Broncos Training Camp Updates

[theMileHighGuy 656]

Just wanted to post some notables from today's practice and make a place to post future ones.

 

MileHighReport @MileHighReport

Defensive line right to left is Ayers, Knighton, Vickerson, Wolfe.

 

 

MileHighReport @MileHighReport

In warmups, full team drills, Manning and @EricDecker87 already connecting nicely. #BroncosTC

 

 

Cecil Lammey @cecillammey

To further emphasize RBBC #Broncos 1st team RBs - Moreno, Hillman, Ball - all three getting work

 

MileHighReport @MileHighReport

Short WR had a nice high leaping grab early. RT @Kaptain_Kirk62: Trindon Holliday active part of QB/WR drills

 

Lionel Bienvenu @lionelbienvenu

Rahim Moore just got a pick-6 and the crowd went wild. Join us live @DenverChannel at 11.

 

Lindsay Jones ✔ @bylindsayhjones

These battles between Broncos DBs and WRs are going to be fun. So far, Welker is working Chris Harris in one on ones.

 

Brandon Spano ‏@BrandonSpano 43s

As I expected, starting tight end is Julius Thomas' job to lose at this point

 

Andrew Mason ‏@MaseDenver 33s

Big day for Tony Carter so far. Stellar work against Demaryius Thomas in one on ones and an INT off Osweiler in 7-on-7.

 

 

Gray Caldwell @GrayCaldwell

Loudest cheer of CB vs. WR drills: Wes Welker down sideline past Chris Harris for TD from Peyton Manning. Battles btw those 2 have been fun.

 

Brandon Spano @BrandonSpano

Without getting into detail, Zac Dysert looked terrible. His first training camp practice ever, full of over throws and an interception

 

 

Brandon Spano @BrandonSpano

Brock Osweiler with a BEAUTIFUL bomb to Tavarres King for a TD in double coverage. Flawless pass. This kid is a stud.

 

Lindsay Jones ‏@bylindsayhjones 1m

Not a particularly sharp practice for the #broncos offense. Manning missed Welker, Decker and Tamme in most recent 7 on 7 series.

 

MileHighReport @MileHighReport

A lot of rotation at safety, with Moore, Adams, Bruton and Jammer all seeing first team reps. #BroncosTC

 

MileHighReport @MileHighReport

No rotation at first team RB. It's been all Ronnie Hillman. #BroncosTC

 

 

MileHighReport @MileHighReport

Von Miller told me he wanted to improve in coverage this offseason. Well, he's working with the DBs in individual drills right now.

 

Cecil Lammey @cecillammey

One player that has been standing out is rookie WR Tavarres King, we all knew about his speed but showing good RAC burst today too

 

Mike Klis @MikeKlis

Sylvester Williams walked in. He's going upstairs to sign 4-year, $7.6 million deal. Guarantee of $6.1 million; $3.9 mil to sign.

Edited July 25, 2013 by theMileHighGuy

[theMileHighGuy 656]

 

 

 

Edited July 25, 2013 by theMileHighGuy

[KempBolt 498]

I figured that DRC would end up as the 4th CB behind Champ, Harris, and Carter. Sounds like that's about right so far with reports of very good play out of Carter.

[AllYouNeedIsLovie 377]

Cecil Lammey @cecillammey To further emphasize RBBC #Broncos 1st team RBs - Moreno, Hillman, Ball - all three getting work

MileHighReport @MileHighReport No rotation at first team RB. It's been all Ronnie Hillman. #BroncosTC

So, which one is it?

Edited July 25, 2013 by RogerGoodellSucks

[theMileHighGuy 656]

So, which one is it?

 

 

Hillman got a lot of the work today. Lammey's tweet about the rotation was earlier in the day.

 

 

I figured that DRC would end up as the 4th CB behind Champ, Harris, and Carter. Sounds like that's about right so far with reports of very good play out of Carter.

 

From everything I've read and saw on TV today, DRC had a very good day too. The whole defense really but especially the secondary.

Edited July 25, 2013 by theMileHighGuy

[theMileHighGuy 656]

Milehighreport.com day one recap

 

After six weeks - six long weeks - the Denver Broncos finally, finally got back to football Thursday, to the cheering throng of 3,007 Broncos fans, some of whom had been waiting in the parking lot since midnight.

 

"It feels good to get back to work," Peyton Manning said. "The fans are excited about the season. Certainly our players are as well."

