Broncos camp schedule is ‘brutal,’ but it works for them

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — At Denver Broncos training camp, the “Compete Street” road sign remains at the edge of the practice fields, although the “2023” address number displayed there last year has been removed.

But it’s a long way from the “Easy Street” of Nathaniel Hackett’s training camp two years ago. That was a great experiment — a camp without seven-on-seven drills and with one of every three days being reserved for a jog-through tempo.

To say it was a disaster was an understatement.

“Two years ago, we were 32nd [in the NFL] with 134 guys that missed a game because they were injured. One-hundred thirty-four,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said.

“Last year, I think we had 33. We were first in the league, I think you have to build callus.”

Which brings us to 2024. The Broncos are in their second camp under Payton. And their scrimmage-style work Saturday capped six-consecutive days of full-speed work, four of which came in full pads.

It can be described in one word — at least compared with other camps around the NFL: “brutal.” Now, those with memories of the past shrug and reflect on the two-a-days that were common around the NFL as recently as 2010. That year, of the 15 days of formal training-camp practice, the Broncos — then under Josh McDaniels — had two-a-days 10 times.

So, “brutal” is relative. But in today’s environment, the Broncos are pushing it as no one else appears to be doing.

“When you talk to guys around the league like, our schedule is probably the most — if you want to say, like — brutal with how many days in a row we go and how hard we practice,” said tight end Adam Trautman, using air quotes when he said “brutal” for emphasis.

#BroncosCamp under Sean Payton is different than other NFL camps — because in a key way, it's the most "brutal," according to Broncos TE Adam Trautman.

But Trautman — now in his fifth year with Payton — says that's "a great thing." pic.twitter.com/3XW6Vy9DeT

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) August 3, 2024

“And it’s a great thing,” Trautman continued. “Obviously, Sean’s had a lot of success with it practicing that way. And really we talk about — and you talk about the mental focus that it takes to come out here every single day, the mental toughness. And that’s really what we develop out here going day in and day out.

“We callus ourselves, which is what we like to say.”

And no day built more callus than Saturday, which saw the Broncos eschew a walk-through period and get right to individual drills.

“I think it’s beneficial. I think it’s great to have a day like this … especially when you have new special-teams rules like the kickoff, kickoff return.”

“Hey, let’s get it live and see what it feels like before we go into even just Indianapolis in the preseason and see what it’s like.”

• With Caden Sterns still getting back up to full speed after his knee injury last year, JL Skinner keeps getting opportunities, and on this most-physical practice of camp, he wasted no time making an impact, bursting into the backfield to destroy a toss sweep to Javonte Williams on the opening play of the first team period. Skinner later read a developing Samaje Perine run perfectly and met him in the hole, preventing a successful advance on a third-and-goal play.
• Despite not having Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto available, the Broncos front seven did well at generating consistent pressure. Their work began on the fourth play of the initial team period, when John Franklin-Myers generated pressure that caused Mike McGlinchey to grab his jersey, resulting in a penalty. Later in the practice, Jonathon Cooper recorded a sack, splitting the right side of the offensive line.
• Edge rusher Thomas Incoom continues to flash. He had a clear sack, another pressure that could have been a sack, and a tackle for a loss.
• Rookie edge rusher Jaylon Allen also had a sack, whipping past rookie tackle Frank Crum to get to Zach Wilson. First-year edge rusher Dondrea Tilman also got past Will Sherman to sack Wilson doing that period.
• Jarrett Stidham was up first in the initial team period. Bo Nix then led the No. 1 offense in the second team period and in a red-zone period. Stidham got the call with the No. 1 offense in the move-the-ball session.
• Both Marvin Mims Jr. and Troy Franklin lost yardage on handoffs during the team periods of practice. Drops were also a problem for Broncos pass catchers; Franklin, Phillip Dorsett and Nate Adkins all had clean drops.
• Practice ended with a move-the-ball drill that saw the offense given 53 seconds on the clock, first-and-10 at the defense’s 44-yard line and one timeout. The offense went 0-for-3 in generating touchdowns.
• During the move-the-ball period, Stidham drove the No. 1 offense to the defense’s 29-yard line — converting a fourth-and-18 on a 23-yard pass to Mims — before running out of time two plays later. Nix led the second team, which turned the ball over on downs — although two of his passes were dropped. Wilson drove the No. 3 offense to the defense’s 13-yard line after a 31-yard pass to Franklin, but a spike and three incompletions followed, ending the threat.
• Special-teams periods focused on the gamut of work: punts, placekicks and kickoffs and kickoff returns. Riley Dixon handled punts during the first punt period, with hang times ranging from 4.11 seconds to 5.16 seconds. On his only punt from inside defensive territory, he induced a Mims fair catch. Trenton Gill had the two best hang times of the day — 5.33 and 5.31 seconds — but he also had a 3.90-second line drive. His punt from inside defensive territory saw the ball hit at the 5-yard line before bouncing away from Quinton Newsome for a touchback.
• Wil Lutz hit all but one of his field-goal attempts, missing from 48 yards.

Zach Wilson had a few bright spots, none more resplendent than when he hit Brandon Johnson for a leaping touchdown in the back of the end zone during the red-zone period. With seocnd-and-goal, Wilson executed a play-action fake from under center, then saw Johnson working past Keidron Smith. The pass was high, but Johnson leapt to reel it in for the 5-yard score.

“I couldn’t care less about fantasy. That’s a whole another topic.” — Trautman, when asked about being frustrated that the best tight ends in fantasy football are based solely on receiving stats

• Defensive end Zach Allen did not practice for a second-straight day.
• Safety Caden Sterns and cornerback Pat Surtain II were held out from team-period work.
• Cornerback Levi Wallace left practice due to a hamstring issue.
• Safety Brandon Jones remained sidelined due to a hamstring injury. He could return next week.
• Edge rusher Nik Bonitto remains sidelined with a back issue.
• Offensive lineman Nick Gargiulo continued to work out on a side field.

Monday, Aug. 5 at 10 a.m. MDT.