Broncos Camp Day 2: Three big things from the day

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — And you thought the Broncos were past quarterback competitions!

OK, it’s not like the battles of 2016, 2017, 2021 and 2024, the years when the Broncos went into training camp without a clearly-delineated starter and were in some form of repetition-sharing. But when Sam Ehlinger stepped up to run the No. 2 offense in the seven-on-seven period Saturday morning at Broncos Park Powered By CommonSpirit, it signaled that the notion of a derby for the understudy role has come to fruition.

It makes sense. After one year with Ehlinger, it’s worth finding out how much he’s progressed after a year in the offense. There is a typical bump for backups in Payton’s system when they reach their second year in the scheme.

And given how the AFC Championship Game went — even before the snow accumulated in the second half and choked off the offense — Stidham’s role could not be considered secure after a performance that scaled the heights on the first-quarter touchdown drive, then spent the rest of the day in the valley, with his fumble while attempting to push the ball away and avoid a sack proving to be a defining and season-altering moment.

If Stidham is to earn another chance like he had in January, he’ll have to prove himself.

DAVIS WEBB’S STAMP ON THE BRONCOS OFFENSE

It’ll take some time before we really get a grasp on how the Broncos offense will change with Davis Webb now serving as primary play-caller and offensive coordinator, but as tight end Adam Trautman noted after practice, Webb is going to tinker and experiment with some different concepts.

“We’re just trying things,” Trautman said. “I mean, that’s what we did it last year too. We’re trying some things out obviously this year, because we do have a veteran [offense], we do have a better offense, whole offensive line returning.

“Courtland [Sutton] is still there. Jaylen [Waddle] is not a young player, so, he’s been around a while and he’s been unbelievably productive. So, yeah, we’re trying some new things.”

This is the time of year to integrate new concepts, of course. Some will take; others won’t. One thing that will be interesting to watch is to see whether the Broncos rise in the rankings of teams using pre-snap motion. Denver increased its snaps with motion from 41 percent to 55 percent last year, per Pro Football Focus data, but remained below the NFL average of 64 percent.

HOW WOULD TAYSOM HILL POTENTIALLY FIT?

When Broncos coach Sean Payton told NFL Network that the Broncos had interest in adding the former Saints offensive jack-of-all-trades, it led to two questions:

1. How would he fit on the roster?
2. What does he have left in the tank?

The roster-construction angle is worth exploring, because whether you consider him a tight end, a running back or a wide receiver, the Broncos have something of a crunch at those spots when it comes to the 53-player roster. In the tight-end room, for example, you have Adam Trautman on a new three-year deal, Evan Engram as the primary “F” tight end in space, and Nate Adkins, whose versatility at more blocking-dependent spots has proven invaluable, with the flexibility to work at fullback, tight end and an H-back alignment.

And a roster spot is likely set for fifth-round pick Justin Joly, with Dallen Bentley already showing some positive signs both in the passing game and blocking in space — as he did Saturday on a screen pass in the right flat.

So, if Hill were to become a Bronco, it wouldn’t be a shock if the team played the practice-squad-elevation game with him, just as it has with former fullback Michael Burton, current fullback Adam Prentice and wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey. In the cases of those players, the Broncos cut them at the roster deadline, but then immediately brought them back on the practice squad — and could do so because all were vested veterans, not subject to the waiver-claim system.

As for what Hill has left as he heads into what would be his age-36 season, his 2.2-yards-per-carry average last year reflected where he stood coming off of the devastating knee injury he suffered in 2024. But it was also the first year that he played without either Payton or one of Payton’s long-time assistants as his team’s head coach.

Another year clear from the injury could help return him to the career pace of over 5.0 yards per carry he’s established; when he was injured in 2024, he had a 7.1-yard average for that season.

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