 

The excitement for 2013 was a recurring theme as players and head coach John Fox met with the media following practice. "Our goals are set high, our owner on down," Fox said. "(Pat Bowlen) wants to win a championship. He wants to win them back to back. That's been done here in our organization, so that's not just talk. And that's everybody in this building's goal."

 

This year, this training camp, is clearly different. The expectations are higher. The sting of the playoff loss still lingers (Manning called it a "scar"), but the Broncos are trying to turn that burn into a collective goal. So the importance of this first practice can't be understated. A tone needs to be set from the start - a tone of hard work, perseverance, and team chemistry.

 

"We're all settled in," defensive lineman Derek Wolfe said. "Let's just put our heads down and go."

 

Roll Call

 

The only players missing were guard Chris Kuper and center J.D. Walton, who were both placed on the PUP list and won't make training camp, and defensive tackle Sylvester Williams, who hadn't signed his rookie contract (he signed an hour after practice).

 

 

Welcome to Broncos training camp

 

Day One open thread and live streaming reports from training camp.

The first players on the field were kicker Matt Prater and fifth round draft pick WR Tavarres King, who came out of the locker room together. The crowd roared when Peyton Manning exited the locker room, while Duke Ihenacho did a good job getting the crowd fired up with some cheering. Von Miller was the last man on the field.

 

I noticed that both Knowshon Moreno and Chris Harris looked noticeably bigger than last year.

 

"I probably put on about five more pounds," Harris said. "I've kind of lost that body fat and put on a lot more muscle."

 

Depth Chart and Roster Battles

 

The Broncos frown upon us posting a depth chart in its entirety, but I will make note of a few interesting lineups and how the position battles shook out today.

 

Safety

 

The safety position saw the most first-team rotation, with Rahim Moore and Mike Adams starting the most snaps, but David Bruton seeing a significant amount of work as well. Even Quentin Jammer got in the mix with the one's, making it the most interesting and fluid position on Day One.

 

"We have some new guys in the secondary," coach Fox said. "You want to create competition, the more competition you have means you have a better roster so, these guys are one day into it."

 

Among the safeties, Rahim Moore stood out, having a solid day and breaking up a few passes from Peyton Manning. He also boasted perfect coverage against Jacob Tamme with Brock Osweiler under center, jumping the route to intercept Brock for what could have been a return for a touchdown.

 

Running Back

 

What was not in flux was the running back position, though many expected it might be. Ronnie Hillman appears to have a stranglehold on the starting job for the time being as Montee Ball only saw time with the two's.

 

Montee Ball was asked what has been the hardest part of picking up Peyton's offense so far. "Really just Peyton's audibles," Montee Ball said. "There are about four sheets of everything that he can audible from.... Sometimes he'll tell you where to go, but most of the time, he'll test you. Because he wants you to see if you know your stuff, which is what he should do."

 

Tight End

 

Among tight ends, Julius Thomas made the biggest splash, starting ahead of and earning more reps than others on the roster.

 

Offensive Line

 

Other interesting depth chart notes involved the two starting lines, offensive and defensive. Ryan Clady, still recovering from his shoulder surgery, was limited in practice and didn't participate in contact drills, so Chris Clark filled in at left tackle. Zane Beadles saw time at left guard while Manny Ramirez - not Dan Koppen - started at center. The right side filled out as expected with Louis Vasquez and Orlando Franklin at guard and tackle respectively.

 

Defensive Line

 

On the defensive line, starters from right to left were Robert Ayers, Terrance Knighton (who is huge), Kevin Vickerson, and Derek Wolfe.

 

Day One

 

As has often been the case in my coverage of training camps at Dove Valley, the first practice saw the offense struggle. It's natural for there to be a learning curve for the offense after a long break from football, as players work on their timing and chemistry, while the defense is able to excel to a degree because, more or less, each player only has to worry about the man in front of him.

 

"I think it felt like a first day of training camp practice," Manning said on the offense's struggles. "I think the defense had their way at times. It felt like a first day, which it was."

 

Indeed, the defense had their way a number of times. Running backs Ronnie Hillman and Montee Ball were rarely - if ever - able to break into open space, and the passing game was an inefficient shadow of itself through most team drills. Manning and his targets were slightly out of sync, and while it's hard to gauge without the full pads on (and with no contacting the QBs allowed) the defensive line was able to penetrate to the point where I believed a sack was eminent a number of times.

