Broncos coordinators shed light on the team’s 2023 personality

The Denver Broncos continued their mandatory minicamp on Wednesday. The practice was outside in the heat, and things got heated on the practice field. Players were chippy with each other, and practice had to be stopped to get guys back on track.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton had a message for his team after a chippy practice.

“The message is we have to understand what we are trying to accomplish as a team. It’s always the challenge for the (offensive) and (defensive) linemen. We also have to be able to understand — discipline wise — how to get to the edge, but not cross the line. Games come up—we saw it last year (in) a playoff run; I referenced the Cincinnati Bengals’ penalty late (in the AFC Championship Game). You have to train yourself mentally to get onto the next play. That’s why we’re doing what we’re doing,” Payton said.

Here are some of my observations from Wednesday’s practice.

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No Longer Camp Russ

Last year, it was not Broncos camp – it was camp Russ. Everything was about doing what QB Russell Wilson wanted, and it was to the detriment of the team. Former head coach Nathaniel Hackett had no idea how to run a team, and it’s why his practices were so disjointed.

You see nothing but precision coaching from Payton and his staff. They have a nice blend of youthful and experienced coaches, and you see a lot of teaching on the football field. This coaching staff is running the show, and it is built around what is best for the team. We’ll see if this new scheme can help Wilson have a bounce-back season in 2023.

Wilson is a piece of the puzzle this year – not the guy everything is focused on. I like the way he’s working with this new scheme, and he’s responding with great leadership on the practice field. Players seem to be responding to Wilson better this year. He’s not above the team, he’s one of them – and that makes him someone teammates rally around. It’s fun to see the offense versus the defense in this camp.

Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph had an interesting and diplomatic answer when I asked him if Wilson still had “it.”

“That’s (Sean Payton’s) job, obviously. I’ve played against Russ the last four years being in that division, and he’s always been a winner. He’s a guy that can make plays with his legs and with his arm. We know what Russ can be. That’s coach’s job to get Russ back to where he wants to be,” Joseph said.

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Emphasizing Special Teams

The Broncos are focusing more on special teams than they did last year. It was abundantly clear last year in the final two regular season games when interim head coach Jerry Rosburg fired former special teams coach Dwayne Stukes. After that one move, along with the benching of return specialist Montrell Washington, the Broncos special teams was vastly improved. Rosburg and most of the staff from last year are gone, but Payton is going to emphasize that phase of the game more than Hackett did.

That’s why Payton has a veteran coach like Mike Westhoff in the building. Westhoff is the assistant head coach, but his vast experience on special teams is coveted. He works in tandem with Broncos special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica, and the two have a history of coaching together with previous teams. Their experience shines through in practice, and like other positions, there is a lot of teaching in this phase of the game. In addition to Westhoff and Kotwica, they also have special teams assistant Chris Banjo working to build the best special teams they possibly can.

The trio is getting the most out of the potential returners on the roster, and the Broncos have competition at the position. In addition, they are working on the new rules to make sure the special teams is ready for anything and they’re ready to adjust to anything that can happen. We are seeing more practice on special teams with proper guidance than they did under Hackett. This work on this phase should be completely evident to fans in attendance at training camp.

Kotwica knows that the quickest way to improve a football team is through the play of their special teams.

“I think it’s evident on the film, and then it’s evident with what we’re doing out on the field and the emphasis we’re putting on it. You can change field position. If you’re talking about 100 yards, that’s points. That’s what we would like to do, and it’s good to emphasize it throughout the full spectrum of the team and the organization. I’ve been encouraged by what I’ve seen so far,” Kotwica said.

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A Good Problem To Have

We’re going to see the Broncos offense run the ball early and often. In a pass-happy league, the Broncos are going to have a throwback offense. We’ll see plenty of the running backs as they soften up a defense on the ground. However, when the Broncos go through the air they have a ton of options at the wide receiver position.

I think Payton loves WR Jerry Jeudy. It’s easy to project Jeudy as the No. 1 receiver on this team, but it’s not something I’d put in pen just yet. Jeudy is arguably the best athlete at the position, but he’s not a complete player. Instead, there are routes he’s successful with (slants, screens, out routes) and there are routes with a lower success rate for Jeudy (corner, go, comeback/curl). I believe Payton will put Jeudy in position to win on routes and combinations that he thrives with, and Jeudy will not be asked to do things he’s not as comfortable with.

Along with Jeudy, Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick are trying to earn a larger share of targets. Sutton looks more explosive than he has in years, and many in the media think he could be dealt before the start of the regular season. I understand Sutton could have some trade value, especially if he shines in the preseason, but I hope the team keeps him around. Sutton is showing more ‘dog’ to his game this year, and he is quietly putting together some great tape this offseason. He looks like the player I thought he would be when the Broncos made him a second-round pick out of SMU (and I had a first-round grade on him).

I don’t think the Broncos offense is going to fill the air with footballs. People love to point out how Payton had a top-five passing game most season with the Saints. I counter by saying I believe this team will look more like the Jameis Winston-led Saints team Payton led in 2021. That was a good offense, but they had more of an emphasis on the rushing attack. The Broncos wide receivers (including rookie WR Marvin Mims) need to be patient. They might not get as many passes as they’d like based on the scheme and the way the Broncos are going to set out to win games in 2023.

Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi knows that having that much talent at the receiver position is a good problem.

“Yeah, it’s definitely a good problem. They’re all big, they all run routes well, and they have good hands. (I’m) really excited about the skill set that room has. They’ve been working really hard out here. Hopefully, there’s enough love to spread around to all those guys. I think as long as we’re moving the ball and scoring points, we can keep everyone happy,” Lombardi said.

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