Gary Kubiak's new take on Denver Broncos minicamp is intelligent

Denver Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak is wise beyond his years.

On Monday, the first day of Broncos mandatory minicamp, Kubiak cut off his veterans, sending them away from the practice field and into the weight lifting room. The removal of those reps from the vets – the men who’ve made a living in the NFL for years – means additional practice reps for rookies and their fellow youngsters.

It also means getting the most valuable players off the field, where they run the risk of injury. A devastating injury in June is a tough pill to swallow, and the Broncos know well how it can all play out after losing Ryan Clady as well as rookie Jeff Heuerman only weeks ago.

“When we get to camp I want to feel like everyone’s on the same page mentally and physically and they can go compete,” said Kubiak on the importance of getting young guys reps now. “And obviously that group of guys we sent in to lift about 45 minutes ago, obviously they’re ahead. They’ve been doing it for a long time, so [we’re] just trying to catch everybody up. They’re doing a good job. They really are.”

The intelligence of this style of practicing is multifaceted, the kind of leadership Denver needs if they want to realize winning a Super Bowl in the twilight of Peyton Manning’s career.

In the NFL, it’s “win or go home,” both in the playoffs for teams as well as for coaches. The league is results-oriented, just ask John Fox, who was fired after winning four straight AFC West titles and seeing the team to Super Bowl XLVIII.

When John Elway said his Broncos are “Chasing Lombardi” in 2013, he meant it. Pat Bowlen’s “Super Bowl or bust” goals have never changed, Elway’s just tweaked the words which represent their burning desire to be the best in the world at what they do.

So, how can Kubiak get the most out of his team, when Fox was unable to?

Create competition in practice, build depth behind the stars, connect with his players quickly while mixing things up.

By sending the veterans into the workout room early, Kubiak is sending multiple messages. First and foremost, he’s in charge. Vets are falling in line behind the staunch leadership of Kubiak, which will be important as the season grinds on. And that mixing up of practice is positive, it keeps the vets guessing what will happen on any given day. Monotony can rule in minicamp, and too much routine is a bad thing for football players, who have to be able to adapt on the fly during the chaos of competition.

He’s also showing the young players he wants to work directly with them, teaching them how to play in his offense while Wade Phillips schools them on the defensive side. This is first-hand knowledge gained from two of the most gifted and experienced coaches in the NFL today. Finally, “Kubee” is telling those young guys they have a shot at not only making the roster, but earning starting spots. At left tackle, Ty Sambrailo and Michael Schofield battle to start and the value of the reps they’re getting in practice now will pay dividends in the regular season.

Denver will be stronger, deeper and better prepared for the grueling grind of the NFL season thanks to Kubiak’s leadership now, in June.