Training Camp Takes: Jerry Jeudy brings the heat

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Was the smoke lingering above the Broncos’ practice fields at UCHealth Training Center from wildfires or from the sharp cuts made by first-round pick Jerry Jeudy?

At times, it was hard to tell.

“He did some great things today,” safety Kareem Jackson said.

That quick assessment from Jeudy’s fellow Alabama Crimson Tide product undersells the degree to which the Broncos’ first-round pick diced up the second-team secondary throughout the Broncos’ first training-camp practice.

Jeudy’s first burst came during the seven-on-seven period, when he ran a route to the left side, cut and broke back to gain separation for a solid 8-yard gain. One period later, a sharp cut on a slant allowed him to gain separation, and he caught the pass in stride past the defense for a gain of at least 25 yards in game conditions.

Backup quarterback Jeff Driskel did a nice job placing the ball where Jeudy could get it, allowing him to pluck the ball down — and on multiple occasions, downfield and in stride. But it was Jeudy’s precise cuts that allowed him to gain separation time and again.

It was everything that Jeudy showed in the hype videos posted to his social-media account. It was all that Jeudy showed on film at Alabama.

Yes, Jeudy’s work Friay came against defensive backs who are fighting to be the third, fourth and fifth cornerbacks. And yes, those corners lacked the safety help that Jackson and Justin Simmons provided the first-teamers.

But his ominous talent and explosiveness was all there — something Jackson saw time and again when watching his alma mater in recent years.

How difficult would it to be cover Jeudy?

“I think it would be very difficult, because he has this unorthodox way of running routes,” Jackson said. “We were kind of talking about it today; he can get in and out of his breaks better than anyone I’ve seen before.”

Think about that for a moment. Jackson played in a division with T.Y. Hilton. He saw DeAndre Hopkins every day in practice when the two were teammates in Houston. He’s been around the NFL for a decade, studying film of every receiver in the league.

And Jackson thinks Jeudy comes out of his breaks better than all of them.

“His tempo on his routes, the way he can change pace, the way he sells things, it’s very rare,” Jackson said.

Jeudy’s dominance continued after he caught the ball. Following one reception, he juked linebacker Josey Jewell, leaving the third-year linebacker grasping as Jeudy turned upfield.

Broncos coach Vic Fangio isn’t known for lavish praise. But he had plenty of kind words for Jeudy.

“He’s got good polish as receivers go — comparing him to other rookie receivers coming out of college — and runs good routes,” Fangio said. “He’s got good change of direction, good hands, and it was nice to see him make a couple of plays today.”

Nice indeed.

PICKIN’ IT

Perhaps the most disappointing statistic for Denver’s defense last year was its interception total. It finished with 10 picks, more than just four teams. That was the Broncos’ lowest single-season tally since 2011.

Four interceptions during Friday morning’s practice was a good place to start.

“It’s one of the things that we preach,” Jackson said. “We didn’t do a great job at creating turnovers last year, so we’re definitely putting a lot of emphasis on getting the ball and creating some more opportunities for our offense with the weapons that those guys have.”

Linebacker Alexander Johnson began the day with a 7-on-7 interception of Drew Lock, who zeroed in on Courtland Sutton to the right side. Johnson jumped the route and picked off the pass. Cornerback Bryce Callahan was next up in the following team period, capitalizing when Sutton slipped slightly as he made a cut to pick off Lock.

Callahan “had a good day,” Fangio said.

“His foot feels fine,” Fangio added. He’s confident and ready to go.”

Trey Marshall and rookie Michael Ojemudia had the other two interceptions. Marshall grabbed a Driskel pass that bounced off K.J. Hamler’s hands. Ojemudia concluded the day by intercepting Driskel, who looked for Jeudy down the middle but misfired. Ojemudia did a good job tracking the football and reeling it in.

ROOKIES WAITING THEIR TURN

The fact that Driskel was the triggerman on Jeudy’s receptions was notable. While Jeudy did receive a handful of first-team repetitions, he and the other members of the Broncos’ rookie class will have to earn first-team status over time.

Hamler worked with the backups. So did third-round pick Lloyd Cushenberry, who anchored the No. 2 offensive line while Austin Schlottmann handled snapping chores with Lock and the first unit. Cushenberry’s fellow third rounders, cornerback Michael Ojemudia and defensive end McTelvin Agim, also worked with the reserves, although Agim did see some brief work on a line combination with veteran Jurrell Casey.

