Broncos fans must play a waiting game with the team’s rookie class
May 19, 2022, 6:48 AM
The Denver Broncos are going through offseason workouts. Rookie minicamp wrapped up last week, and here in the next week is going to be veteran minicamp. Team OTAs finishes in the middle of June, then the team will reconvene in late July for the start of training camp.
It’s when training camp gets here that we’re really going to be able to tell if these rookies can play at a high level. Some of them have looked good in practice, but there are certain skills that cannot be showcased during drills. We can be excited about these rookies, but during the dog days of summer we’re going to separate the guys who can play from the guys who need more time to develop.
Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett loves teaching, and he sees learning as the biggest thing needed from this rookie class during practice.
“The thing we presented to the guys is, (it’s) about learning. These guys have been training for a combine, they’ve been living on the circuit; they’ve been so excited to get drafted; they’ve been celebrating. Some of them might—I don’t want to speak for everybody—[are] not necessarily ready for an NFL practice. So I think that for us it’s (No.) 1, learning—learning the system, learning the building, learning their teammates, learning their coaches. Then just how to be a pro and how to get out here and practice every day,” Hackett said.
Broncos fans must play the waiting game with most of this rookie class. Let’s examine why.
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Can’t Hit Yet
The Broncos picked up a talented corner from Pitt when they selected Damarri Mathis in the fourth round. He was a key part of the Panthers defense over the last two seasons he played (he missed the entire 2020 season), and now he’s trying to make the jump to the NFL.
Mathis is always around the ball, and his physicality is the best part of his game. He loves to hit and he loves to send a message to opposing receivers on the outside. Mathis looks good on the practice field this offseason, but the best part of his game – hitting – is something we can’t really see until training camp and the preseason.
The Broncos could use a tone-setter like Mathis in the secondary, and with the intelligence and confidence he plays with I could see him stepping into a larger role in 2023. We’re going to get glimpses of what he can do this season – and that will come with physical play. Mathis knows he’s got a reputation on the football field.
“That’s just been instilled in me since I was little. I’ve always played like that. Even in little league, I never played flag football. I jumped straight to pads and always wanted to be physical and aggressive. I guess I get that from both sides of my family—my mom and my dad. They both are like that, they both played sports and they both are athletic. That’s always stuck with me, and it’s translated all the way to this point,” Mathis said.
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Leading the Rookies
It’s good to see young players for the Broncos welcoming a leadership role with the team. That’s what Broncos second-round pick Nik Bonnito is doing, and you saw that come through on the field. I like his heart and hustle to get after the passer, but Bonnito’s willingness to embrace the role of a leader really makes me excited about his pro prospects.
Bonnito can’t do much yet in practice, but you see the explosion is there. He’s fast in drills, and he’s quick off the edge when going through team drills. Bonnito has several moves to get after the quarterback, and I can’t wait to see him in one-on-one drills in practice. I really can’t wait to see him destroy opponents in the preseason – or even in the joint practices the Broncos will have when they host the Dallas Cowboys in August.
Nothing against players who don’t lead but can make plays, but it’s a different level when guys want to lead the locker room. Bonnito can be an impact player for the Broncos – even as a rookie when he should be a reserve/rotational player behind Bradley Chubb and Randy Gregory. He’ll make plenty of impact on the field, but it’s in the locker room and his work as a leader that can help him cement himself as a cornerstone player for this franchise.
“There’s definitely a leadership role that gets demanded out of me. My best trait when it comes to my leadership, is me doing the right things, me coming to work every day and guys seeing me as an example with how I’m doing on the field—my body language and how I approach the meeting room,” Bonnito said.
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All about Timing
Some picks are for players the team needs this year. Other picks are for the future. I think Broncos fourth-round pick Eyioma Uwazurike is more of the latter.
The Broncos have a lot of talent in the front seven of their defense, so Uwazurike may not be able to showcase his talent that much if the players above him on the depth chart stay healthy. However, it’s the preseason when reserve players can get more of the spotlight. I can see a time in the preseason when Uwazurike gets plenty of work – and I imagine he’ll shine with those reps. He started 46 games in college, moving across the defensive line to disrupt plays.
He’s a big body, weighing in at nearly 320 pounds – but Uwazurike is more than a run-stuffer. He’s got size, but his athleticism and quickness off the line of scrimmage can surprise. This means he can do more than just stuff the run, but Uwazurike can also create interior pressure – something that makes any quarterback look mortal.
“I would say just being gap sound, but at the same time, not being a robot, but being a football player. There are a lot of times where you might go outside your assignment. You just have to know the right time and the right situation in order to do that. I feel like I have a good feel on things like that once I get rolling and get the hang of things. I’d say that makes a good run stuffer,” Uwazurike said.
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