Training Camp Notes & Observations

[SLCbear]

How y'all liking Vic ...best DC !!

Can anybody help me with tonight's game ??! Preseason such crap shoot only hardcore fans know what to expect from their teams esp Week 1.

How's Atlanta ?

Can always HMU for Bears or NfCN ..thx

Cheers 

[Scoundrel]

39 minutes ago, SLCbear said:

How y'all liking Vic ...best DC !!

Can anybody help me with tonight's game ??! Preseason such crap shoot only hardcore fans know what to expect from their teams esp Week 1.

How's Atlanta ?

Can always HMU for Bears or NfCN ..thx

Cheers 

Vic seems no nonsense so far. Which I personally like. Not sure how Atlanta has looked in training camp. But stay tuned let’s see how this one plays out.

[BroncoBruin]

I love Vic, and I'm not sure the "old school" tag he gets is fair. He definitely has the team working hard with those long practices and they know what's expected of them at all times, but listening to him and reading about him, I don't see a meathead. He's a really smart coach who understands the game's evolution and also understands people. 

Vance was a pushover who was in over his head, trying to be everyone's friend while not having the credibility to demand young players' respect. 

Edited August 2, 2019 by BroncoBruin

[germ-x]

I can’t recall, but do teams usually only carry 3 RBs on game days?  I don’t doubt that this may put Booker on notice, but should Freeman go down during a game Denver’s stuck with 2 very undersized running backs.

[Broncofan]

6 minutes ago, germ-x said:

I can’t recall, but do teams usually only carry 3 RBs on game days?  I don’t doubt that this may put Booker on notice, but should Freeman go down during a game Denver’s stuck with 2 very undersized running backs.

It depends on if they contribute on ST.   With Riddick’s injury risk and Booker’s versatility in ST it would be a surprise to dress only 3 RB in this O.  

[PFM18]

19 hours ago, SLCbear said:

How y'all liking Vic ...best DC !!

Can anybody help me with tonight's game ??! Preseason such crap shoot only hardcore fans know what to expect from their teams esp Week 1.

How's Atlanta ?

Can always HMU for Bears or NfCN ..thx

Cheers 

Definitely liking what Vic has brought to the table so far. 

The players seem on board and we need the professional approach he seems to have to make progress.

Hope it keeps up. 

[germ-x]

Went to camp today.  Ended up leaving a little early at 11.  Anyway, here are some observations.

- Kevin Hogan is easily the 2nd best QB on the roster.  Lock is a LONG way from being an option.  He had 1 good throw on the entire day and it happened during 7 on 7.  He was picked off once, but it should’ve been twice (Bausby dropped the other) and neither pass was even close.  Even when there were receivers open he was either underthrowing them or overthrowing them by a mile.  

- The offense with starters looked solid.  Ripped off some nice runs and had some nice pass plays (one to Sutton for 60-70 yard TD).  Sanders doesn’t appear to have missed a beat coming off the torn achilles.  Made a number of catches and was always open when on the field.  The offense though had 2 false start penalties the first multiple players on the OL jumped and the very next play Bolles jumped early.  Also had a snap go over the QBs head (this has been an issue all camp) and Winfree and one of the TEs had catchable balls dropped.  There was a skirmish on the sideline involving Sanders, who was being held back by multiple players.  At the time it was hard to tell who he was upset with and I was later told it appeared it was between Sanders and Sutton.

- The defense is going to be GOOD.  Love the DL and the depth it has and compared to other units during individual drills, those guys really get after it.  Chubb got nicked up a bit and missed some snaps, but he was almost unblockable.  The DB depth is insane as well.  Jackson had a pick 6 during goal line work off Flacco, Bausby looked good all day as well.  Hollins got a lot of work as a cover LB, with Jewell and Watson (Watson is all over the place) got most of the 1st team reps at ILB. 

- Von was the laziest player on the field.  Even my wife made a comment about how it didn’t seem as if he wanted to be there.  During individual work he missed participating when it was his turn 2x and then proceeded to walk through the attempt when he missed it.  He’s a veteran with a proven track record of being one the best in the game, but it’s still not a look you like to see.  

- Of the position groups the OL spent as much time huddled up listening to Munchak as they did physically going through the drills Interestingly, Bolles stood a decent distance behind the group with his helmet off staring at the ground and Munchak appeared to change his proximity multiple times and get closer to Bolles to get his attention.  Now there was no way of knowing what was said or if what was being said was all that relevant for Bolles, but there have been multiple reports of the organization growing frustrated with Bolles because he’s difficult to coach.  Much like the Von note above, it just isn’t a good look.

