Players and coaches took the field this morning in near-perfect weather conditions. Smiles broke out all over the field with the sun shining, a cool breeze blowing in and a crowd of 2,012 fans watching from the grass.
Several veterans taking the morning session off presented chances for some young players to get extended reps.
The practice featured 11-on-11 drills with an emphasis on passing and red zone play.
The goal line drills dropped to walk-through speed as Head Coach Josh McDaniels said the team had just installed the packages into the playbook. (McDaniels did hint the team might have live goal line drills at Saturday night’s practice at INVESCO Field at Mile High Stadium.) The intensity returned for the final 11-on-11 drill of the day — a final minute comeback drive scenario led by Kyle Orton.
The Broncos are scheduled to return to the Dove Valley practice field for their second workout of the day at 5:30 p.m. McDaniels said the team will not be in full pads for the workout.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Jarvis Moss took most of the first-team reps at outside linebacker until he headed to the locker room early. After that, Mario Haggan, who started all 16 games at outside linebacker last season, moved outside and Akin Ayodele moved into the rotation at inside linebacker. With D.J. Williams out of practice, Wesley Woodyard took almost all the reps at the other inside linebacker spot. During goal line, Jammie Kirlew also saw some reps with the first team.
After Chris Kuper gingerly walked to the locker room with an apparent injury, Stanley Daniels took most of the first-team reps at the guard position Kuper had been occupying.
Another veteran to get the practice off was defensive lineman Justin Bannan. Jamal Williams, Ryan McBean and Le Kevin Smith got most of the first-team defensive line reps during the practice.
Wide receivers Jabar Gaffney and Brandon Stokley also got the morning off. During one period of 11-on-11 drills, the team utilized mostly two wide receiver sets. Taking the first rep were Brandon Lloyd and Matthew Willis. Later in the drill, newcomers Patrick Carter and Britt Davis, signed yesterday, ran together.
The team ran through punt return drills today. The first group featured Willis, Woodyard, Haggan, Kirlew, Nate Jones, David Bruton, Nick Greisen, Spencer Larsen, Demaryius Thomas and Darcel McBath with Perrish Cox back deep returning. Part of the work included reacting to several fake punt scenarios.
Brian Dawkins and Champ Bailey also got the morning off, resulting in more time for youngsters Cox and McBath to shine with the first-team. Cox came up with an interception during goal line drills.
PLAYMAKERS
LenDale White drew praise from fans with the power running they expected when he signed on Wednesday. During 9-on-7 drills, White put his head down and smacked into a defender in the hole, kept his legs moving and powered into the open field. White later headed off the practice field early as well.
Thomas showed good rapport with all three quarterbacks during the session. The rookie got behind the second-team defense to haul in a bomb from Orton early in 11-on-11 drills, earning an enthusiastic clap from the signal-caller. A few plays later, he leaped and snared a pass deep over the middle from Tim Tebow. Brady Quinn also hooked up Thomas on a pair of big plays. One was a deep ball that Thomas pulled down over Alphonso Smith. During a later red zone drill, Quinn found Thomas for a short touchdown.
On the final drive of the day’s practice, Orton orchestrated a sharp hurry-up drill to get the offense into position for what would have been a tying, fourth quarter field goal. The drive started at his own 35 with a minute to go and one timeout. He found Eddie Royal for a third down conversion early in the drive. He then threaded a quick sideline pass to Willis that the receiver pulled in with a toe-tapping, finger-tip catch. With seven seconds to go, Orton found Daniel Graham for a 10-yard gain and quick timeout to set up what would have been a 44-yard field goal attempt.
QUICK HITS
Former Bronco John Lynch and Denver Nuggets star Chauncey Billups attended this morning’s practice. They both chatted with McDaniels and defensive coordinator Don Martindale as the team warmed up at the beginning of practice.
Early in practice, the quarterbacks worked through a drill to emphasize maintaing proper footwork while stepping through pressure. As the quarterbacks took their drops, an operations staffer hit them with a pad as they stepped up and fired a pass.
