Broncos Now - Official Denver Broncos PodcastBroncos Now: Top takeaways from rookie minicamp
What's Up, Broncos Country.
Welcome back to the Broncos Podcast, networking and YouTube for the latest episode of Broncos Now. As always are, your host is Sidney Jones, and coming up on today's episode, the team held working mini camp this weekend, so we'll hear from head coach Sean Payan in all seven of the Broncos draft picks.
All that more coming up the number Broncos held.
Rookie mini caamp this weekend in which more than fifty players participated, including all seven of the Broncos draft picks. We heard today from head coach Sean Payn as he detailed how the weekend has gone so far.
So we just finished basically our second full practice of the rookie camp. We'll have a walk through tonight, We'll have one more practice tomorrow, and then you know, that'll conclude the players on the roster. You know, free agents or draft picks will then stay and acclimate into the off season program.
We have a number of players trying out here.
So basically there's four groups of players. You have our draft picks, you have our free agents. There's eight or nine current Broncos that don't have a year credited that are able to come to this, and then the last group are the rookies or veteran trial players.
The hardest thing.
With this camp every year is just it's the only time as a coach you don't really know the conditioning level of the masses. I know, the Broncos that are out here have gotten sixteen workouts in, but other than that, you know, these draft picks have been visiting college or visiting teams. So that's the challenge is just the overall conditioning level and trying to make sure that we're staying off the ground and staying healthy.
We also went inside the locker room a falling practice today and heard from a few of the Broncos a draft picks. They detail their thoughts on their first few practic this is over community camp.
So far, all we're pretty good. You know, day two out there.
You know, my local is just to you know, go out there, make sure I'm doing everything right and just give a percent better every day, you know.
So yeah, it's been good.
It is a lot of you know, vernacular verbish that they throw at us, but you talk kind of run the similar offense the same way that the Broncos run here.
So it's not too big of a difference. She's got to make sure I get in my playbook. I mean, it's awesome.
You know the coaches, you know they're doing and treat is good, so they're always trying to put us first.
So it's it's a huge positive. And the culture here already is awesome. It's been amazing.
It's dream come true.
Honestly, hit now like I got drafted. It felt good, but does it hit till you get here? And I'm just blessed thinking for the.
Opportunity here good, just just trying to get better and trying to improve on my technique.
Sean Payton went on to talk about quarterback a Bone next and discussed how he's learning the playbook and how he's handled the install so far.
He's handling the install well.
I mean, you know, you had a pretty good practice today and he's.
Grinding through it.
He's doing a good job with two or three down the field throws today. It's almost like watching a good golfer. You know, sometimes when you watch his game over two years, you just there's a patience to how he plays. The ball comes out and I don't want to use the term boring that's that's not the right term. But yep, pretty good decisions and with each play, the efficiency and how he's operating all of that.
And look, we've.
Done these camps for a long time and some teams no longer have a true rookie mini camp. It might be more of an orientation. I like to have fifty guys. I like to have the workout players here because we found a tryout player every now and then. And then it also allows you to have the full team drills and I think it develops not just the quarterback but everyone else. So oftentimes your first exposure to huddle, snap count, verbiage that can be challenging. And so but I thought he threw it well.
Go next talked in the locker room and discussed what the process has been like a learning a new offense.
Well, it's all about studying. It's all about, you know, taking one play at a time, master it, make sure you know the fundamentals, technique of that play, what the play callers intent is, and essentially they just wanted to go out and execute it. And you know, it's my job as a quarterback to get the play started and you know, get the ball where it's supposed to be given. So a lot of that's completing passes, you know, run game operation.
It can be a lot.
But you know, I feel like, you know, I'm being taught really well by the coaches. They've done a really good job of, you know, narrowing everything down and making it simple so I can just get up there and process and play fast.
Plush On Payin went on to talk about what he's looking for from these guys during rookie minnie camp and how he evaluates them during this time.
Number One, does a player know what to do? I mean, this is oither being evaluated.
Does he know?