- Denver was getting Riddick involved with the ones and there were more than a few offensive looks that featured both Freeman and Riddick in the backfield together.

It was my first time going and it was a blast.  I actually thought it was more fun that going to a game live.  I definitely plan to go to more next offseason.

[thebestever6]

12 minutes ago, germ-x said:

Went to camp today.  Ended up leaving a little early at 11.  Anyway, here are some observations.

- Kevin Hogan is easily the 2nd best QB on the roster.  Lock is a LONG way from being an option.  He had 1 good throw on the entire day and it happened during 7 on 7.  He was picked off once, but it should’ve been twice (Bausby dropped the other) and neither pass was even close.  Even when there were receivers open he was either underthrowing them or overthrowing them by a mile.  

- The offense with starters looked solid.  Ripped off some nice runs and had some nice pass plays (one to Sutton for 60-70 yard TD).  Sanders doesn’t appear to have missed a beat coming off the torn achilles.  Made a number of catches and was always open when on the field.  The offense though had 2 false start penalties the first multiple players on the OL jumped and the very next play Bolles jumped early.  Also had a snap go over the QBs head (this has been an issue all camp) and Winfree and one of the TEs had catchable balls dropped.  There was a skirmish on the sideline involving Sanders, who was being held back by multiple players.  At the time it was hard to tell who he was upset with and I was later told it appeared it was between Sanders and Sutton.

- The defense is going to be GOOD.  Love the DL and the depth it has and compared to other units during individual drills, those guys really get after it.  Chubb got nicked up a bit and missed some snaps, but he was almost unblockable.  The DB depth is insane as well.  Jackson had a pick 6 during goal line work off Flacco, Bausby looked good all day as well.  Hollins got a lot of work as a cover LB, with Jewell and Watson (Watson is all over the place) got most of the 1st team reps at ILB. 

- Von was the laziest player on the field.  Even my wife made a comment about how it didn’t seem as if he wanted to be there.  During individual work he missed participating when it was his turn 2x and then proceeded to walk through the attempt when he missed it.  He’s a veteran with a proven track record of being one the best in the game, but it’s still not a look you like to see.  

- Of the position groups the OL spent as much time huddled up listening to Munchak as they did physically going through the drills Interestingly, Bolles stood a decent distance behind the group with his helmet off staring at the ground and Munchak appeared to change his proximity multiple times and get closer to Bolles to get his attention.  Now there was no way of knowing what was said or if what was being said was all that relevant for Bolles, but there have been multiple reports of the organization growing frustrated with Bolles because he’s difficult to coach.  Much like the Von note above, it just isn’t a good look.

- Denver was getting Riddick involved with the ones and there were more than a few offensive looks that featured both Freeman and Riddick in the backfield together.

It was my first time going and it was a blast.  I actually thought it was more fun that going to a game live.  I definitely plan to go to more next offseason.

He was upset at Sutton great post I guess Lindsay will have a reduced role since he couldn't work on the catching with his wrist.

Edited August 5, 2019 by thebestever6

[broncos67]

I know we go through this every year, but taking anything away from the first preseason game, and practices which many don't attend is a fools errand.The starters haven't played any meaningful game minutes, especially on defense. The reality is, this defense is going to be very good, just like most Fangio defenses have been. We have a set of very good/elite pass rushers, and a very strong secondary. In today's NFL, that's usually a recipe for success.

Offensively, the same concerns are there until proven otherwise. We have a rotating door of QBs, and whether they are veterans are not don't really matter. Flacco has had multiple down seasons in a row. Sounds like McGovern can't snap the ball in a shotgun formation (not good), and obviously the questions writ large about OL talent and WR talent still remain. 

Denver is going to win between 7-9 games this year, mostly because of defensive prowess and pure talent on that side of the ball. But until they find a QB, they're going to toil in mediocrity, and it won't matter how good the defense is. I don't know if Lock is that guy or not. There's not enough time to be able to make a fair judgement, but I do know Elway is running out of chances to find that player.

[BroncoSojia]

4 hours ago, broncos67 said:

I know we go through this every year, but taking anything away from the first preseason game, and practices which many don't attend is a fools errand.The starters haven't played any meaningful game minutes, especially on defense. The reality is, this defense is going to be very good, just like most Fangio defenses have been. We have a set of very good/elite pass rushers, and a very strong secondary. In today's NFL, that's usually a recipe for success.

