The Denver Broncos wrapped up the second week of organized team activities on Thursday.
For most players, this part of the offseason is more mental than physical as the team focuses on installing the offense without pads. Until the pads come on, Broncos coach Sean Payton is careful to not judge a player’s standing on the team.
“I think it’s harder for the linebackers, the offensive and defensive line and the running backs,” Payton said of practicing without pads at OTAs. “I can think of a number of players, younger players that I’ve had at running back specifically that you kind of think about how they’re going to be when the pads come on, and then it’s entirely different. Obviously, it’s a little bit easier in these types of drills to evaluate the perimeter defensive backs, receivers, quarterbacks. … But you have to be careful as coaches not to instantly or early evaluate.
“The evaluation is going to come. All of it counts, all of it matters. We’re looking at all of it, but it really clicks in when you start putting the pads on and getting to see. Because those pads sometimes define or undefine certain players, and I think that you mentioned some of the positions as more difficult to evaluate.”
Denver has one more set of OTAs next week followed by mandatory minicamp the next week. Players then get a summer break before returning for the start of training camp — and pads — in late July.
We’re still early in the offseason program, but here are 10 quick takeaways from the second week of OTAs at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit.
1
Broncos players inspired by Ring of Famers
The Broncos announced Thursday that safety Steve Foley and tight end Riley Odoms are being added to the team’s Ring of Fame. Denver receiver Courtland Sutton congratulated the players on Twitter/X and said reaching the Ring of Fame is one of his career goals. Ex-Broncos safety Justin Simmons also congratulated the players on X and said he’s looked up to Foley in his career.
Denver coach Sean Payton said every player on the team can be motivated by seeing past greats get their recognition.
“This morning my message [to the team] was — I read the bios of both of these players,” Payton said. “I think it’s important for them to appreciate the history, embrace it. And I shared some other earlier stories with them about it, but I said, ‘Look, you’ll remember this meeting. There is going to be a number of you in this room that will go through this. I just can’t tell you who, but it will mean a lot to you.’
“It certainly means a lot to these players the further they’re removed, but it’s only special because they won. To be a part of those two Super Bowls that [Foley] was [in], and Riley was drafted as a tight end as the fifth pick overall, that was unprecedented, I think for that position. University of Houston. So yes, I think the young players don’t think about it right now. And Steve’s message was very good. He said, ‘We didn’t think about that. We thought about playing for each other and winning, and the other stuff takes care of itself.’”
2
Audric Estime out until training camp with knee injury
Broncos rookie running back Audric Estime will be sidelined for the rest of OTAs and minicamp after undergoing a knee scope, coach Sean Payton said. The fifth-round pick should be back in time for the start of training camp.
“I’ll just be honest with Audric,” Payton said. “We went ahead and had a PRP [injection]. We did a small scope procedure, just to make sure everything is clean. It is. He’ll be available at the start of training camp. So we won’t see him working through the rest of these OTAs, but on the conservative side, he’s going to be just fine. It was all good news. He’ll stay in rehab, but he’ll be full go at the start of training camp.”
Elsewhere on the injury front, tight end Greg Dulcich (foot) and cornerback Riley Moss worked on a side field. Payton previously indicated that Dulcich is close to returning. Moss shouldn’t be sidelined for long.
“He had a muscle spasm in his back, it was still sore today,” Payton said of Moss. “He’ll probably be back out [on] Monday. Today was the first day he missed. He and I both tweaked something in our backs, but I’m sure they were differently related.”
D.J. Jones was back at practice after being absent last week.
Meanwhile, tight end Dylan Leonard, linebacker Alec Mock and linebacker Durrell Nchami were also sidelined. New defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers participated earlier in the week but was excused Thursday to host his free football camp in Texas, according to the Denver Gazette.
Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton remains away from the team as he seeks a new contract. Sutton could be fined if he skips mandatory minicamp next month (June 11-13).
3
Javonte Williams looks good two years out from ACL injury
After an underwhelming campaign in 2023, Broncos running back Javonte Williams now appears to be fully recovered from the ACL injury he suffered in 2022.
“He’s been looking good,” Payton said of Williams. “I think historically speaking, when you talk to the experts, they say that the complete heal finishes at two years. Obviously you begin playing before then, but he’s been doing well. He’s in shape. I know that he’s looking forward to [the season].