 

Among the offensive players you expect to stand out, Eric Decker had the best day, with Montee Ball also making a strong showing in the passing game (both in blocking and catching). But for each impressive play the offense made, the defense seemed to make two. Chris Harris was covering receivers like wallpaper, the safeties were elevating to each other's levels, and linebackers Wesley Woodyard, Nate Irving, and Steven Johnson were continually in position to make great plays.

 

"It's just good to come out here and compete," said cornerback Chris Harris. "It's Day One - glad we got Day One over with, and looking forward to improving."

 

Play of the Day

 

Rookie wide receiver Tavarres King had a good day that was made even better when he hauled in the Play of the Day - a 50+ yard touchdown reception from Brock Osweiler. The way King sped through Denver's secondary was what made the play all the more exhilerating. King flew in between Duke Ihenacho and another Broncos defensive back like an X-Wing assaulting the Death Star.

 

Who Won Today - Tony Carter

 

Tony Carter was a practice star in training camp last year too, so I came into this camp wanting to see even more, and he delivered. Carter was step-for-step with the likes of Demaryius Thomas in one-on-one drills, then hauled in an impressive interception against Brock Osweiler later in 7-on-7's. He was the most consistent defensive back of the group. Runner Up: Rahim Moore was just a step behind.

 

Who Lost Today - Brock Osweiler

It's true that Brock Osweiler had the highlight throw of camp today, and he also has a hell of an arm. I just was very unimpressed with his session as a whole, especially after all of the buzz surrounding him coming out of OTAs and minicamp. The Play of the Day wasn't enough to offset his placement in this slot. Osweiler was generally off - it looks to me like he was trying too hard to go too fast. He threw a couple of interceptions that were just simply bad decisions, and he had a few other near-interceptions as well. Runner Up: QB Zac Dysert, who probably had a worse practice, but expecations were lower. It was his first-ever NFL practice, after all.

 

Next Practice

 

Thursday night at 6:00 p.m. the Broncos will have a walkthrough practice that is only open to the media. Next public practice is Friday at 10:25 a.m.

[theMileHighGuy 656]

The most interesting thing to me is the safety battle. There is some solid competition going on there. Rahim will likely get one spot and I believe the other one is up for grabs. I would like to see Bruton take the spot, but he has had a long time to do that and I don't think he's improved his decision making all that much. Jammer is the most interesting prospect to me.

 

Center is also an area of concern. I was kinda shocked to hear Manram is taking the snaps over Koppen. Manram and Vasquez played beside each other at Texas Tech, so maybe there is some good chemistry there. Either way that's two strong-ass Mexicans manning the middle.

 

As much as I give Manning shit, I'm glad he's here and will hopefully be for a while. I have little to no faith in Brock Oz.

Edited July 25, 2013 by theMileHighGuy

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

The Broncos have have Julius Thomas? Aw hell naw...

Edited July 25, 2013 by DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F

[theMileHighGuy 656]

The Broncos have have Julius Thomas? Aw hell naw...

 

He's been hurt for 3 years, but they project him as Gates 2.0. Apparently so far he's the guy to beat. I'll believe it when I see it.

 

 

today's highlights:

 

http://www.denverbroncos.com/multimedia/videos/Exclusive_Highlights_from_Day_1_of_Camp/bf7c15c8-7268-4bac-9f51-75de894e4254

Edited July 25, 2013 by theMileHighGuy

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

He's been hurt for 3 years, but they project him as Gates 2.0. Apparently so far he's the guy to beat. I'll believe it when I see it.

 

 

today's highlights:

 

http://www.denverbroncos.com/multimedia/videos/Exclusive_Highlights_from_Day_1_of_Camp/bf7c15c8-7268-4bac-9f51-75de894e4254

 

I had no idea that's where he ended up. I wanted him bad in a Honolulu blue and silver jersey a couple years back. He's got all the physical tools to be as great as Gates.

Edited July 26, 2013 by DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F

[Crash 105]

I had no idea that's where he ended up. I wanted him bad in a Honolulu blue and solver jersey a couple years back. He's got all the physical tools to be as great as Gates.

So far right now he's leapfrogged 3 TE and has been getting A LOT of the first team snaps. Him at TE with our 3 wr is going to make it very tough to stop us

[housemd 338]

Reporting live from Broncos camp, SI's Peter King tweeted early Friday that Montee Ball is "better" than Ronnie Hillman and will "win the job eventually."