Do they know what to do? And we know we're going to give them a lot? So, but how then how quickly are they learning it? And are they trying to do what they're being coached? Number three? How well are they doing it? Do they know what to do? Are they trying to do what's being coached? How well are they doing it? And then you get to athleticism effort, and then you know that's talent. So you know it's a for a guy who's trying out, man, it's a it's challenging because you know there's there's essentially one two, you know, three practices, a couple of walkthroughs, and.
They're just trying to make an impression.
And our job is to make sure that none of those players end up somewhere else. And it was like, man, they were here and now they're you know, so if we're going to bring it in, then we're going to evaluate every one of them.
And a few of the Broncos draft picks also talked about.
Their initial impressions getting to work with head coach Sean Payton this weekend.
He's been awesome. He teaches me, you know, so much already. He's got a lot of knowledge and you know, he's built a pedigree to where you know, when when he talks, you listen. So that's what I'm excited to continue to just learn learn from him more and more each day. And uh, you know, as we go through practices and walk throughs, you just can't learn enough from him. He's like an amazing feeling because I used to watch the Saints a lot, being from Obs, I used to see him on TV, him with Drew Brees and stuff like that.
But for him to be my coast nice just an amazing.
Feeling now joining me here in the Broncos podcast studio is Broncos lead writer Eric Dall.
Eric, thanks for joining me today.
Nice to get back outside, see the guys back on the practice field.
Yeah, Football's back.
I know football is back. Well, I want to start off today. Obviously it was rookie minting camp. We heard earlier in the show from head coach Sean Payton and a few of our draft picks. Eric, but I know our fans are dying to know more about bone Nicks obviously, So what were your takeaways from practice today in terms of him?
Yeah, I mean I think first, when we watch these practices, we do have certain regulations that were things were allowed to talk about, so got to talk kind of generally here. Can't unfortunately give folks throw by throw breakdown, But it was nice to be out there and kind of get to watch a whole practice, see how guys move from drill to drill and kind of get their first taste of NFL football. And with bo, I would say the things that stand out, like they stood out to this coaching staff in college, where he gets rid of the ball quickly, look looks poised back there, made some good throws. He looked the part and you know, obviously fans will get a look you'd think during training camp at more of what Bonix is able to do on the football field, But just I think you don't want to make grand declarations based off one mini one mini camp practice that you see, but.
So early in the most season exactly.
But it was exciting to see him out and just kind of get going and throw some passes to Troy Franklin to Devon Vley. As Sean Payton said afterwards, if you watched Devon Vley play during Saturday's practice, he would have guessed he and Bo or college teammates, just the connection. They had some nice plays there, So it was it was fun to watch. And yeah, as Sean Payton said, Boenix had a good practice, picking things up quickly, doing a good job with the install Those are all good signs.
Yeah, I know, head coach Sean Payton, he joked, gave an analogy that watching bo is kind of like watching a good golfer just in terms of his patients, his decision making over the weekend too, So it was nice to hear that from Sean as well.
Yeah, definitely, the execution is good, like you said, the decision making, he said, Bo plays with patients, which I think you saw out there. Talked about it, and he said boring is the wrong word, but maybe uneventful, like there's not there's not panic when you watch him play. And Bo kind of joked after in the locker room that he wished he played golf that way. Yeah, maybe a better quarterback than he as a golfer, I guess according to what he said. But yeah, definitely there's this sense of calm and has the arm talent too, So that's great to see.
Definitely, Eric, you mentioned Troy Franklin and Von Bailey there too, But any other draft picks out there kind of specifically catch your eye.
Maybe some guys on defense.
Yeah, I mean it's again, it's hard to tell. I think one thing, kind of looping back to the offense is this special teams change from a kickoff perspective is really going to be something to watch, and the Broncos worked on that. Sean Payton talked about it. He thinks there's going to be double digit touchdown returns this year based on the new rules, and there's certainly some lanes for these guys to find, and so that was one of the more interesting parts of practice was getting to watch that special teams period and watch the returners kind of find angles, find space, And that's a chance you'd think, right, if you want to make this football team, if you want to carve out a role, find a way to be a special teams contributor. So that that stood out to me as well during today's practice, Eric, why.
