp.

Payton was asked if he’s had talks with Sutton before camp.

“No, and there will not be any,” he said. “He will be here like we talked about and ready to go.”

Given the $50,000 per day fine for missing camp, Sutton’s attendance comes as no surprise.

The quarterbacks will compete

All three of the Broncos’ quarterbacks—Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson—are still in the mix for the starting job. They’ll rotate with the starters to open up camp.

“We’ll mix it up again,” Payton said. “Obviously, it won’t stay that way for the long term. As we get started, we will keep you posted. Eventually, we will settle into the routine we want.”

Payton isn’t going to rush the competition. He isn’t sure whether he’ll cut one of the three out at some point or jump straight to naming the starter.

“I’m not going to sit here and lay out, ‘Here’s how it goes,’ because I think the mistake made is deciding how it goes,” he said. “Organically, in my experience, we will see a rotation initially, and then we will move on from there.”

Click here for more on the Broncos’ quarterback situation.

Sean doesn’t care what people think

Las Vegas has set the Broncos’ win total at 5.5. They weighted the odds to suggest that the under is more likely than the over.

Sean Payton doesn’t care.

“If I spent time on that in 2006, we would have never gone to the NFC Championship Game,” he said.

Those New Orleans Saints were given a 7-win line by the bookies—slightly better than the current Broncos—but the point stands.

“I don’t have time to spend time on that, nor do I wish to spend time on that,” he said. “I understand they have a job to do and where we are selected. None of that means anything. It’s stuff to talk about when the media cycle is quiet. We will get ready to play. We expect to compete and expect to win.”

Payton was snippy during his media availability, taking issue with several reporters’ questions. The most notable reaction came when a reporter mentioned that tight end Lucas Krull might have been the Broncos’ best player this spring.

The OL leads the way

Sean Payton has invested in his offensive line—especially the interior—for his entire NFL tenure.

“I think it is the most important position group on your roster,” he said. “I think it permeates your building. I believe that, and it has served us well everywhere I have been.”

It came as no surprise that the Broncos gave guard Quinn Meinerz a four-year extension worth up to $20 million per year.

“There were so many things that we felt strongly about,” Payton said. “We are excited for him with his consistency and how he played at a position we value. It made sense for the player and the club.”

Meinerz, of course, is thrilled to have his future secured.

“We’re just trying to even comprehend what any of this even means,” he said.

He also likes having a coach who emphasizes linemen.

“If we win a game, it’s on us,” he said. “If we lose a game, it’s on us, and that’s the kind of mentality that we have. Whether it be in practice, individual period, team periods, one-on-ones, weight room, meetings, we know what’s at stake.”

The young guys will bring energy

The Broncos moved on from several high-profile veterans this offseason, paving the way for a youth movement.

“When you have a young team with a lot of veteran coaches, I think the hunger for us to learn and to mold as players to the system is really exciting and something that I’m continuing to look forward to,” Meinerz said.

While the Broncos may not be as experienced or savvy as some of their opponents, they should bring more energy to the table.

“The juice and energy that comes with youth and being younger,” safety Brandon Jones said. “Everybody is just super eager to learn. Everybody is just itching to get on the field tomorrow. It’s just really exciting to be here.”

Jones noticed the difference right when he arrived in Denver as a free agent from the Miami Dolphins.

“I’m going 110 miles per hour every single play, all day, every day,” he said. “The fact that I was seeing D-linemen and everybody matching me, everybody meeting at the ball. Usually, that’s something—especially early on in OTAs—that’s something that the coaches have to instill in people and say, ‘Hey guys, everybody run to the ball.’ That didn’t even have to be brought up. We’re young, everybody is full of juice, full of energy and just super fun.”

A Surtain extension could come soon

With Meinerz locked up for the future, cornerback Pat Surtain II could be next.

“We will get to it when we want to,” Payton said.

Surtain became eligible for an extension this offseason, but the Broncos have no rush. Denver has him under contract on his rookie deal this year, under the fifth-year option in 2025 and can franchise tag him in 2026 and 2027.

Still, the Broncos could want to solidify Surtain’s future early.

Arguably the best cornerback in the league, Surtain’s deal will come in at the top of the cornerback market. In some ways, that should make negotiations simple. Five years and $125 million is probably a starting point.

“We would like to,” Payton said.

One more reinforcement

The Broncos selected defensive tackle Eyioma Uwazurike in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. After a slow start to his rookie season, Uwazurike flashed his potential late in the year.

But he missed all of last season thanks to a suspension for violating the league’s gambling policy.

Uwazurike is eligible for reinstatement on Wednesday. The team doesn’t know whether the NFL will approve Uwazurike’s return, but he’d add another high-upside option to the defensive line room.

“We want him back,” Payton said.