 

King isn't a trusted talent evaluator, so we suspect he gleaned this nugget from Broncos front-office sources. King is an information man. Undoubtedly, Ball is a superior fantasy bet than Hillman despite the fact Hillman opened Broncos camp with the first team. Ball is also receiving first-team reps, and the Denver Post reported he has excelled so far in pass protection. An RB2 with upside, Ball is worth a long look at his current fourth-round Average Draft Position.

[Crash 105]

Ball is receiving SOME first team reps, unfortunately he is receiving a significant less amount then Hillman or Moreno. Ball has flashed but right now every report from people at camp say that Hillman is BALLING out and that montee has a uphill battle to wrestle that starter spot away from hillman. Tomorrow is going to be the big test cause we put the pads on

[theMileHighGuy 656]

Training Camp Day 2 Highlights

 

 

Chris Hall @BroncosTV

Rookie Tavarres King first player to take the field for practice Friday morning.

 

Cecil Lammey @cecillammey

Ronnie Hillman 1st team again but Jeremiah Johnson flashing with 2nd team #broncos TC day 2

 

Andrew Mason @MaseDenver

Long-term, there might be something to the Osweiler-King connection. They already have chemistry and timing.

 

Darren McKee @dmac1043

For all ball lovers he still needs WAY more time just to know where to go

 

 

Darren McKee @dmac1043

Manning deep to Hester

 

Lindsay Jones ✔ @bylindsayhjones

Manning sharp in two-minute drill. 4-for-5. Montee Ball was with the ones for that no-huddle series #Broncos

 

MileHighReport @MileHighReport

Manning 3 of 4 in latest team drill. Mike #Adams with a nice breakup and near-INT. #BroncosCamp

 

Lindsay Jones ✔ @bylindsayhjones

A kid just got pulled out of the crowd to run a couple routes for Peyton. Caught the second pass attempt, crowd went nuts.

 

Lindsay Jones ✔ @bylindsayhjones

Now Wesley Woodyard leading crowd in a def-fence chant before next set of 7 on 7 drills.

 

Lindsay Jones ✔ @bylindsayhjones

Couple plays in, Woodyard picks off Manning off a deflected pass to M Ball. Manning "tackled" him.

 

 

MileHighReport @MileHighReport

Nice pick by @NachoLyfe on @BrockOsweiler! Great jump of Virgil Green's route. #BroncosCamp

 

Darren McKee @dmac1043

Greg orton the star of the day. My man. Trindon Holliday not so much on the receiving front

 

MileHighReport @MileHighReport

In case you missed the memo this morning (I did), today is Greg Orton Day. Kid is catching EVERYTHING. #BroncosCamp

 

Darren McKee @dmac1043

Practice is wrapped on a short pass to mcduffie. Also if I throw it one yard to Holliday good things may happen. Practice details coming

 

MileHighReport @MileHighReport

#Broncos players getting a treat following today's practice.

[theMileHighGuy 656]

Going to be using Trindon Holiday a lot more on offense this year it seems. I hope they know what they're doing. I know he's fast, but he has tiny baby hands and he fumbles the ball a LOT.

 

They have some tough decisions to make at receiver. DT, Decker, Welker, King, Holiday. Do they keep 6 to retain Orton?

[Crash 105]

Going to be using Trindon Holiday a lot more on offense this year it seems. I hope they know what they're doing. I know he's fast, but he has tiny baby hands and he fumbles the ball a LOT.

 

They have some tough decisions to make at receiver. DT, Decker, Welker, King, Holiday. Do they keep 6 to retain Orton?

Idk cause we are also heavy at oline, LB, TE and corner. We are going to have to go lite at some positions to carry all of our talent

Edited July 26, 2013 by Crash

[Crash 105]

Just been looking at the pics from TC today, a few of Julius Thomas making catches in double coverage:

 

 

 

 

Maybe our biggest weapon this year

[theMileHighGuy 656]

I'd agree with 'secret' weapon... not biggest.

 

Unless you mean by literal size... dude is freaking massive.

Edited July 26, 2013 by theMileHighGuy

[Crash 105]

I'd agree with 'secret' weapon... not biggest.

 

Unless you mean by literal size... dude is freaking massive.

