QB Scoreboard: Bo Nix shines once again on Day 8 of Denver Broncos Training Camp

ENGLEWOOD Colo. — The Denver Broncos got a break on Thursday.

“With today’s practice we weren’t in pads, so we weren’t on the field as long,” head coach Sean Payton said. “I thought it was good work. There was a red zone emphasis of course to what we did. Overall I was pleased. I thought it was fairly crisp.”

The red zone emphasis was very obvious, as that’s where the vast majority of the team’s work came.

The Broncos will be back in pads on Friday, before changing things up on Saturday for the last practice of the week.

“Saturday we’re going to have a little bit more of a different type of practice,” Payton said. “It’s not going to be a scrimmage, but there are going to be like three phases, special teams mixed in, move the ball if you will. We haven’t met on that relative to the reps and the rotation.”

QB Scoreboard

Bo Nix: A-

Don’t look now, but Bo Nix has strung together a couple of good days.

The first-rounder kept the ball off the ground in three sessions of team drills.

In third-down drills, Nix hit Javonte Williams in the backfield with room to run for a first down. He hit Brandon Johnson on an out for a first down. He hit Michael Bandy 20 yards down the middle of the field for another.

He hit Nate Adkins for 10 yards and a first down. He hit Tyler Badie for six yards and a first down.

His touchdown came on a lobbed ball to Devaughn Vele in the back of the end zone over Quinton Newsome.

Nix’s seven-on-sevens weren’t as sharp, but that might not be his fault. Blake Watson wasn’t able to bring in a low pass. Troy Franklin wasn’t able to bring in an over-the-shoulder ball in the end zone on a beautiful double move.

Nix might have had his best day as a Bronco on Thursday. If not, his best day might have been yesterday.

The rookie is trending up.

Jarrett Stidham: C+

Stidham returned to the starting lineup on Thursday, leaving Nix as the likely starter on Friday.

Stidham hit Tim Patrick and Lil’Jordan Humphrey near the sticks on third-down drills and either throw might have moved the chains. He found other short completions to Michael Bandy and Marvin Mims. He also hit Tim Patrick in the back of the end zone from five yards out thanks to a defensive miscommunication.

Stidham threw a risky ball in seven-on-sevens that Caden Sterns knocked up into the air. None of his teammates were able to get under it. Another seven-on-seven throw to Lil’Jordan Humprey was knocked away by Ja’Quan McMillian.

Zach Wilson: C-

Wilson caught some tough breaks.

He tried to float a ball to Greg Dulcich in the end zone from 20 yards out. Jonah Elliss trailed the tight end but put his arms up and lucked into a pass breakup.

Wilson threw a deep ball to Jalen Virgil up the seam past Kris Abrams-Draine, but Virgil was only able to get one hand on it and couldn’t reel it in.

Wilson made some solid throws but they were mostly underneath. He was the only quarterback without a touchdown.

GPAs
Average of daily grades.

Jarrett Stidham: 2.63 (B-)
Bo Nix: 2.27 (C+)
Zach Wilson: 1.88 (C)

One-on-ones

The Broncos held a long session of one-on-ones. The tight ends took on the safeties on one half of the field. The wide receivers faced off against the cornerbacks on the other. The receivers and corners moved close to the goal line for the second half of the drill.

• Tim Patrick beat Pat Surtain II in the end zone on an out route.
  
  
• Damarri Mathis swatted a ball away from Michael Bandy on an out route. Then he batted a ball intended for Troy Franklin… which bounced up into the air and Franklin caught it in the end zone. Jalen Virgil beat Mathis on an out route later on.
  
  
• Ja’Quan McMillian swatted a ball intended for Devaughn Vele on a fade. McMillian was also called for a pass interference on a quick slant at the goal line. Vele scored on Quinton Newsome with a goal-line slant.
  
  
• Greg Dulcich caught a pass against Jonathon Cooper, then he beat PJ Locke deep. Omar Brown picked off a deep ball to Dulcich.
  