“The challenge last year was really when you think about it, even in training camp, it was still early enough in the process where it was hard for him to go full speed with confidence. And yet we were building and getting him where we all felt comfortable, he could play. I think he’s looking forward to this year and certainly the confidence in his health and the strength in his knee.”
Williams rushed for 774 yards and three touchdowns last season while averaging 3.6 yards per carry, a drop from his rookie average of 4.4 yards per tote. With rehab and recovery behind him, Williams could be poised for a bounce-back season in 2024.
4
Bo Nix is throwing the ball 'extremely well' at practice
The Broncos have held six OTA practice sessions so far but media members have only been allowed at two of them. Payton joked after Thursday’s practice that reporters ask him for a recap of the missed practices as if they were catching up on a Netflix show.
“It’s hard for me to refresh,” Payton said when asked about Nix’s progress. “It’s hard for me to catch you up like on a Netflix series. You guys watched one [episode], and then you missed three, and then you watched one and I’m trying to catch you up. All three of [the QBs] are doing well. Specifically to Bo, he’s doing really well. He’s picking it up. There’s a lot that’s going in. He’s throwing the ball extremely well.”
Payton previously praised Nix for his smarts helping him pick up the offense quickly. Payton’s reports have all been positive for the rookie QB thus far.
5
Jerry Jeudy's departure means bigger role for Marvin Mims
After trading receiver Jerry Jeudy to the Cleveland Browns earlier this year, the Broncos now have more snaps available for Marvin Mims, who had a limited role on offense in 2023.
“I’ve said this, and I’ll say it again — we were as much responsible for, I don’t want to say holding him back, but you’re trying to get snaps with Jerry Jeudy, with Courtland [it’s hard],” Payton said. “I think we’ll see a lot of growth from Year 1 to Year 2. He’s tough. He had a really good play today. We know he’s a good returner. We felt that was one of the strengths obviously that we saw on tape. But we saw transitional speed, we saw the things that you need to have at that receiver position.
“So I don’t think it was his development as much as, and I don’t want to say a crowded room, but just trying to create enough touches for those guys. Now we have a room, and we have a lot of young players. … I’m anxious as we go through this process to watch these guys. This first half of these OTAs has gone really good, I mean really good. I told them that. I like the energy. I feel like we’re younger, and you kind of feel that at practice.”
It’s bittersweet for Mims to get more snaps at the cost of losing a teammate.
“It’s tough,” Mims said. “Coming in as a rookie last year, Jerry looked out for me and taught me a lot. It was great to be in a room with him. With him going to Cleveland, hopefully that’s the best opportunity for him to showcase what he can do. He’s one heck of a player. I just wish him all the best. Whatever happens here, happens here.”
As for that “really good play” that Payton referenced? Mims credited his coach and quarterback (Jarrett Stidham) when asked about the deep touchdown catch.
“It was a good play call,” Mims said. “We ended up getting matched with the right coverage. Incredible ball. Just me running and I didn’t have to break stride. Caught it. Touchdown.”
6
Broncos rotating Alex Forsyth and Luke Wattenberg at center
After losing Lloyd Cushenberry during free agency, the Broncos appear set to have a center competition this summer. Two of the candidates for the job are third-year lineman Luke Wattenberg and Alex Forsyth, who was inactive for all 17 games as a rookie last fall. Despite his lack of experience, Forsyth is a legitimate candidate for the starting job.
“We knew when we drafted him he was extremely intelligent,” Payton said when asked about Forsyth. “We knew we were drafting a highly intelligent player, and you could see that in his film. I think it’s a trait certainly that helps at center. Both he and Luke. I’ve told the coaches, and I think it’s important for you all to know: don’t read into any type of rotation now. I’m trying to get combinations of players. The quarterbacks are rotating ones, twos and threes.
“It’s just so happened that we’ve gone every third day, and you guys have seen Nix running with the ones. So that’s a little bit of a coincidence. The centers are doing the same thing. … I think that [intelligence is] one of his strong suits. It’s one of the reasons why I sat down with him a little bit to discuss Nix. I knew that I’d get a pretty intelligent answer, a responsible answer, a thoughtful answer. He has high, high football IQ.”
