Broncos have cobbled together a solid group of pass rushers

The Denver Broncos opened their mandatory minicamp on Tuesday. With the city still buzzing over the Denver Nuggets championship, the Broncos were getting to work.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton began his press conference by congratulating the Nuggets for winning their first NBA title.

“It’s tremendous for the city. There is nothing like it. To have the confetti fall on those guys for what they achieved is special. We always use the (phrase), ‘They will walk together forever.’ That team will—forever,” Payton said.

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

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Under Pressure

I have a concern about the Broncos’ pass-rushers and the depth at the edge position. Randy Gregory is a star player, but he’s hurt all the time. Having never played a full season in his career, I’m not going to predict that this is the first season that happens. Instead, I think Gregory is good for about 10 games. Anything more than that should be considered a bonus.

Opposite Gregory, the plan was supposed to be Baron Browning. We learned on Tuesday that Browning is going to begin the 2023 season on the PUP list as he recovers from offseason meniscus surgery. That means he’ll be out for the first six weeks of the regular season. After that, Browning should be able to step in and play near full strength – although he’s going to have to get into football shape at that time.

Jonathon Cooper has looked good this offseason. There’s a chance he could take that leap this year that many (including myself) expected Browning to. To go along with Cooper on the other side of Gregory, the Broncos finalized a deal with veteran edge Frank Clark. He could be a reliable starter for the team, but the aging veteran would have to get spelled by Cooper to stay fresh.

Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is going to have to be aggressive and creative when it comes to creating pressure while keeping his defenders fresh.

Payton understands pressure can come from many places.

“You have to affect the quarterback somehow. There is a lot that goes into that. It’s hard to affect the quarterback if you are not stopping the run. If you are having success stopping the run, then you get those down-and-distances where you see multiple defensive packages based on tendencies. Hopefully, our outside linebacker position are guys that we look at as pressure players. You don’t have to be an outside linebacker to be a pressure player. You can be an interior lineman that is exceptional, but there are some traits. You can’t just check that box,” Payton said.

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Consistent Culture

If there is one thing that stands out this offseason, it’s the new culture that Payton has brought to his team and everyone in the building. We can’t get into too much of what we see at practice, but I must say I do like the tempo I’m watching on a weekly basis. When fans get to training camp, they’ll see a much different style than the “training glamp” of 2022 under former head coach Nathaniel Hackett.

There is a lot of teaching during practice. That doesn’t mean things slow down, but it means that coaches are left to guide their players closely. Every rep counts, and you can feel the pressure players are putting on themselves to impress the new coaching staff. They are being challenged with the work environment, and the players are responding.

I think Payton has changed the mindset of this team. It’s not time to coast into training camp, but it’s time to put in valuable work before you take a break for about a month. Starting QB Russell Wilson is leading the way with his work ethic, and his teammates are responding to his leadership. I think that comes from Payton’s guidance as well. This team wants to work hard, and you can see their efforts on the field during practice.
Payton knows what creating a culture takes – time and patience.

“It’s like a garden—it has to be tended to every day. You have to have open and honest dialogue, and not be afraid of confrontation or the truth. I think players want that still. In fact, I know they do. Then, you’re on to something. I do think it starts with the right people in the building. That’s not just the players, and not just the coaches. We’re in the passion business, and you’re looking for all those traits.” Payton said.

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Confidence Coming Through

Payton discussed some of his pass-catchers after practice. Both WR Courtland Sutton and WR Tim Patrick were talked about, so I can share some of my thoughts here. We’re seeing Patrick get brought back from the knee injury he suffered last year during camp. Patrick is looking good, and he doesn’t seem to be missing a beat. He’s not at full strength yet, but by the time late July and early August roll around, I expect Patrick to be doing everything.

Sutton is the player I think many are sleeping on. As previously reported, he’s been studying what New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas did under Payton. I can’t reveal the routes or combinations that Sutton is working in, but Payton did say he’s playing the “X” receiver which is what Thomas plays in New Orleans.

I’d say Sutton is doing a good impression of Thomas. In fact, I tweeted a couple of weeks ago that he looks more explosive than he has in years. Every practice I watch Sutton this year, I come away impressed. Yes, WR Jerry Jeudy could be the primary target in the run-heavy system, but it would be foolish to count out Sutton based on what he’s doing this offseason. A battle for the no.1 job in training camp will be fun to watch.
You can see, and Payton discussed, how confident Patrick and Sutton are.

“I’ve said this a million times. Confidence is born out of demonstrated ability. We can wish for confidence, and you can say, ‘I’m confident.’ We’ve all seen moments where players do something in a game and all of a sudden—so it has to be born out of demonstrated abilities. There’s a catch he makes today that gives that young man confidence that he can do it again. That’s the growth spurt. It just can’t be wished for. Ultimately, you hit a clutch shot, or you make a pass and there’s incremental growths. We’ve all seen — all of you who have covered sports have seen people develop right in front of our eyes,” Payton said.

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