What an ‘Acclimation Day’ is, and other big things from Broncos camp

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — For the Broncos, it wasn’t quite a training-camp practice. For starters, it was too short to be considered as such. From the start of calisthenics to the final snap in a session-concluding special-teams period, barely an hour passed.

But it was productive, as the team got in seven-on-seven and red-zone periods. It was also notable, because Bo Nix ran the offense in full-team snaps for the first time since his January ankle injury and two subsequent surgeries.

“I think they’re fantastic,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of the two “acclimation days” leading up to Friday’s official training-camp kickoff. “Ten years ago, none of us really knew the proper way to start. And I think it all gets back to just learning and teaching and improving your methods. The data is important. So, I like the schedule.”

And it works to get Nix ramped up, too. With the quarterback hitting all of his mileposts over the course of his return from the second ankle procedure to remove bone spurs in April, perhaps the focus can move away from Nix’s ankle to whether he can build off of the progress of his first two seasons.

Just don’t call it “taking the next step,” at least not when bringing it up with Payton.

“The ‘next step’ is kind of cliché,” Payton said. “I mean, he just finished winning 14 games in having a really good season.

“Do I think he’s going to continue to improve? Yes. I’m pleased with the shape he’s in and the timeline relative to everything we’ve discussed, injury-wise is falling into place.

“It’s good to have him back out there in the team periods. And, and I think there’s certain areas for us offensively that can help with the quarterback [such as] a consistent run game throughout the years. There’s some things that we can do to help him.”

What is interesting about Payton mentioning the Broncos’ run game, of course, is that he’s discussed that as the best support for a young quarterback. He mentioned it when asked about how the team could best help Nix’s development on the weekend the Broncos drafted him in April 2024.

Full-pad practice will provide more illumination on the ground game, but for now, the quest to maximize the rushing attack continues.

BRONCOS FOLLOWING “THE PROCESS” WITH COOPER

Among the dozens of Broncos teammates joining Nix on the field was edge rusher Jonathon Cooper. And Payton remarked multiple times about following a “schedule” and a “process” in regards to Cooper’s legal issues and how the team would continue reacting to them.

“Well, we’re staying the course with the league. We’re staying the course with league protocol, club protocol relative to what we’re advised to do,” Payton said.

“So there’s a process relative to league, relative to the legal process, and then as that all comes together, we can make the right decision,” Payton added a moment later. ” And that’s simply it. There’s no follow up, there’s no other underlying [matter]. It’s just — it’s today’s protocol and there’s probably maybe a dozen players in other camps that are kind of going through a similar protocol.”

Cooper met with Payton, general manager George Paton and controlling owner Greg Penner. The last of those three conversations underscores the gravity of the situation, and is a reminder that Cooper likely needs to remain on the straight and narrow in order to not find himself off the roster.

To that end, Cooper went through in-patient therapy during recent weeks.

“And man, we’re proud of the work he did,” Payton said. “This last call it month and a half, wasn’t easy and it’ll continue to be a challenge and we’ll see where it goes. But but fully supportive of him right now as we gather all the information and then we go from there.”

And means Cooper is on the field, ramping up for training camp with the rest of the Broncos.

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