After playing with Nix at Oregon in 2022, Forsyth will likely be a fan favorite in the center competition.
7
Payton continues to praise QBs coach Davis Webb
Since he joined the team last year, quarterbacks coach Davis Webb has been consistently praised by Payton and other veteran coaches on staff. The 29-year-old former quarterback drew more praise from Payton after Thursday’s practice.
“[H]is meetings are extremely organized,” Payton said. “He’s played the position. I think even as a player at this level, when you talk to — and I spoke with Eli [Manning] and various players. He was tremendous on keeping things simple and knowing how to read certain plays and how to approach the game. I think he’s very positive with these guys.
“You’ve heard the story: when I interviewed him, you get kind of caught in a schedule. Tomorrow we’re going to interview [somebody else], and then here he is driving to the airport, and I’m thinking, ‘What am I doing?’ We called the driver and brought him back and hired him. So I think it’s a great challenge for him. … Davis brings energy, experience and almost like that wily veteran quarterback that’s in the room, which I think is a plus.”
8
P.J. Locke and Baron Browning stepping up as leaders
After parting ways with veteran safety Justin Simmons this offseason, the Broncos lost not only a great player but a key leader on defense. Payton was asked Thursday which players are stepping up to fill the leadership void following Simmons’ departure.
“I’m rooting for all of them relative to leadership, but I think that P.J. [Locke] is a guy that you feel it from,” Payton said. “Just on the backend, it’s a young group. I think that’s something that is really a little bit more organic. I think it will come from some of the guys in the defensive front. It will come from some of the guys, [Baron] Browning at outside ’backer. I’ve seen that from him.
“I think that’s something that kind of evolves a little bit, but it’s felt a lot different. Not with any one new player or any one certain player removed, there’s something about the youth and energy that we’re going through right now that’s contagious.”
Simmons, meanwhile, remains a free agent, but Denver’s not expected to re-sign him.
9
Cody Barton competing at ILB while starring on ST
After losing Josey Jewell in free agency, the Broncos brought in 27-year-old linebacker Cody Barton, who started 13 games for the Washington Commanders last fall. Barton’s biggest contributions come on special teams, but he’ll get a chance to compete with Jonas Griffith for a starting spot on defense this summer.
“We saw he had a chance, really for the first time in his career, to play a large part of his season as a starter,” Payton said. “So we saw that. We saw the good, we saw the things that weren’t as good. We always knew that he was an ‘A’ special teams player. The vision became easy relative to, ‘Hey, he comes in and competes for Mike [middle linebacker], and we know he’s someone that also can play a core four [special] teams role for us.
“There’s open competition there, and we have Jonas, we have like three or four players that we’re going to rotate through. Again that’s one where once the pads get on, I think it will be a little bit easier to evaluate. But Cody was someone that we got to see more defensive snaps from last year than at any point in his career. So there was a clear vision relative to, ‘All right, what he can do at linebacker and then what he can do in the kicking game,’ and he’s young.”
Baron totaled 121 tackles last season. He’ll get a chance to replace Jewell in 2024.
10
Jonah Elliss continues making plays on the edge
Payton was asked for his initial impressions of pass rusher Jonah Elliss at rookie minicamp earlier this month and the coach gave him a glowing review.
“Good. Really good,” Payton said. “I told you the story after the draft, we had a chance to draft his brother [Kaden Elliss]. It’s a great family. [Their] father was a fantastic player. He was a target. It’s hard for him to finish rushing the passer in some of these drills, but he has good football makeup, he’s tough. … [F]ortunately, we were able to draft him. He’s had a good first two days.”
The outside linebacker’s positive momentum apparently carried over into OTAs as he drew praise from multiple media members attending Thursday’s practice. Henry Chisholm of DNVR Sports said the rookie blew up a screen, blew up a QB run and was in a blitz that sacked Zach Wilson. Ryan Edwards of KOA Radio came away impressed with Elliss.
It’s obviously still early, but Elliss is off to a good start in Denver. His competition for snaps includes Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Ronnie Perkins and Thomas Incoom. Browning is the leader of the group, and the team hopes to have Drew Sanders (Achilles) return later this year.
