Player Attendance
Physically Unable to Perform list: OLB Baron Browning (knee). Non-Football Injury list: DL Mike Purcell (knee).
Did not practice: Safeties P.J. Locke (boot on his left foot), Justin Simmons (groin) and Caden Sterns; cornerbacks K’Waun Williams (ankle) and Riley Moss (core); running back Tyler Badie; wide receiver Brandon Johnson (ankle); right tackle Mike McGlinchey (knee) and tight end Chris Manhertz.
Top Play
On a relatively light day work-load wise, maybe the top play of the day is more about a top performer over the past few weeks. Rookie running back Jaleel McLaughlin continues to set up blockers well and dart through holes into the open field. He was at it again Thursday, including reps with the top offensive group.
Thumbs Up
Broncos fans. Pretty good crowd for a hot, cloudless Thursday morning on the last day of camp open to fans. They chanted Pat Surtain II’s name while head coach Sean Payton spoke with reporters after camp. Denver’s new ticketing system by most accounts went smoothly over the past couple of weeks and fans showed up even though it was baking several days on the berm above the practice fields.
Thumbs Down
No fans for joint practice. For as good an environment as fans provide at camp, it’s too bad the general public won’t be at joint practices next week against the Los Angeles Rams. Those sessions provide a great opportunity to see multiple teams on the field at the same time. Fans in attendance would be great, especially in a year when Denver only has one preseason game at Empower Field and probably won’t play many — or any — starters. Normally there are corporate partners or small groups at practice this coming week, but a big crowd would be fun.
Odds and Ends
• The connection between quarterback Russell Wilson and Courtland Sutton continued to look strong Thursday. The pair linked up multiple times down the field. They did narrowly miss a big play on a scramble drill, with Wilson just lofting a ball out of Sutton’s reach on what might have been a touchdown.
• Payton had high praise for Wilson after practice. “His movement skills have been impressive. His off-schedule plays. Every practice you see one or two. It really forces the receivers to get in concert. If you’re not open in the initial route progression and the pocket moves one way, you’ve got to move with it. His location’s been really good. I think the last week-and-a-half, two weeks have been really impressive.”
• Of McLaughlin trying to make the team as an undrafted free agent, Payton said, “I just think there’s a lot of attrition on runners in our league. Over the years we’ve had kind of a ‘Joker’ player – (Reggie) Bush, (Darren) Sproles, (Alvin) Kamara – those guys are running backs and yet they do some other things in the passing game that give them that tag. You can call it change-of-pace-type player. Certainly McLaughlin is one of those candidates. He’s a different style runner.”
• For one of the first times on an open day, the Broncos had separate offensive and defensive walk-throughs early in practice against scout team looks rather than No. 1s against No. 1s, No. 2s against No. 2s, etc.
• Payton said the second half of practice Denver started to do some prep work for their preseason game at San Francisco on Saturday night. They’ll have another day of prep for the 49ers before the charter flight late in the day Friday.
• CEO Greg Penner and Carrie Walton-Penner were down on the field watching practice Thursday.
• Open practices may be finished, but camp isn’t over, Payton said. Some of the veterans will get to head home from the team hotel, but Payton isn’t calling camp finished until the third preseason game’s over. “There’s no light, even, at the end of the tunnel. It’s dark,” he said.
Friday schedule
Denver travels late Friday to the Bay Area for Saturday night’s preseason game against San Francisco. Kickoff is 6:30 p.m. Saturday and the game is broadcast on KUSA-9.
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