PLAY OF THE DAY

While Jeudy’s overall body of work stole the show, Hamler’s diving grab near the right sideline was the moment that would have left the crowd roaring if this were a normal training camp with fans gathered on the grassy knoll.

Cornerback Duke Dawson ran step-for-step with Hamler, which meant that Driskel had to lead Hamler to give the second-round pick a shot at making the catch. His dive and reception was good for what would have been approximately a 30-yard gain in game conditions.

DNVR STOCK REPORT

TRENDING UP:

• Jerry Jeudy: See above.
• Austin Schlottmann: Don’t be surprised if he ends up as the starting center when the season begins. Schlottmann looked smooth and quick working as the pivot with Graham Glasgow and Dalton Risner flanking him. During one play early in practice, he did a good job blocking DeMarcus Walker, allowing Lock to get a pass away to Sutton.
• Jake Butt: The injury to Fort and the Broncos’ continued hopes for Butt led to a solid amount of snaps. He caught a pass from Lock in the left flat during the initial team period of practice, although it must be noted that the would have likely been a sack in game conditions, since Von Miller blew past right tackle Jake Rodgers.
• Jurrell Casey: He dismantled some run plays with quick penetration and had pressure that forced Lock into a throw that Shelby Harris batted down at the line of scrimmage.
• The Lock-to-Sutton combination: Lock’s first two completions were to Sutton, and he targeted him frequently during the session. The chemistry they displayed late last year appears to be carrying over to the new decade.

TRENDING DOWN:

• Royce Freeman: It’s not that Freeman struggled when he got the opportunity, but he appears to be a clear No. 3 option behind Phillip Lindsay and Melvin Gordon.
• Fred Brown and Juwann Winfree: The path for both to make the roster will be on special teams, but the two receivers combined for just one catch during team and seven-on-seven periods — by Freeman from Brett Rypien.

INJURY AND AVAILABILITY NOTES

• Outside linebacker Bradley Chubb continues to work his way back to full health, but he did see some team-period repetitions, working with a brace on the knee in which he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in Week 4 last year. “He was able to take part in some of the earlier work,” Fangio said. “He’s progressing fine [and] looks good. We’re expecting him to be totally healed and ready to go from his injury. [I] like where he’s at physically and mentally.”
• Right tackle Demar Dotson was on hand for practice, but did not see any team-period repetitions as he eases his way up to a full workload. Rodgers and Elijah Wilkinson split the first-team repetitions at the position.
• Tight end Austin Fort “tweaked his knee,” per Fangio, and did not practice. According to a report from KUSA-Ch. 9’s Mike Klis, Fort underwent arthroscopic surgery on his knee. “You won’t see him out there the next couple weeks — at least,” Fangio said. Fort is trying to come back from a torn ACL suffered in a preseason loss at Seattle last August.
• Fullback/tight end Andrew Beck remains on the COVID-19 reserve list, but Fangio said that the versatile second-year player is back in the team facility.

OTHER OBSERVATIONS

• Both Lindsay and Gordon saw repetitions with the first and second team. Gordon’s decisive cuts and authoritative burst to holes led to a handful of solid gallops downfield, while Lindsay looked more confident and productive as a receiving target than he did last year.
• One of Lindsay’s best runs came one snap before the final play of practice, when he burst into the open field for a gain that would have been for double-digit yardage in game conditions. Left tackle Calvin Anderson sealed one side to spring Lindsay, earning audible praise from the coaches.
• Josh Watson is one of the slew of young inside linebackers fighting for a roster spot behind starters Alexander Johnson and Todd Davis, and he worked his way into the notebook by showing good anticipation to break up a short pass from Rypien in the seven-on-seven period.
• That seven-on-seven segment was a rough one for rookie running back LeVante Bellamy, who dropped two passes. One was understandable, as Driskel’s attempt was low in the left flat, forcing Bellamy to turn and lunge for it. Had Bellamy caught it, the play would have result in a loss of yardage. But three snaps later, Bellamy dropped a pass from Rypien in the open field. But Bellamy did have a brighter moment later during a team period, bursting through a hole for what would have been at least a 7-yard gain in game conditions. Bellamy did a nice job of making himself compact and covering the football as he surged through the hole, displaying good ball-security fundamentals and a nice explosive burst on the play.
• Justin Hollins worked at outside linebacker and had a rush off the left edge that would have been a hit and a potential sack in game conditions, exploding past rookie Hunter Watts to get to Rypien.