Do you think this time rocommuning camp is so important, you know, in terms of these players, these rookies getting here and getting some time in the coaching staff before all the vets come onto the field.
Yeah.
I mean, well, jokingly, if your boix, you want to play well, because everyone's going to base their radio opinions all next week based off however many throws on a Saturday in your second practice ever with the Broncos. But seriously, I think for draft picks, it's a good chance to just kind of get into things, show how you take teaching in the classroom to the field, which is one of the biggest things in the NFL of can you take the game plan or the offensive install or defensive install to the field. Practice it, go inside, watch it, make corrections, go do it better the next days. That's a big part for draft picks to figure out. You want to learn how the team practices so that when you get Austin with the Vets here soon, you don't miss a beat, certainly if you are BONICKX. And Sean Payton said, hey, we're going to have a quarterback competition. He said he talked with Ben Denucci and just the number of reps made it tough to have four quarterbacks. And so you've got Zach Wilson, Jared Stidham, bo Nicks that competition. Chempayne said, they'll figure out how the reps are going to work there. But if your Bonix, you want to be able to jump right into OTA's when those happen and be able to start competing right And so using this time to get up to speed is really important. Everything from how do we stretch, how do these drills work? You know, how do we stay hydrated? You know, we're at altitude, so it's a little bit different for some of these guys in terms of getting in shape. And then if you are a rookie tryout or a CFA, this is your chance to kind of show something. And you know it's rare for rookie tryouts to make the team and then ultimately make the fifty three. But it has happened. I mean, Adam Field's a famous example of the guy who got a rookie tryout, made the roster. He's gone on to do great things. So there may be different objectives for each group.
You know, you look.
At some of these younger guys who are just looking for a chance. Maybe you put out some good tape this weekend and it helps you find another spot, even if it's not in Denver. So a lot of different reasons that this is valuable. And some teams don't do on field works, but right Broncos are one of the teams that focus on that. And it's fun for us to watch and it's good for the players as well, definitely.
And I know Jean Payn he talked about that and how important it is to see these guys on the field as well this week, and I thought it was interesting he talked about how you know, for this time period for rookie minnie camp, there's different tempos of practice that you can have, and you said that really this is the only time where he has guys come in for camp and not really know what conditioning level they're at.
Yeah, exactly, the veterans, first year type players that participated. He knows what shape they're in. You don't know what shape some of these draft picks that have been training for You know, you're not training for football in the off season. You're training for the combine, so you can run forty yards as quickly as you possibly can. Our friend zoeare maybe could, and I maybe they could be doing. Yeah, but yeah, you got to get in shape. And certainly, again at the altitude, it's a little bit of a bigger factor. So that's another part of it as well. There's a lot that goes into being a pro, and I think when you're a rookie you figure that out really fast. And certainly, everything we heard in the draft evaluation process Sean Payton tries to give these guys, especially quarterbacks, more than they can handle and see how they react to it. Sounds like a similar approach during mini camp of let's give these guys a lot and see how they figure it out.
Talking about being a pro.
We went inside the locker room after practice today too and heard from most of the draft picks, a few college free agents. I must say, Eric, A lot of the guys were very well spoken, they're very mature.
So that was, you know, rather fresh air to see too.
Yeah, I mean a bunch of these guys have been in college long time, you know, not in a bad way obviously, but just the current landscape of college football across the league. You see guys that took COVID years have been a little bit older maybe, And so yeah, you look at a guy like a Devon Valley who's a little bit older but a pro right and so or a Nick Carjulo who spent four or five years at Yale and then transfers to South Carolina, gets a different level of competition, gets a new experience. And yeah, you want guys that are going to come here and be ready to compete, be pros. And I was impressed with with what I saw this weekend, like you said, both on and off the field.
Yep, me too.
It's nice to be outside watch practice again. Eric, appreciate you joining the show today. You got it said, that's going to do it for today's episode of Broncos Now Broncos Country.
Thanks so much for tuning in.
We'd you write back here on the Broncos Podcast network in YouTube and next week for another episode, I will see you all then
