Asked after Monday's practice if he had any concerns over the some of the offense's struggles in the early days of camp, including some pre-snap penalties and dropped passes, Broncos coach Vic Fangio said: "(Monday) was actually a little bit better than it was (Sunday) from that standpoint -- pre-snap penalties I'm alluding to -- but ... yes, but not panic. Talk to me in a couple weeks.''
Tight end Jake Butt was held out of Monday's Broncos practice -- the second day in a row he was held out -- and after practice coach Vic Fangio said: "I don't think it's a major concern, kind of to be expected. It just didn't feel right for him so we kind figured to back (Tuesday's) day off we'll give him a day off and see how he is Wednesday.'' Guard Ron Leary was also held out of practice, but that was a rest day and rookie wide receiver Juwann Winfree was held out with a leg injury. Tight end Troy Fumagalli returned to practice Monday.
The Broncos had many of their former players at practice Monday and after practice several current Broncos, including running back Phillip Lindsay, talked and took pictures with the team's alumni. Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders and linebacker Von Miller were among the others who talked the group.
Also Sunday Broncos offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello, who was an assistant coach with the Atlanta Falcons in 2015, showed how much he thinks of the idea that both Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman get plenty of work in the Broncos' offense. He said the Broncos duo reminds him of "Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman, they're different skill-sets, they're both talented in their own way, they'll both be able to use their strengths ... Royce is big, he's physical in pass protection -- that's a big deal in the NFL ... but as far as running the ball in the scheme, they both can do it, one's probably going to do it with more physicality and the other is going to do it with quickness.'' Scangarello also said "there are very few players like Phillip that have the ability to win a 1-on-1 matchup any time.'' Scangarello also said of Royce Freeman: "he;s just a physical dude, he's smart, he's instinctive and I've enjoyed coaching so far.''
Another Vic Fangio gem on Sunday how he approaches practice now and has approached practice through the years. Asked how a player performed in 1-on-1 drills between wide receivers and defensive backs, Fangio said Sunday: "To me 1-on-1 is a teaching drill. It's really not football, I tell a story and it's a true story, in all my years as a coordinator I've never watched a 1-on-1 drill -- I'm assuming you're alluding to wide receivers and DBs -- I've never watched it in person, nor on tape, because if you watch that drill you'd be afraid to ever call man coverage. It's a drill, it's a teaching drill and that's the way I look at it.''
After Sunday's practice Broncos coach Vic Fangio said tight end Jake Butt was given a rest day, rookie linebacker Justin Hollins has a hamstring injury and tight end Troy Famagalli is "working through those hip injuries.'' Fangio said Fumagalli is "day-to-day'' and added that Hollins "possibly will practice (Monday), but not sure.'' The Broncos players will have an off day Tuesday.
For the first time since being fired in 2008 as the franchise's winningest coach, Mike Shanahan attended a Broncos practice Saturday.
For the first time since he was fired after the 2008 season former Broncos coach Mike Shanahan is at the team's facility. Broncos coach Vic Fangio, offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello, who was an assistant on Kyle Shanahan's staff with the 49ers, and John Elway has big roles in making it happen.
Broncos coach Vic Fangio has dialed back the music during Broncos' practices, a staple for several years and several head coaches. The music now plays as the players come on to the field, but it's a no-go during practice. He said: “Anybody that's been a position coach or an assistant coach, they don't like the music because it makes it hard to talk to your guys. So I don't see the benefit of having the music out there. I was an assistant coach and I don't want to have to drum out the noise to talk to my players. And there's no music in games and when it comes to the point where we need to simulate crowd noise in practice, which we will do, it will be noise, it won't be music, it will be noise. So, that's what it is games. Noise, by definition, sounds annoying, music sounds nice. So, if we've got to deal with with noise, let's deal with noise ... I don't like it, I don't like to have to yell to communicate with a player that's standing as close as me to you. That makes no sense.'' Fangio added when it's time to listen to music he's partial to Earth Wind & Fire as well as Michael Jackson.
