Player attendance
Did not practice: Physically unable to perform list — OLB Randy Gregory (shoulder) and RT Billy Turner (knee). Did not practice — OL Tom Compton (back), CB K’Waun Williams (knee), WR Tyrie Cleveland (throat), DL D.J. Jones (back) and WR Kendall Hinton (knee).
Coach Nathaniel Hackett said sitting Hinton was “maintenance. We want to make sure his knee is good.”
Compton has missed all seven practices, Williams three practices, Cleveland and Jones two apiece and Hinton one.
Odds and ends
*After losing RB Damarea Crockett to a torn ACL on Tuesday, the Broncos signed rookie RB/Colorado native Max Borghi, who prepped at Pomona HS and played at Washington State. Undrafted, Borghi signed with Indianapolis but was released after the Colts signed RB Phillip Lindsay. Borghi was a tryout player at Broncos rookie camp this spring.
Borghi was one of seven players who tried out with the Broncos on Wednesday, per a league source. He was joined by QB KJ Costello, WR Jonathan Adams, WR Kekoa Crawford, RB Jaqan Hardy, RB Jaylen Samuels and WR Darrius Shepherd
*The Broncos placed Crockett and WR Tim Patrick (ACL) on injured reserve, officially ending their 2022 season.
*The Broncos had their second jog-through practice of camp. Hackett said they will practice in full pads Thursday and Saturday.
But in full pads, don’t expect to see the spirited 1-on-1 drills involving pass rush/protection, running back blitz pick-up and receiver vs. defender. The emphasis will continue to be 11-on-11.
“That was one of the things I did a lot early in my career; Green Bay really opened my eyes,” Hackett said. “You only have a certain amount of time and you don’t get a lot of full-time periods. You don’t get to play a lot of football so I try to jerry-rig (1-on-1s) within the (team) periods. We’ve had ‘man’ periods so that everybody is getting a 1-on-1 matchup. But it’s real football.”
*Patrick was particularly effective in the red zone the past two years (eight of his 11 touchdown catches). Who’s the next player up in the red zone? WR Courtland Sutton? TE Albert Okwuegbunam? TE Greg Dulcich?
“Here’s an opportunity for somebody to step up, especially in the red zone and make some touchdowns,” Hackett said. “In that area, you always want (the opponent) to cover the whole field and all the skill guys. It will be exciting to see who will step up, but somebody will have to.”
Said Okwuegbunam: “It falls on the whole group to step up and make everything go.”
*Okweugbunam on Hackett’s practice philosophy (two hard days, followed by one jog-through day): “Really appreciative of that, how he looks over us as players and gives us a day and I think it’s really good because it makes sure everybody will come out (Thursday) feeling great and have a really good, competitive, efficient practice.”
*Former Broncos players Chad Brown and Ryan Harris will serve as television analysts for the team’s three preseason games. They replace Brian Griese, who is now the San Francisco 49ers’ quarterbacks coach.
Thursday’s schedule
Practice at 10 a.m. (parking lot opens at 8 a.m. and gates at 9 a.m.).
