The team returned to the practice field on Sunday for the first time since Friday’s 17-16 loss in San Francisco. Players sported shells but no pads and the practice was more of a walkthrough, although several drills were done at full speed.
ROLL CALL: Sunday also marked the return of Brian Dawkins and Brandon Marshall. Dawkins returned to the field wearing an orange jersey and a wrap on his right hand.
“I’m used to it,” the safety said of the wrap. “I’ve done it before in my career. I’ve had to play with it for a wrist way back in the day. So I’m pretty used to it.”
Marshall saw extensive action at wide receiver, making several catches that fans have become accustomed to seeing.
The only players not practicing today were running backs Correll Buckhalter and Knowshon Moreno along with Pat Murray.
POSITIONING: The team started the day by working on red-zone nickel defense. The unit consisted of Robert Ayers, Champ Bailey, Darrell Reid, Dawkins, Renaldo Hill, Andre’ Goodman, Elvis Dumervil, Wesley Woodyard, D.J. Williams, Kenny Peterson and Jack Williams.
The team worked through an extensive kickoff and kickoff return session. The first unit on the kickoff team consisted of Woodyard, Alphonso Smith, Vernon Fox, David Bruton, Mario Haggan, Kenny McKinley, Josh Barrett, Spencer Larsen, Darrell Reid, Jack Williams and Matt Prater kicking. The return team included Barrett, Haggan, Bruton, Woodyard, Reid, Larsen, Darcel McBath, Kory Lichtensteiger, Kenny Peterson, Peyton Hillis and Smith as the returner.
DRILLS: Head Coach Josh McDaniels spent some time working with the wide receivers on short routes and setting up their blockers. Immediately after that drill, the receivers ran the routes they had worked on with McDaniels against the defense.
The team worked extensively in red zone offense and defense. During one session, McDaniels had the defense re-do a play four times to ensure the coverage was where it was supposed to be.
The team also worked through some situational drills, including 3rd-and-more-than-10 as well as 2nd-and-long for both the offense and defense.
The final drill consisted of a goal post being wheeled out on the field. Instead of the normal 18-foot-6-inch width, this post is quite a bit narrower, forcing Prater to be extremely accurate with his attempts.
PLAYMAKERS: Smith continues to be around the ball. During an 11-on-11 drill, McBath tipped a pass that then ricocheted off Richard Quinn that Smith was able to catch on his knees.
Marshall made several one-handed catches in traffic, including one where he stuck his arm up to stop the ball before corralling it.
QUICK HITS: On Marshall’s first play of 7-on-7s he lined up across from Champ Bailey. The two exchanged high-fives before the play.
With Buckhalter and Moreno out, recently signed running back Marcus Thomas saw extensive action, as did Hillis, which meant Larsen jumped back and forth from defense to offense.
Before an 11-on-11 session, Royal had the equipment staff make a quick repair to his cleats about 20 yards from the action. The team waited until he was finished, but Royal urged the team to go on, saying to the defense, “You just have to stop them before they get to me.”
Dawkins was unable to bring in an interception, which drew some comments from his teammates including a, “Come on, Clubber!” in reference to his wrapped right hand. But despite the wrap, Dawkins did break up several passes with his left hand.
The safety later talked about the dropped pick, jokingly blaming it on the wrap. “Oh, absolutely — it was all the cast,” he laughed. “That’ll be something I get used to doing, and I’ll come up with those interceptions when the time comes.”
After spending a few days with his rookie haircut, Tom Brandstater hit the field this afternoon with a clean shaved head rather than the bald on top look he sported last week and during the 49ers game.
DAILY JUKEBOX: Quite a bit of music played during today’s practice both during warmups and during 11-on-11 sessions. Here is a sampling of today’s songs to add to your Broncos mixtape:
Young Jeezy - “Put On”
Van Halen - “Standing on Top of the World”
A Tribe Called Quest - “Scenario”
The Sugarhill Gang - “Rapper’s Delight”
Fabolous - “My Time”
The Outfield - “Your Love”
Outkast - “Hey Ya!”
Beastie Boys - “So What’cha Want”
Blur - “Song 2″
Gorillaz - “Feel Good Inc.”
