Broncos Mailbag: What is franchise’s plan with Zach Wilson at quarterback?
The next time the Broncos are on a practice field together, the countdown to the regular season will be on in earnest.
That day arrives in a little more than a month with the start of training camp.
The past two months of offseason programming don’t get wiped away, but what happens in camp will matter most for roster spots, expectations and what Sean Payton’s team will look like when it heads to Seattle for its Sept. 8 season opener.
“We’re evaluating everything, but (the offseason program) is about putting themselves in the best position for the critical weeks of training camp where it’s much more magnified and much more important,” Payton said earlier this month. “All of it is important.”
Payton has acknowledged that he and Denver’s coaching staff try not to be “instant evaluators” and regularly says that there are always a handful of players who surprise — some in a good way, some not — once the pads come on.
So with the requisite understanding that little is set in stone at this point, here are five offense-focused takeaways from the Broncos’ now-completed offseason program.
Bo Nix has impressed his head coach
It’s already become normal for Payton to speak highly of his rookie quarterback.
Since the NFL combine in February, Payton has expressed confidence that Denver would ace its quarterback-finding quest.
Still, it’s notable that the veteran head coach’s positive tone continued from draft weekend through rookie minicamp, OTAs and mandatory minicamp as it pertains to Bo Nix, the No. 12 overall selection in the draft.
He at one point said Nix was throwing the ball “extremely well.” He lauded the rookie’s ability to pick up the offense despite the heavy volume of information. He said, basically, that Nix has been exactly what he expected after scouting the former Oregon and Auburn quarterback.
“It’s what we saw and what we evaluated,” Payton said. “And that’s encouraging.”
It’s too early to call the Broncos’ quarterback race for Nix, but if he continues to meet or exceed Payton’s lofty expectations for him in August, he will be difficult to beat out. Jarrett Stidham had a quality summer and has taken nicely to trying to lead the quarterback room and the offense. Zach Wilson has arm talent that neither of the other two quarterbacks possess.
The last two months, however, have only reinforced how publicly willing Payton is to put trust and confidence in Nix.
The running back position is wide open
This will all seem overblown if the Broncos roll into Week 1 with Javonte Williams, Samaje Perine and Jaleel McLaughlin as their top trio of backs.
That’s a possibility, but nowhere near a certainty.
In fact, running back shapes up to be one of the team’s most hotly contested training camp battles. That’s mostly because of the presence of rookies Audric Estime and Blake Watson. Watson could be a practice squad candidate, though McLaughlin showed a year ago that it’s possible to force your way onto the 53-man roster.
Unless a guy is going to play all four special teams units, …read more
Source:: The Denver Post – Sports