After Friday's practice Broncos coach Vic Fangio said linebacker Todd Davis will be out "at least a couple weeks and we'll see from there.'' Davis, who started every game last season, suffered a calf injury in the final team period of Thursday's practice. Alexander Johnson worked in Davis' inside linebacker spot with the starters Friday, but Fangio said other players would get some opportunities there as well in upcoming practices. "You saw (Johnson) out there ... running with the first group, probably tomorrow or the next day it will be somebody else,'' Fangio said. "We'll just kind of even out the work.''
With 40-plus offensive linemen gathered for a summit, we decided to get answers to some burning questions. Here are the results of a 10-player poll.
You would think Miller had proven himself in the league, but knowing his new head coach's track record, Miller is ready to go bigger with Vic Fangio.
Dozens of the NFL's best O-linemen met up in Texas to help each other improve their games and limit the damage inflicted by elite pass-rushers.
Denver Broncos linebacker Todd Davis, who started 16 games last season and has started 45 games over the last three seasons, is expected to miss three to four weeks with a partial tear in his calf muscle.
They got coffee, cut tape, lined the field, played the "Grim Reaper," even washed cars. An NFL head coach has to start somewhere. Here are their stories.
Joe Flacco, entering his first training camp with the Broncos after serving as the Ravens' starter, said he feels "like I can do a lot more than I've shown in my 11-year career."
On Thursday Broncos wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders took part in his first practice since he suffered an Achilles tendon injury last December -- "I'm just now -- I'm doing routes on air in individual (drills), I'm trying to work myself back to going full-go.'' Sanders added he believes he's still a few weeks from the potential to take part in a full practice. After practice Broncos coach Vic Fangio said: "We're going to ease him back in ... he's doing really good ... it's going to be day-to-day with him with how much we add on to this plate and we're just going to build to it and see how it goes.''
Broncos are evaluating linebacker Todd Davis for a calf/lower leg injury and he will be sent for an MRI.Davis was taken to the locker room just before the end of Thursday's practice.
As the first practice of training camp is drawing to a close, Broncos linebacker Todd Davis was just taken to the locker room. He was limping as he went in.
Broncos fans get their first look at 34 year old Joe Flacco, the new starting QB in Denver. Flacco looked sharp, as he effortlessly flowed through a progression short and medium throws to his new targets. Second round pick Drew Lock, who signed yesterday, is also participating in drills. Emmanuel Sanders, who is trying to return after tearing his Achilles in December, made some hard cuts in agility drills this morning as camp began here at Dove Valley
Broncos fans get their first look at 34 year old Joe Flacco, the new starting QB in Denver. Flacco looked sharp, as he effortlessly flowed through a progression short and medium throws to his new targets. Second round pick Drew Lock, who signed yesterday, is also participating in drills. Emmanuel Sanders, who is trying to return after tearing his Achilles in December, made some hard cuts in agility drills this morning as camp began here at Dove Valley
Denver president and general manager John Elway said the quarterback position is hard to fill, but "hopefully with Joe, we've got it solidified."
Broncos linebacker Von Miller said Wednesday one of the points coach Vic Fangio has made to him coming into camp was to play more snaps in games this season. Miller said he wants to play "85, 90 percent" of the team's defensive snaps.
| RD(PK) | PLAYER | POS | SCHOOL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1(20) | Noah Fant | TE | Iowa |
| 2(9) | Dalton Risner | OT | Kansas State |
| 2(10) | Drew Lock | QB | Missouri |
| 3(7) | Dre'Mont Jones | DT | Ohio State |
| 5(18) | Justin Hollins | OLB | Oregon |
| 6(14) | Juwann Winfree | WR | Colorado |
| TEAM | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 565 | 421 |
| Los Angeles | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 428 | 329 |
| Denver | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 329 | 349 |
| Oakland | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 290 | 467 |