Special teams coordinator Mike Priefer worked his young returners through a drill, in which they caught a ball and then made their first cut. Cox, Willis, Cassius Vaughn and Syd’Quan Thompson participated, catching balls that were tossed high in the air by punter Britton Colquitt.
Eric Decker learned a lesson about finishing plays during one-on-one drills with the defensive backs. The rookie ran a crisp comeback route and made a catch that earned praise from Kyle Orton, but as he turned upfield, Jones slapped the ball away for a fumble. Decker took a lap as a reminder to protect the football.
Those hoping to impress coaches with their special teams work got a chance today during a drill in which two players raced about 20 yards and had to corrall a returner before he broke into open space. Several players, including Vaughn, earned praise for their pursuit angles, while others earned admonishment for overpursuit.
After the goaline drill, Martindale expressed his approval to the defense for a solid period of work.
TRAINING CAMP JUKEBOX
During warmups, McBean didn’t hide his enthusiasm for his own playlist.
His mix began with “On the Rock” by Movado featuring Jay-Z, which had McBean and several others dancing along. It continued with Rick Ross and Kanye West’s “Live Fast, Die Young” and Waka Flocka Flame’s “Hard in Da Paint.”
As crowd noise later in practice, selections included Young Jeezy’s “Lose My Mind” and Michael Jackson’s “Dirty Diana.”
- Eric Detweiler, DenverBroncos.com
Below are some more photos from the workout:
Tags: bob ligashesky, Jarvis Green, Jarvis Moss, Josh McDaniels, Marcus Thomas, Mike Priefer, Ronald Fields, Tim Tebow
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Hey Baylin ur answer to the freak you said Patrick Willis, LOL, did you mean Matthew Willis.
Man just when we thought we couldnt go any lower back in the shanahan days, weve been out doing ourselves. While its too early to flush this season down the crapper, everything that has transpired and is transpiring is disheartening. The new regime was suppose to move upward … with any luck its not to late, and worst comes to worst, McDaniels gets fired which we all know I am fine with lol. But like Baylin said, gotta laugh this off, not much else we can do. And yes, I think Tuten is accountable as well, been sayig it since 9 rbs went down in same year …. Anyway, heres hoping adversity makes us stronger … GO BRONCOS.
Ps: Barrett will be missed
IS MCD GOING TO HARD ON THEM?
KFS, thanks for the correction, I don’t know where Patrick came from, it sounded good though, LOL.
manny 01, McD is giving them this afternoon session and tomorrow morning session without pads, I’ll let that speak for itself.
WOOOOWWWWWW!!! I just watched the highlights from today and Thomas is CRAZY!!! Can you say Aye Bay Bay!! Must Watch!! That’s got me saying Marshall who!!!
I like the idea of moving Woodyard to the other ILB spot. That way we could get him AND D.J. out on the field. He shouldn’t be sitting on the bench. I’ll take him over Haggan.
MAN….EACH PRACTICE SOUNDS MORE LIKE, WHO IS GOING TO SURVIVE INTO OUR TO OUR 53 MAN ROSTER!!! LOL!!! HA HA HA.
60 MINUTES OF FOOTBALL GO BRONCOS!!!
its ridiculous in many ways of how many injuries that are occurring..However, these men are payed to play football… It sucks pretty bad that every one is getting injured, dont get me wrong, but im all for the early pads…Idk about any of you, but this team needs it, even if it doesn’t seem like it right now.
Broncosfreak30
Cant say I saw anythign that made me say “Marshall who” … not even close. 2 catches over pint size phonzy, 1 against new ST LB Joe Mays and a deep ball over Bruton. Nothing fantastic but its nice to see the kid catching. Ill assume that means he is progressing and we are gonna need weapons as soon as possible. Ill give him his kudos when I see him get up to the first team and do that against Champ and the first team secondary. Some fantastic 1 hand grabs will be nice too. From what I hear, Willis is the star with the acrobatic catches and sideline catches, but I hope Bay Bay gets there as well.