WR make a offense good but a playmaker at TE is what can make a offense great! You can go ahead and discount him all you want but if he continues through camp how this entire offseason has gone he could easily be a top 5 TE

[theMileHighGuy 656]

WR make a offense good but a playmaker at TE is what can make a offense great! You can go ahead and discount him all you want but if he continues through camp how this entire offseason has gone he could easily be a top 5 TE

 

Lol... I'm not discounting him at all. However to date he has 1 catch for 5 yards in his career. He needs to stay healthy to be a weapon. To be the biggest weapon he not only has to out-perform the best WR trio in the league, but he has to beat out two solid TEs who Manning is very comfortable with. Not to mention Virgil Greene, who was outstanding in preseason last year and can play all over the field as well as block like a guard.

[Crash 105]

Lol... I'm not discounting him at all. However to date he has 1 catch for 5 yards in his career. He needs to stay healthy to be a weapon. To be the biggest weapon he not only has to out-perform the best WR trio in the league, but he has to beat out two solid TEs who Manning is very comfortable with. Not to mention Virgil Greene, who was outstanding in preseason last year and can play all over the field as well as block like a guard.

Idk I think Dressen may be in trouble. We may have to go lite at TE and only carry 3 so that we can carry other talent at other positions. If Thomas continues to take 80% of the 1st reps it does look obvious that we may not rotate our TE like last year and Thomas will be a legit number 1 TE. Our coaching staff has talked that JT has all the mental aspects of understanding football and he just needs to stay on the field. Green and Thomas are our too big weapons at TE and could be one of the better TE duos in the league

[theMileHighGuy 656]

some pics from day 2

 

 

 

 

KnowMo looks BIG

 

 

 

 

 

 

That might be as big as the Broncos' middle has ever been right there. Pot Roast and Sly.

[theMileHighGuy 656]

Training camp, Day 3:

 

MileHighReport @MileHighReport

Manning taking snaps from Koppen instead of Ramirez during warmups. We'll see if it persists during team drills

 

Cecil Lammey @cecillammey

Working on punt return: Welker, Holliday, McDuffie, Tony Carter, Jeremiah Johnson

 

MileHighReport @MileHighReport

Ryan Clady and Lucas Reed are out but not in pads. All others present. #BroncosCamp

 

MileHighReport @MileHighReport

Still Dan Koppen at starting C on the first day of pads (when it matters). Julius Thomas with the second team today.

 

MileHighReport @MileHighReport

Manning's work ethic is on display every snap. He goes thru full motion, steps back, progressions, even during warmups.

 

MileHighReport @MileHighReport

NFL refs are here today. They'll make calls during team drills before meeting w/ players about rule changes. #BroncosCamp

 

Darren McKee @dmac1043

Lindsey just pointed out to me trindon working w running backs. Btw if u r watching nfl network I'm standing

 

Darren McKee @dmac1043

Now trindon is a wr. Trying to find a spot

 

MileHighReport @MileHighReport

Osweiler hands off to Moreno as Manning looks on.

 

@MileHighReport: Here we go: pads are on, and linemen are one-on-one. #favorite #BroncosCamp

 

@bylindsayhjones: Rahim Moore gets a pick in one on ones vs rookie wr Lamaar Thomas. Show boats to the fans, who eat it up.

 

@bylindsayhjones: Ronnie Hillman gets first reps during 9 on 7. After a fumble, got replaced by Montee Ball.

 

MileHighReport @MileHighReport

Most impressive player in OL/DL one-on-ones: Robert Ayers. #BroncosCamp

 

@cecillammey: Pass pro great day for Hillman and Moreno, Montee Ball got pushed around by Mike Adams #Broncos

 

@cecillammey: I've got chills watching the pit at #Broncos training camp - OL wins today, QSmith with a strong showing

 

@MaseDenver: Like what I see from Quanterus Smith so far. Working on a variety of moves, keeps his balance well at contact. Strong work in OL/DL drills.

 

@cecillammey: Inside running goes to Hillman and Moreno, both with big runs that started inside then went out. MBall swallowed up on every carry so far

 

@MaseDenver: Sylvester Williams looked better in pass-rush than run-block OL/DL drills. Very quick first step. #Broncos

 

@cecillammey: Moreno showing great fight today as a runner - refusing to go down

 

@cecillammey: Hillman lost his helmet in pass pro drill versus Jammer, two got into a little scrap after that Hillman victory #Broncos

 

@bylindsayhjones: Nice day for safety Duke Ihenacho @NachoLyfe. Getting some reps in no 1 nickel package, then makes a pick off Osweiler. #Broncos

 

@MaseDenver: Defense ahead of offense on first full-pad day. At one point, 6 consec. Manning passes fell incomplete. D was aggressive, mounting pressure.

