JL Skinner was part of why Broncos waived Caden Sterns

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — JL Skinner was one of the standouts of last Saturday’s scrimmage-like practice.

The second-year safety — who played just two regular-season games last season and was a healthy scratch for 15 others — showed the instincts and aggression that attracted the Broncos to him last year, when they took him in the sixth round after an unexpected tumble through the NFL Draft. Twice he quickly diagnosed runs up the middle, closed and bottled them up.

More and more, Skinner seems to be a step ahead — especially against the run.

But Broncos coach Sean Payton saw some hints of this emergence last year while Skinner toiled on the practice squad.

“He’s smart. He really came on in the second half of last season,” Payton said. “He came on in the kicking game and we started seeing him on scout team,” Payton said. “So, he’s playing with confidence and, you know, he’s, he’s one of the younger guys that will be pushing and he’s just got to keep progressing.”

Sean Payton says that JL Skinner is "not just the only" safety to look out for (Devon Key has enjoyed a good camp), but he likes what he's seeing from Skinner.

"He's smart. He really came on in the second half of last season. He came on in the kicking game and we started seeing… pic.twitter.com/LPPWzYhcau

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) August 6, 2024

There was only so much progress Skinner could make on the practice squad last year, and even now, there are no guarantees. Although Key was beaten by Greg Dulcich for one catch Monday, he remains in the mix. And at some point in the next few months, the Broncos should get Delarrin Turner-Yell back from the torn ACL he suffered last Dec. 31.

But the Broncos would not have waived Sterns had they not possessed confidence in the depth they have on hand. And for now, that starts with Skinner, who found himself aligned next to P.J. Locke on Monday while Brandon Jones recovers from a hamstring injury.

It’s just another manifestation of how the future continues to arrive in Denver.

• This was wide receiver Troy Franklin’s best day of training camp, punctuated by a 50-yard catch down the sideline from Zach Wilson. “He’s doing well,” Payton said. “He picks things up well. We all see his speed and we feel his speed. Like the rest of the rookies, (they) have these glimpses or these moments where they are gaining confidence. He had a nice play today and he’s doing well.”
• Rookie wide receiver Devaughn Vele was one of the standouts of one-on-one drills, beating Quinton Newsome deep for a touchdown down the right side. But Newsome did later take the measure of Vele by winning a tug-of-war for the football on a fade route. Vele later caught a 10-yard slant from Zach Wilson doing a team period, hauling in a pass that had plenty of zip on it.
• Tight end Greg Dulcich had an outstanding day in the passing game, which is typical of his camp to date. He had the first catch of the initial team period, hauling in a pass from Bo Nix in the flat. But his signature moment came later, when he beat Key on a crossing route for a 15-yard gain from Jarrett Stidham.
• Second-year edge rusher Thomas Incoom did it again, generating pressure off the edge during a team-period repetition to flush Bo Nix outside. Nix did manage to keep the play alive and complete the pass, finding Lil’Jordan Humphrey near the sideline. Disruptive pressures have been a daily occurrence for Incoom, who is one of the Broncos’ most-consistent players this summer.
• Rookie edge rusher Jaylon Allen whipped around Demontrey Jacobs for what would have been a sack of Wilson in game conditions.
• The Broncos emphasized punts during the special-teams periods — and used the final punt period to work on downing punts inside the 20-yard line. Reese Taylor had the standout play of the period, knocking a Trenton Gill punt back into play. Both Trenton Gill and Riley Dixon dealt with gusty winds that kicked up during the period.

Jarrett Stidham took advantage of busted coverage during the seven-on-seven period, finding David Sills down the sideline for a 50-yard touchdown pass. Three plays later, Zach Wilson hit a wide-open Troy Franklin for a long touchdown.

“He’s very mature. Very mature. I would say he’s teaching me things as well. So I think that’s just a testament of who that guy is in Bo.” — RB Jaleel McLaughlin, on Bo Nix

• RT Mike McGlinchey was not on hand for practice, as his wife had a baby. He is expected to return Tuesday. Alex Palczewski filled in for McGlinchey.
• Edge rusher Nik Bonitto was back in uniform after missing time due to a back issue.
• Safety Brandon Jones and cornerback Levi Wallace sat out due to hamstring injuries. Wallace incurred his hamstring issue during Saturday’s practice.

Tuesday, Aug. 6 at 10 a.m. MDT.