Journey - “Don’t Stop Believing”
The team will be back on the field at 8:45 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. MDT tomorrow, with both sessions open to the public.
More pictures from practice below.
-Kyle Sonneman, DenverBroncos.com
Tags: Training Camp
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You could be right DD, but would still like to see Simms get some reps with the 1st team even if he does not start.
i agree
And it would be cool to see what Brandstater could do later on the game also.
soooo glad to see dawkins back at practice…..hope he doesnt have the cast too long
Well guys, I’m out for the night….
To the Batmobile….
Talk to you all again tomorrow, same bat time, same bat channel….
His cast should be off before season opener. 4-6 weeks is pretty standard for a wrist fracture.
I don’t think that KO would be upset if McD started Simms over him for a series or two because he’s not a cry baby like cutler. Plus he has played as a back up before to Rex Grossman and he never complained about that (or atleast not publicly). I think we’ll see Simms start with the first team O for the final preseason game
Sounds good Dave definitely at some point the best is at home when the game is on TV.Here is a question ,and I know you will get the answer: there is a site that lets two parties come together for most wagers and only takes a tiny percent to guarantee the wager.
Orton needs to learn not to force the ball to a receiver who is not open. All 3 of his interceptions were because he saw a open man and didn’t see the defender closing in. When the WR’s are running across the field in their routes, he has good accuracy. But when they run a down field rout, he doesn’t compensate for the surrounding defenders. This is a serious problem and it is not due to a lack of arm strength, but a lack of perceptive vision. However it is also very fixable. If and when he becomes more comfortable in the pocket he should improve his decision making immensely. We need to remember that he is likely still used to his playing days in Chicago where he had to constantly hurry the ball away before his pocket collapsed on him. I say give the guy a little more time before we the fans pull the rug out from under him. Simms looked great, but I still would like to see him manage the game a bit more against better Defenses before I’d expect him to be the #1. But regardless of who the starter is come Cincinnati, I do have faith he will have earned the job to be the #1. Go Broncos!
Man I can’t believe Adam Schefter works for ESPN now! NFL Network should had kept him…..they prolly let him go because he had our back and didn’t talk crap about us
Check this article out on Cutler and what he said about his interception… still blaiming others I see. I would rather have Orton who takes blame for his own mistakes and learns off of them than to have Cutler who blames others on his team for his mistakes and doesnt learn any day.
QB’s who have the ability to learn end up better than those who dont.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/football/bears/chi-17-haugh-bears-chicago-aug17,0,7533484.column
oops - heres the article
The chicago fans will be calling for his head in no time.
I LOVE IT!
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/mulligan/1718883,cst-spt-mully16.article
I live in Illinois and it’s all you hear. Cutler, Cutler, Cutler….yeah well your Cutler just threw Devin Hester COMPLETELY! under the buss LOL!
I believe the comment in the article was…….”Devin not’s a go up and get it guy.”
Oh really! I wonder how Devin feels about that? LOL then follows it up with a T.V. interview of maybe we won’t throw that way very much….
HILARIOUS!!!! I LOVE IT!
GO GET EM’ BOYS!
I live in Illinois too! where do you live? I don’t ever meet any broncos fans around chicago lol
Hey Broncs55,
I live in Rock Falls about an hour and 30 minutes straight west of the city. How about you.
ON A SIDE NOTE:
you know your parenting job has been completed when your 6 year old son lights up your wife in Wal-Mart because the folders she picked out for his 1st grade supply list wasn’t “Bronco Blue”
Yesssss……my job is done!
GO GET EM’ BOYS!
LOL Broncfalls, sounds like that kid was raised right. That’s too funny.
lol thats halarious! I live in Naperville which is down by Wheaton/Aurora.
Unfortunatly, my ex and her numerous boyfriends have instilled the Indianapolis Colts in my boy’s head, so I have a lot of work cut out for me to get him cheering for the Broncos. I keep telling him tho, he has bloodline that goes back to the broncos - he just doesnt get it tho. lol
I know my job is done when one of my daughters names her female dog Bronco and my other daughter comes home with Blue and Orange Braces!!!! We bleed Orange and Blue here in California!!!!
Yup… You did your job… (that’s awesome)
TD!!!!!!