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QB Scoreboard: Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos quarterbacks take a step back on blitz-heavy Day 13 of training camp

August 7, 2024

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Wednesday was blitz day at Denver Broncos Training Camp.

The Broncos continued their installation of their third-down offense and defenses. That means Denver’s quarterbacks needed to read blitz packages and adjust their protections to what they saw.

The primary defensive package was what head coach Sean Payton called a “split-mug pressure look.” It’s also known as a double A-gap front. Essentially, the middle linebackers align on the line of scrimmage along with the four defensive linemen. That creates six potential rushers, along with potential blitzes from defensive backs.

“It’s really good to see, get that practice,” quarterback Jarrett Stidham said of the blitzes. “Our whole walkthrough was pressure looks and stuff like that. It’s really good to get that practice because at whatever point in the year that a team does do that stuff, we’ve been introduced to that sort of blitz packages, and protection systems and stuff.”

Zach Wilson agreed.

“I think it’s great,” Wilson said. “There’s a little bit of, “‘What’s going on up front?’ and then you kind of get to diagnose it. Then make the best decision for the team. Is it good to check out of something here [and] get us into something where I can get the ball out of my hands quick? Or do I feel like I know what pressure’s coming and I can make a protection call and keep the play on? I think it’s a great challenge absolutely. I feel like when you nail it and you make the right call, it’s the best feeling. There’s nothing better than the defense throwing something crazy at you and you make the right play.”

The Broncos wore pads for a second consecutive practice on Wednesday. We don’t yet know if they’ll wear pads on Thursday, but they likely won’t wear pads on Friday when they turn their sites to the Indianapolis Colts ahead of their first preseason game on Sunday.

Quarterback Scoreboard

The final period of practice—the third of three team periods—was a two-minute drill.

The offense had the ball at the defense’s 37-yard line with 51 seconds left in the game. The defense led 26-20, so the offense needed a touchdown. The offense and defense both had a timeout.

Jarrett Stidham: B-

Jarrett Stidham’s two-minute drill started hot.

He hit Devaughn Vele in the middle of the field for a 21-yard gain. But the offense didn’t call timeout and the clock ran.

The offense rushed to the line of scrimmage and snapped the ball. Stidham lobbed a high throw to the boundary toward Thomas Yassmin, but it felt like a throw away as much as an attempt at a completion.

With 28 seconds left, the Broncos tried a screen to Blake Watson, but it was bottled up for a loss of three yards. The offense called its timeout.

Now stuck with a 3rd & 13 and facing a time crunch, Stidham tried for Vele again but Kris Abrams-Draine was in good enough position to prevent a completion.

On 4th & 13, Stidham tried for Vele once again. This time, Vele ran up the left sideline to the end zone but wasn’t able to create separation from Damarri Mathis. But Mathis kept fighting while the ball was in the air and was called for pass interference. The physicality was probably unnecessary.

After the penalty, the Broncos’ staff spotted the ball at the 10-yard line instead of the one-yard line. This wasn’t a mistake, Payton said the coaches did that intentionally but did not provide a reason.

With a 1st & Goal from the 10-yard line, Stidham rifled a tight-window slant to the goal line, but Abrams-Draine was in tight coverage and the ball ricocheted into the air. Levelle Bailey got under it and caught the interception.

During his other team periods, Stidham mostly hit short passes. At least one was short of the sticks on a 3rd down. He also had a couple of bigger gains on throws to Michael Bandy for at least 10 yards and David Sills on a crossing route for 20.

Zach Wilson: C+

Zach Wilson’s two-minute drill started with short passes to Hunter Kampmoyer and Troy Franklin. Neither got out of bounds and the offense was forced to call its timeout.

With 26 seconds left and 27 yards to go, Wilson dropped back and was enveloped by a collapsing pocket. Some combination of Matt Henningsen, Elijah Garcia and Durell Nchami would have been credited for the sack.

But the clock runs after a sack, so Wilson had to spike the ball.

The Broncos were stuck at the 29-yard line with nine seconds left. It was 3rd & 12. The timeout was gone.

Wilson dropped back and threw a perfect ball to Troy Franklin on a deep corner route in the back of the end zone. The coaches decided Franklin got both feet down in bounds. I’m not so sure. But they called it a game-winning touchdowns (assuming the Broncos hit the extra point) with one second left on the clock.

I wouldn’t call Wilson’s work “teach tape,” but it got the job done.

