If the Broncos focus on their core competencies, their offense can succeed

It’s practice. It’s just practice.

But it’s also true that the Broncos’ offense trended towards clunkiness last week, beset by issues of execution, timing and cohesion, leading to miscues and turnovers aplenty.

In any year, you would expect all of these attributes from an offense with a young quarterback, the potential for five rookie or second-year starters and a fifth offensive coordinator in as many seasons.

Remove OTAs from the equation? You have an offense that will still be deep in the process of determining what it can do best.

“I think the coaches, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator — they’re trying to figure out what works and what doesn’t work,” wide receiver Courtland Sutton said. “Not having OTAs didn’t just hurt us as the players, but I’m pretty sure it hurt them as well. They weren’t able to see the personnel in their system running those routes — being able to try and figure out what works and what doesn’t work.”

What should work best early focuses on the reliable, proven components of the offense.

Phillip Lindsay and Melvin Gordon should be effective at capitalizing on holes when they flash open, particularly up the middle, where the Dalton Risner-Lloyd Cushenberry-Graham Glasgow trip already shows signs of proficiency, pulling to blast open creases on a regular basis during practice.

Gordon and Noah Fant’s catch-and-run abilities in the flat should set the Broncos up for success on screen and swing passes.

Sutton’s vertical threat can take the top off of a defense — especially when a safety can be drawn away in play-action to account for the two Pro Bowlers in the backfield.

It’s not a complete attack, but when you pair this with a defense that should be among the league’s best, you have a mix that should allow the Broncos to at least keep the team in contention while the offense develops and adds tools to its chest.

Focusing on the core competencies will likely define the Broncos’ game plans. It’s not a “simplified” playbook, as Sutton noted, but it’s focused on strengths.

“Things get not so much more simplified, but it’s less once the season rolls around because it isn’t the entire playbook,” he said. The coaches know the plays that we want to work on for Tennessee, and we go in and we master those reps so when Sunday or Monday rolls around, we can go out and perform those specific plays the best we possibly can.”

So, the Broncos offense likely will not be about being able to do everything. But what it can do best might be good enough while the unit continues to evolve.