Perrish Cox with another INT. From first team QB too. Man Im liking that kid more and more every day. Knew he would be good after what he did in college, but he is an absolute STEAL in the 5th round like Marshall and Doom were in the 4th round. Hopefully he becomes pro bowl caliber like them. He is our future starting DB and I am excited.
ps: broncosfreak, im really hoping that i didnt sound like a bubble buster in that post. Was just trying to put things in perspective and when u know who is mentioned I always got something to say lol. But I am a Bay Bay fan.
I’m furious that we let the Patriots swoop in and pick Barrett up off waivers. One of the hardest workers and best special teams player is dunzo in the organization. No reason not to put him on IR.. it’s not like he makes alot of money in salary or anything that would warrant him being put on waivers.
Awful decision by the Broncos
Yeah as I said earlier McD got a lesson from his old boss, McD is still a young man with a lot to learn in the job of running a professional football team, live and learn is what we have to put up with McD, hence the better late than never reference I make about him often. I don’t understand the people who blindly think he’s got it all figure out, it’s probably because they lack the experience in life to realize how important experience is in coaching a football team. The biggest thing I hope is for McD to have the wisdom and being humble enough to learn from his mistakes, and I think he kind of does, so I’m still hanging my hopes on his shoulders, but not forever, if he doesn’t start getting things squared away by 2011, I doubt that he would ever put a great team back in Denver because he has many pieces of the puzzle in place that should come together in 2011.
Good thing this is an old blog so I don’t get the wrath of the Broncos/McD can do no wrong bloggers out here, LOL. Wait, I bet someone is waiting in the wing to unleash the if you can’t support your team the way it is with the coach we have what kind of band wagon fan are you, just a 35 season fan who has hardly ever missed a game win or lose that’s who, I find it funny that a lot of the bloggers who give us guidance about how to support our Broncos admittedly miss watching many games for a reason or another, I move mountains to make sure I never miss a game every year, that’s how I am, yet I think we are falling short in many areas this year, because it’s a normal thing in a rebuilding season and now it has been amplified with the injury bug, so what, it doesn’t mean diddly to me, I will watch every game of this season as if it was our last. I guess I took an old blog to make my piece with some of the Broncos righteous fans out there, like BFE often says I will speak my mind however I want to and nobody but nobody can tell me that I’m not a true die hard Bronco fan. Got it?
Piece, peace, Peace to all on Earth…
Thanks Bay,my bad. I thoght Barrett was put on IR. So a waiver injury reserve is totally different huh? You learn something knew everyday.
Baylin
Well said, Experience is alot, and believe me, even being young I know this. Case in point, graduated from college, everyone still asking for experience, experience trumps everything. same with McD, might have gotten his “Masters” and “Interned” with the patriots, but he lacks the experience … and theres only one way to get experience so people like me inpatient with him gotta suck it up. I don’t however believe he is the humbling kind that learns and admits his mistakes, and if he never checks that, we will have problems. For his sake I hope he gets there. And if he doesnt…goodbye. And to all the McD can do no wrogners, just to clarify, we are not bashing him, or blaming him for th einjuries or kicking dirt on your buddy lol. TRB out…
….
Dumb move putting Barrett on IR waiver!
McD will have to learn or leave!
TRB, you may be right that McD is not the humbling kind who readily admits his mistakes, he has done it a couple of times, but VERY SLOWLY, like after the season is over with kind of thing, but hey I had to throw the man a bone….
I GUESS YOUR RIGHT, I WILL JUST BE A BRONCO FAN. I JUST WANT A WINNING SEASON IS THAT TO MUCH TO ASK!!!
60 MINUTES OF FOOTBALL GO BRONCOS!!!
It’s hard not to be worried when it comes to injuries, but we have to keep the faith. I think we finally have a team where guys are ready to step up.
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