 

@MaseDenver: Duke Ihenacho: INT off Osweiler. Jeremiah Johnson: great day. And Trindon Holliday just got an ovation for a long punt return.

 

@cecillammey: Montee Ball didn't gain many positive yards as a runner today, longest play was on a reception, went about seven yards #Broncos

 

@cecillammey: Knowshon Moreno looked good today as a runner and receiver out of the backfield, impressing more than Montee did #Broncos

[theMileHighGuy 656]

Milehighreport.com Day 3 recap (pictures later)

 

http://www.milehighreport.com/2013-denver-broncos-training-camp/2013/7/27/4563400/denver-broncos-2013-training-camp-report-day-three

 

The pads came on, and so did the pain. Our report from Day Three of 2013 Denver Broncos training camp.

You hear a loud "whack", an exclamation of voices, followed by hundreds of smacks.

 

The first sound is linebacker Steven Johnson laying the wood on Lance Ball. The second and third sounds are the "Ooohs," then applause, from the audience.

 

In the third day of Denver Broncos training camp, the clouds parted, and head coach John Fox proclaimed, "Let there be pads." And Mile High Report saw that it was good.

 

"I was going to put them on myself today," defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio joked after practice. "It's always great to get into the padded portion of camp. You go through the offseason - spring practices, OTAs and all that - in shorts. It’s good to find out what you’re going to do in pads because that is what really counts."

 

“I think our guys enjoyed it today," offensive coordinator Adam Gase said. "We had some big runs, which is a different feel for us because it seems like without pads the holes close up a lot quicker. It seemed like those holes were a little bigger today. You saw some explosive plays and that is what we are looking for."

 

The explosive plays were led by the likes of Ronnie Hillman and Jeremiah Johnson, while the passing offense looked out of sync again. But that was okay; today's focus was definitely on the running game, since it was a portion of the playbook the players haven't been able to effectively practice in nearly seven months. Offensive linemen were eager to hit and defenders were eager to tackle.

 

"Our guys are getting aggressive because it has been so long since they have had their pads on, since January, and they have been waiting for this," said Gase.

 

Roll Call

 

All were present Saturday, though Lucas Reed was dressed but did not participate. He was waived hours later. His replacement, newly signed tight end Jake O'Connell, was at practice. Ryan Clady was limited.

 

Injury Report

 

Center/guard C.J. Davis was carted off the field late in practice and did not return. Coach Fox said he "tweaked" his ankle.

 

Linemen One-on-Ones and The Pit

 

My favorite drill of training camp. Give me defensive lineman versus offensive lineman, one-on-one, every day of the week. Fighting for leverage. Desperate to keep your own balance. Overpowering your opponent.

 

The offensive line got the better of the defense in this drill today, but defenders got a few wins as well. Robert Ayers tossed Chris Clark around like a rag doll in run blocking, while Quanterus Smith was able to just get by fellow rookie Paul Cornick. Sylvester Williams was pushed around by Quentin Saulsberry and exclaimed something to his coaches afterwards in frustration; they gave him another stab at it, and this time Williams got revenge.

 

In The Pit (pass rushing one-on-one's). Orlando Franklin was able to keep Von Miller blocked away from his target, while Justin Boren handled Mitch Unrein.

 

Miller would get revenge on Franklin during team drills a couple of times. He was electric today.

 

Passing Offense Struggles

 

It was a rough outing for the passing offense as a whole. Peyton Manning threw six straight incompletions at one point, while Brock Osweiler slid back to his poor decision-making level of Day One. Several balls were just slightly out of place from both QBs, and wide receivers weren't as open and weren't coming down with the tough catches.

 

The one big play for the unit was Peyton Manning's pass to Demaryius Thomas. Thomas had gotten behind the coverage and was able to outrun David Bruton for a long touchdown.

 

Position Battles

 

Safety

This is the most interesting position battle at training camp this year, and the competition appears to be wide open. Three guys are getting the majority of the reps - Rahim Moore, Mike Adams, and David Bruton, with Bruton filling in for each player at free and strong safety respectively - while Quentin Jammer and Duke Ihenacho have also gotten in the first-team mix.

