What we learned at Broncos camp today: Final move-the-ball period tilts the scales on Day 12 of training camp

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos started Tuesday’s practice under the ownership of the Pat Bowlen Trust. Once they finished their grueling two-and-a-half hour practice, the team was owned by the Walton-Penner group.

But the mid-practice change of ownership didn’t impact Nathaniel Hackett’s squad.

Here’s what went down on Tuesday.

Who won the day: Offense

The first half of practice, Russell Wilson couldn’t miss. Saying that, he also didn’t have a completion longer than 10 yards down the field. Wilson’s approach early in practice was take what the defense was giving him.

Just like Monday, the defense was getting after Russ and forcing him to get rid of the ball quickly and scramble to avoid getting sacked. Malik Reed, Bradley Chubb and even Nik Bonitto got in Wilson’s face and could have potentially brought him down on a few of those.

Wilson’s first incompletion was on a miscommunication with Jerry Jeudy down the left sideline. Jeudy took off deep, then cut in. But Russ threw the ball deep as if No. 10 was going to keep running.

That was the final play of the Pat Bowlen era. Just after 11:30 AM MT.

Wilson started the Walton-Penner era the same way he started practice—with a short completion.

At the end of the period, however, Wilson threw a rare interception of camp. With Jeudy streaking down the right hash, Russ tossed up a moon ball roughly 60 yards down field. But Michael Ojemudia was out ahead of Jeudy and caught the pass in stride.

Two plays later, scrambling to his left, Wilson attempted to hit his receiver on the left sideline, but Pat Surtain flew in, dove, got both hands on it, but wasn’t able to hang on for the interception.

Surtain’s day was done after that as the team gave him the rest of practice off.

With no starting cornerbacks on the field for the rest of practice, Wilson and the offense began to pickup steam.

Wilson connected with Jeudy for a 40-yard gain on the right side of the field. In a game, Jerry could have had a chance to make a move in the open field and shake a defender for a touchdown. Wilson once again found Jeudy in the right flat for a short gain.

As practiced neared an end, the defense had the advantage over the offense on the big plays, but the offense had been efficient throughout much of practice.

The final move-the-ball period tipped the scales every so slightly.

This was the situation Nathaniel Hackett dialed up for the final period. There was 1:56 left in the first half. The two sides were tied 0-0. The offense had all three timeouts. And they had the ball on their own 32-yard line.

The first play, Russ tried to dart a pass to Jeudy on an inside slant route, but smothering coverage by Essang Bassey helped break up the pass. Then Wilson found Kendall Hinton over the middle for 12 and a first down.

Two more dump offs, followed by an incompletion, set the Broncos up on a 4th-and-1. Wilson was in the gun and, once again, found Hinton on a stick route for eight yards and the first down.

With eight second left, and the ball on the defense’s 42-yard line, Hackett declined to take the long field goal and instead go “aggressive,” as he said after practice. Wilson found Hinton on the left sideline for 11 yards, which was made possible by a beautiful catch from No. 9 (read below).

That left three seconds on the clock and the ball on the 31-yard line. Brandon McManus was sent out and he drilled the field goal to give the offense three points entering what would have been halftime.

In a game, Hackett very well might have punted the ball instead of going for it on 4th-and-1. If that was the case, the defense would have won the day. But since the offense was aggressive, which led to points on the board, they stole the day.

Play of the day

In the final move-the-ball period, the 6-foot, 195-receiver broke toward the sideline 10 yards downfield as Wilson released the ball. Hovering over the sideline, Hinton dove for the low pass, secured it and got both feet in before hitting the white paint.

Not only was Hinton’s catch incredibly impressive due to the degree of difficulty, it also came at the most important part of practice.

Without Hinton’s catch, McManus would have faced a 60-yard field goal to end the half. Instead, thanks to Hinton’s hands, it was less than 50.

Hinton came up clutch, not just with that catch, but with his three catches on the move-the-ball period.

Trending up

Pat Surtain — By giving the team jog-throughs once every three days, Hackett hasn’t been dishing out many veteran rest days. Despite that, Surtain was given half a rest day as a second year player. That shows how highly he’s viewed by the coaching staff.

Matt Henningsen — The rookie defensive lineman had an impressive practice for the second-straight day. On Tuesday, Henningsen blew up a run play behind the line of scrimmage, drawing loud cheers from his fellow lineman.

Injury report

• Ronald Darby has a chest contusion and is listed as day-to-day.
• Courtland Sutton did not practice in the team period because he “has a shoulder thing,” according to Hackett.
• Kareem Jackson had a rest day, or as Hackett called it once again, “Kareem, obviously, he’s old.”

Existing injuries

• K.J. Hamler, D.J. Jones, K’Waun Williams, Greg Dulcich and Eyioma Uwazurike practiced on the side field.
• Randy Gregory, Billy Turner and Tom Compton on the PUP.
• Both Tim Patrick and Damarea Crockett have been placed on the injured reserve after tearing their ACLs.
• Tyrie Cleveland missed practice after suffering a cartilage injury in his throat in the second week of camp.