Offensively, the same concerns are there until proven otherwise. We have a rotating door of QBs, and whether they are veterans are not don't really matter. Flacco has had multiple down seasons in a row. Sounds like McGovern can't snap the ball in a shotgun formation (not good), and obviously the questions writ large about OL talent and WR talent still remain. 

Denver is going to win between 7-9 games this year, mostly because of defensive prowess and pure talent on that side of the ball. But until they find a QB, they're going to toil in mediocrity, and it won't matter how good the defense is. I don't know if Lock is that guy or not. There's not enough time to be able to make a fair judgement, but I do know Elway is running out of chances to find that player.

Same story for the past 3 years, but some fans have convinced themselves that Flacco is the answer, just like Case last year, and Trevor Siemian the year before. I still think it was a major mistake not to draft a QB in the first in 2018.

Edited August 6, 2019 by BroncoSojia

[germ-x]

8 hours ago, broncos67 said:

I know we go through this every year, but taking anything away from the first preseason game, and practices which many don't attend is a fools errand.The starters haven't played any meaningful game minutes, especially on defense. The reality is, this defense is going to be very good, just like most Fangio defenses have been. We have a set of very good/elite pass rushers, and a very strong secondary. In today's NFL, that's usually a recipe for success.

Offensively, the same concerns are there until proven otherwise. We have a rotating door of QBs, and whether they are veterans are not don't really matter. Flacco has had multiple down seasons in a row. Sounds like McGovern can't snap the ball in a shotgun formation (not good), and obviously the questions writ large about OL talent and WR talent still remain. 

Denver is going to win between 7-9 games this year, mostly because of defensive prowess and pure talent on that side of the ball. But until they find a QB, they're going to toil in mediocrity, and it won't matter how good the defense is. I don't know if Lock is that guy or not. There's not enough time to be able to make a fair judgement, but I do know Elway is running out of chances to find that player.

Ah, again I don’t think anyone is saying preseason game #1 defines a season nor does any practice, but to say nothing can be taken from any of this is the fools errand.  It’s not like the coaching staff just took the tape from August 1st, threw it away, smoked a cigar, passed around a bottle of booze, and said well that was fun.

Like I said, none of this defines a season, but half the guys who will suit up for the Broncos week 1, many of whom will have some sort of role, played August 1st.  We also saw evaluations already being made prior to that game with Denver signing Riddick, just based off what was happening in practices.  Denver has almost no skill position help and it was evident in that 1st preseason game.  

The coaching staff and front office are using these practices and games to help field the 53 man roster for week one, why then is it so foolish as fans to try and piece that together?  You yourself just came to conclusions offensively, defensively, and in the win/loss column.

[Broncofan]

Riddick out 6-8 weeks.   Big blessing is this creates room for Muhammad to show if he’s a 2020+ piece.   Pretty much guarantees Booker is 3rd down RB (given Riddick’s frailty and Booker’s ST contributions, I wouldn’t have cut him regardless - but now it’s moot). 

Personally I’d IR-return Riddick (can’t do it until after 53 man cuts) and then see if he’s needed by week 9.   That would allow the team to keep Muhammad on the 53 man roster as the 4th RB.   So we can see if he has any 2020+ value in the Booker / Riddick role.  Riddick has zero value to us long term.   And now won’t have any reps in practice until the fracture’s healed.  But given it’s a win-now signing with 1M guaranteed (but we can save as much as 1.5M more in roster bonuses) - I doubt we see that.   Shades of JC 2017 over again..ugh.   

 

Edited August 11, 2019 by Broncofan

[Broncofan]

In other news - somewhat surprising because I think he’s their 4th EDGE (assuming Hollins stays inside, if not then he’s their 3rd, Reed 4th, Holland 5th), but Jeff Holland cut.    Haven’t seen enough of Aaron Wallace to comment, but no argument on Reed being the best non-starter EDGE so far.  

I have no problem saying Malik Reed’s breakout so far has earned the 3rd/4th EDGE ahead of Holland, so I wish Holland well.  Given he’s so young, I’d expect he’ll latch on elsewhere soon enough.   The one position where the numbers game is a legit issue.  

 

[Broncofan]

I’m guessing we are seeing more Hollins at EDGE with Reed if Fangio is moving Jamal Carter moving to ILB.  Definitely need more athleticism in passing situations there.  

 

[AKRNA]

56 minutes ago, Broncofan said:

I’m guessing we are seeing more Hollins at EDGE with Reed if Fangio is moving Jamal Carter moving to ILB.  Definitely need more athleticism in passing situations there.  

 

If the depth chart is any indication it's probably Carters only chance to make the team. I don't think he's PS eligible.