 

"We’re learning right now," Jack Del Rio said of the safety competition. "We're looking at a little bit of everybody, getting them in different spots. We’re evaluating. We’re exposing them to a lot. I like to use a lot of different combinations with our back end. We want to build that flexibility now, teach them different roles and let them compete. We’ll sort through that and determine which guys go first, and which guys come in in certain groups as we get going."

 

Del Rio said he does this to build a scheme that limits Denver's exposing their weaknesses, and that players will earn playing time based on the tasks they succeed at. The Broncos will see different combinations of players on the field. "I talked about it last year and then I backed it up and we did it," Del Rio said.

 

Offensive Line

 

I am hearing through the grape vine that the Broncos are making a deliberate effort to get their younger and less experienced players more practice with the starters, and that's very apparent along the offensive line. Manny Ramirez lost his starting center job to Dan Koppen today, but instead saw a number of snaps at starting right guard in lieu of Louis Vasquez.

 

Tight End

 

Julius Thomas was lined up with the two's more than he had been in previous practices. He still saw the field with the one's at times, but the drop in his rep count was noticeable.

 

Play of the Day

 

Strong safety Duke Ihenacho intercepted a Brock Osweiler throw in 9-on-7's that he returned for a touchdown. Most impressive? It looked to me like he did it lined up as nickel linebacker.

 

Who Won Today - RB Ronnie Hillman

 

Denver's starting running back lived up to his job title today, showing a little bit of everything you hope to see in your starter. His first cut is extremely fast - over my shoulder, Tom Nalen exhaled loudly and proclaimed, "That was a perfect cut!" after Hillman burst free for a big gain on the first run of team drills. He was also solid in pass protection, and it's clear he has been soaking up the playbook.

 

“He has done a good job," offensive coordinator Adam Gase said of Hillman. "It is a different deal from the position he was in last year because we were very selective in what we did with him. Now, the whole book is open. The adjustments you have to make at the line of scrimmage are not easy and he is working hard trying to make sure that he is accountable to his teammates and he has done a good job in these first few days of practice.”

 

Runner Up: T Chris Clark. Clark has been impressive filling in for Ryan Clady, but the first day with the pads on saw him really shine. Clark swallowed Robert Ayers in one-on-one pass rush, shortly after dominating Derek Wolfe in the unit's run blocking exercise. He was also responsible for launching one of Hillman's bigger runs in team play.

 

Second Runner Up: RB Jeremiah Johnson. Johnson had nearly as many big runs as Hillman did Saturday,

 

Who Lost Today - RB Montee Ball

 

We're not selling the farm on Montee Ball after one practice - not by a long shot - but the rookie looked a lot like, well, a rookie Tuesday. He seemed indecisive in his cuts and hesitant to hit the hole. At one point, near the end of practice, another member of the media asked me if he had gained positive yardage at all in team drills. He had, but just barely, on one run. Other than that he was consistently stuffed, and his pass protection was a little suspect as well.

 

"I think he missed a couple [blocks] today," said Gase. "It is a process, it’s not going to be an easy thing where he is going to be able to step in there and dominate linebackers as a rookie. It is going to take some time and he is going to have to work on it. We have a lot of training camp practices left."

 

Runner Up: Robert Ayers. Ayers looked great in the run-blocking one-on-one's, but outside of that he struggled today. He was dominated in The Pit and had a couple of big runs go his direction in 11-on-11. He did have some success in pass rush in team drills, though.

 

On that note

 

I didn't think Phillips had a particularly bad practice, but apparently he did.

 

@ShaunPhillips95

On that note I'm sorry broncos fans I let you down today. I didn't have my best practice today. But I will make it up to you.

 

[RazorStar 4,025]

Defensive back is gonna be tough this year. We're gonna be cutting a good player or two, that's for sure. Champ is safe, Chris Harris and Rahim Moore are safe, and otherwise we have a lot of questions for depth purposes. Tony Carter is gonna make it a hard choice whether we keep him, or both of our young guys in Webster and Bolden. I imagine DRC is safe because of the talent level, but he might be the 4th best corner we have after training camp is said and done.

 

Ihenacho is a hell of a talent, and Bruton is a beast on special teams, so I want to keep them, leaving us with one or two spots and Mike Adams, Quentin Jammer, and Quinton Carter fighting for those spots. Carter may just be the odd man out.