  
• Levi Wallace forced an incompletion to Josh Reynolds on a post-corner.
  
  
• Lucas Krull beat JL Skinner on an out route. Then he broke Jonah Elliss’ ankles on another out. He drew a pass interference call against Omar Brown. Krull couldn’t bring in a contested dig through tight coverage from JL Skinner. Skinner went on to drop an interception after reading a Nate Adkins route perfectly.
  
  
• Marvin Mims caught a slant against Reese Taylor. Taylor was in good coverage. Then Mims beat Keidron Smith on a slant.
  
  
• Jonah Elliss broke up a pass intended for Thomas Yassmin. Yassmin later caught a post past Tanner McCalister. McCalister got him back on a dig on their next rep. Devon Key read Yassmin’s next route but dropped the interception.
  
  
• Tremon Smith broke up an out route to Phillip Dorsett. Dorsett beat Smith on a slant on the next matchup.
  
  
• Devon Key broke up a ball intended for Adam Trautman. Trautman went on to burn Jonah Elliss deep.
  
  
• Lil’Jordan Humphrey caught a fade in the end zone past Art Green, then he beat him again on an out route. Riley Moss broke up another end zone fade to Humphrey. David Sills made a tricky catch to beat Moss on a corner route in the end zone.
  
  
• Keidron Smith prevented a Brandon Johnson catch. Troy Franklin beat Smith on a slant.
  
  
• Brandon Johnson caught a jump ball in the corner of the end zone against Kris Abrams-Draine.
  
  

Blake Watson makes his debut

The Broncos’ prized undrafted free agent finally made his training camp debut after spending the first week on the non-football injury list with a leg tweak.

He had a tough day.

Blake Watson dropped an out route that was a little too far out in front of him.

A few plays later, he dropped a low ball on an out.

While Watson was able to get both hands on both passes, I thought he cheated on the routes. He slowed up on the first when the quarterback was leading him to the sideline. He leaked upfield on the second.

With only one look at the play and no replays, I can’t say for sure, but it looked like a lesson for the young running back.

Watson was ranked third among all undrafted rookies in guaranteed money this year. He got the most of any running back. He earned it by being one of two FBS running backs to catch at least 50 passes last season.

The Memphis product still has plenty of opportunities to earn a spot on the roster, but he can’t afford another double-drop day like Thursday.

Wil Lutz shines

The Broncos held their third session of field goal drills on Thursday, and it was the best by far.

Not only was Wil Lutz perfect, he hit a bomb.

The final kick of the drill was a 66-yarder. Lutz nailed dead down the center and had room to spare. I think it would have been good from 70, but probably no more than that.

Notes

• The Broncos placed Quinn Bailey on injured reserve with a broken fibula and dislocated ankle. They replaced him on the roster with Colorado State alum, Oliver Jervis. The undrafted rookie played left tackle last season.
  
  
• Cody Barton made a big tackle for loss on a run to the boundary.
  
  
• Reese Taylor got a sack on a great blitz from the slot.
  
  
• Durell Nchami continued his hot streak with a pair of sacks. Dondrea Tillman also had a sack.
  
  
• Lucas Krull made a good block in space to set up a first down for Javonte Williams on a swing pass. Krull’s blocking has been surprisingly good in camp.
  
  
• Audric Estime had a pair of very good runs. One might have been a 20-yard touchdown… if he could break a tackle from a defensive back.
  
  
• Eyioma Uwazurike had his meeting with the NFL and appears to be nearing a return. Payton: “We fully anticipate him now joining us as soon as possible. We’re waiting on the league.”
  
  

Check out our Day 7 notes here.

Check out our Day 6 notes here.

Check out our Day 5 notes here.

Check out our Day 4 notes here.

Check out our Day 3 notes here.

Check out our Day 2 notes here.

Check out our Day 1 notes here.