Broncos and Dre Greenlaw: ‘They wanted me’

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. –– The Broncos brought linebacker Dre Greenlaw aboard in March, yet he didn’t stand at the lectern to answer questions from Denver-area media until four days into training camp — some four and a half months after agreeing to terms.

“About time,” Greenlaw said as he stepped to the microphone Monday.

It might have taken a while for Greenlaw’s presence to grace the microphone, but there’s been no doubting his presence on the Broncos’ practice field since he made his full return to action last week working his way back from a quadriceps injury that caused him to miss OTAs and minicamp.

The advancement to full pads on Monday accentuated his strengths, and Greenlaw rarely held back, finally able to play with the physicality that is his hallmark.

“I think it’s one of his greatest strengths. He plays the position in such a way where you can’t help but notice it on film,” Broncos coach Sean Payton. “His pad level, his strength, his lower body strength. It’s impressive. I’m glad we have him.”

That’s what Payton said when he took his turn at the mic Monday. The sales pitch he gave Greenlaw in March cut right to the core of the 28-year-old Arkansas alumnus.

‘They wanted me, you know what I mean?” Greenlaw said. “Throughout the whole time I was talking to Sean, it was never no if, ands, buts, maybe this or that. It was like, ‘Man, we want you to be here.'”

And given Greenlaw’s background, that struck him deeply.

 

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“I mean, I was a foster kid growing up, so, it’s not a lot of times that people just wanted me, you know what I’m saying?” he said. “So, it, just made me feel special. It made me feel like this is the place where I needed to be.”

And with Alex Singleton and Drew Sanders both injured, the Broncos need Greenlaw more now than ever.

PLAY OF THE DAY

On a day that saw the Broncos’ front seven generate plenty of pressure, with Dondrea Tillman, Kristian Williams, D.J. Jones, John Franklin-Myers, Nik Bonitto, Jonah Elliss, Andrew Farmer, Que Robinson and Zach Allen among those who were particularly disruptive, Matt Henningsen capped the day on the penultimate snap of practice by bursting through the line of scrimmage to swat a Sam Ehlinger pass in the backfield, forcing an incompletion.

ATTENDANCE REPORT

Right tackle Mike McGlinchey returned to practice, but took part in individual work only. Third-year veteran Alex Palczewski filled in for him. … Wide receiver A.T. Perry watched from the sideline; he is the only Broncos player on the physically-inable to perform list. … Linebacker Drew Sanders is sidelined due to ligament damage in his foot. His recovery timetable is to be determined as a decision is yet to be made as to whether he will undergo surgery. … Linebacker Alex Singleton left practice with what was later revealed to be a fractured thumb. He is expected to miss approximately one week.

BRONCOS CAMP NOTES

• With full pads on, the Broncos emphasized the run during the team period midway through practice. RJ Harvey looked strong going to the edge, with a solid run to the right edge, showing speed and decisiveness to get to the corner before defenders could cut him off. He had more trouble getting to the left side on one play, as Bonitto successfully shook off Nate Adkins to cut off that flank on one team-period rep.
• The Bo Nix-to-Evan Engram combination continued to flash for three connections to move the chains during the team periods of practice.
• Rookie tight end Caleb Lohner continues to progress as a pass catcher, with a solid route to get open down the left side for a 9-yard catch from Jarrett Stidham on second-and-nine during a seven-on-seven period.
• The Broncos’ special-teams period focused on punting, with Jeremy Crawshaw working from a variety of situations ranging from the back of his own end zone to six punts on the opposite side of the 50-yard line. After a pair of line drives out of the end zone that covered over 50 yards with sub-4.0-second hang times, Crawshaw got into a groove; all 12 of his following punts exceeded 4.20 seconds of hang time time, with eight at 4.75 seconds or better.
• All eight of Crawshaw’s punts on the offense’s side of the 50-yard line covered at least 50 yards. None of his six punts with the line of scrimmage in opposing territory hit the end zone on the fly, although two of them bounced into the end zone as Trent Sherfield and JL Skinner couldn’t quite save them, despite their best efforts.
• Sherfield’s acrobatic effort in which he leapt into the end zone to try and knock the bouncing ball back into the field of play was no surprise from a player signed for his special-teams prowess. But he’s proven to be quite the stellar pass-catcher during training camp, showing a fearless nature going across the middle while also flashing plenty of speed to accumulate yardage after the catch.
• The veteran also got open for a pass down the left sideline near the end of practice as Nix escaped pressure from Bonitto and Jones on the final first-team rep of the day.
• Tight end Lucas Krull was the Broncos’ most demonstrative player of the day, signaling for a first down after an 18-yard grab from Ehlinger down the right seam late in the session.

WHAT’S NEXT

Practice at 10 a.m. MDT on Tuesday.

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