In seven-on-sevens, Wilson’s first two passes were late.

In the earlier team drills, Wilson only hit short throws.

Bo Nix: C+

Bo Nix hit Lil’Jordan Humphrey and Jaleel McLaughlin on short throws to get the drive started. They picked up 11 yards but cost a timeout.

With 29 seconds on the clock and the ball at the 26, Nix rolled out of the pocket and ran out of bounds… two yards behind the line of scrimmage. He should have thrown the ball away.

Now facing a 2nd & 12, Nix made up for his mistake. He hit Lucas Krull on the sideline for a 15-yard gain.

Now 13 yards from the goal line, Nix had time for three plays.

First, he threw a jump ball for Courtland Sutton in the end zone past Pat Surtain II. Sutton wasn’t able to make a play on the ball. It looked like the receiver expected a throw to the back pylon but was given a ball a couple of steps into the end zone.

With 11 seconds left, Nix tried for Sutton again. This time Sutton was working against Riley Moss. The veteran receiver gained a half-step of separation on a dig, but the Nix and Sutton were on different pages again. Nix delivered a ball to the point of the break. Sutton didn’t look for a ball until he was a step past his break. The pass fell incomplete behind the receiver.

With five seconds left, Nix had one last chance. He tried for Humphrey on an in-breaking route in the end zone, but wasn’t able to complete the pass. For what it’s worth, Jonathon Cooper was rushing the edge and looked like he could reach out past his blocker and get a hand on Nix’s arm before he threw. Obviously, defenders aren’t allowed to hit the quarterback, so we’ll never know if Cooper would have disrupted the pass. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a strip-sack. And Cooper has had several similar plays during camp.

Nix was sharp in seven-on-sevens. He found Josh Reynolds in the middle of the field for 10 yards and Greg Dulcich for 25 yards on the sideline.

During team drills, Nix hit Vele for a 20-yard gain on a short throw off of play-action. He also hit Michael Bandy in the feet on a throw to the flat.

GPAs
Average of daily grades.

Jarrett Stidham: 2.71 (B-)
Bo Nix: 2.59 (B-)
Zach Wilson: 2.00 (C)

Levelle Bailey is a stud

I’ve written about undrafted linebacker Levelle Bailey a handful of times. He keeps making plays.

On Wednesday he had a third-down sack of Jarrett Stidham on a blitz up the middle and he picked off a pass to end Stidham’s two-minute drill. It should have been his second interception in two days after he jumped an out route on Tuesday but couldn’t hold onto the ball.

Bailey is making plays daily. I wrote in my most recent 53-man roster prediction that he looks like a roster lock… as long as he doesn’t miss a tackle in the preseason.

Payton is looking for the same thing.

“Once we get to tackling, I’m anxious to see how he fares there because we liked him on his college film,” Payton said Wednesday.

Bailey’s speed and smarts are obvious, but at 225 pounds he might not be big enough to be an every-down linebacker in the NFL. We’ll start to get an answer on Sunday.

Notes

Former Broncos safety Justin Simmons visited the New Orleans Saints on Wednesday. He still hasn’t signed a contract.
Tim Patrick didn’t participate in Wednesday’s practice but he still wore full pads and took mental reps. He lined up behind a receiver on the field and pretended he was running the route.
Cornerback Art Green ripped a ball out of Blake Watson‘s hands on a toss. Defensive tackle Jordan Miller fell on the ball.
Running back Tyler Badie was helped off the practice field during special teams drills.
Levi Wallace and Brandon Jones sat out Wednesdays practice. Both are battling hamstring injuries. Payton didn’t provide an update. Based on the original timeline, Jones is due back in the near future.
Nik Bonitto has battled a back injury and missed practice Wednesday. Payton said he thinks Bonitto is close to a return but doesn’t have a firm update.
Safety Devon Key wasn’t at practice.
Nix said after practice that he feels more comfortable than at the start of camp. “I think the game has started to slow down a little bit. I’ve started to feel very comfortable with the base install. There are a lot more plays that I’m comfortable with than not, so that definitely helps. The more I see on defense the better it’s going to get for me I think moving forward.”
The Broncos will divide players into three waves for their preseason game against the Colts. The coaching staff will determine who fits into each wave during a meeting on Wednesday. The first wave—primarily comprised of the starters—will play 15-to-18 snaps, according to Payton.