The ‘football I.Q.’ of Troy Franklin has caught Sean Payton’s eyes
Jul 24, 2024, 9:49 PM | Updated: Jul 25, 2024, 5:13 am
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Troy Franklin heard it from pass-game coordinator John Morton on Wednesday.
With no fans on hand for the acclimation practice, Morton’s invective rattled around and echoed off the berm on the west side of the Denver Broncos practice fields. And much of it was directed toward the fourth-round pick.
“He stays on most of them. He stays on most of them. He coaches them hard, he coaches them with love because he sees what they have,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “It’s Troy today, but he’s an equal opportunity –“
“Scolder?” offered one reporter.
“Yeah, but he’s teaching all the time,” Payton replied. “I’ve been with him a long time, and I like hearing it. I like hearing it from a coach with passion because I think the players do as well. It’s when it gets quiet and no one’s talking to you is when you have to begin to worry.”
(Photo by Andrew Mason / DenverSports.com)
Where the wide receivers caught passes across the middle of the field, Morton was there, with wide-receivers coach Keary Colbert guiding on the outside.
It’s a lot for the receivers. And it could be a lot for Troy Franklin. But Payton believes that the former — and current — target of quarterback Bo Nix is ready for what gets tossed at him in the meeting rooms, on the field and beyond.
“I do feel good football I.Q. with that player, and that’s encouraging,” Payton said. “He’s continuing to get stronger.”
And at 6-foot-2, he has length and size.
“It’s a big group, if you haven’t noticed, if you really look across the board,” Payton said. “That’s kind of preferred. The ones that aren’t really big have a unique skill set. They stop fast, they accelerate. [Phillip] Dorsett, Michael] Bandy. There are a few of those players, even [Marvin] Mims.
“But when you start looking at the group in general, man, I like the size.”
And whether it’s being big enough to reach out for an off-target pass or big in mental fortitude to take some vocal teaching, Franklin’s progress is worth monitoring as the summer progresses.
