Zach Allen and the defense dominate at Broncos camp

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos donned pads for the first time during this year’s training camp on Monday, and that was the day the defense chose to bring the heater and announce its presence with authority, in the parlance of Ebby Calvin “Nuke” LaLoosh.

Of course, that is typical of first days in pads. In most such occasions, the defense has the upper hand. But what distinguished this day — and in particular the work of Zach Allen, John Franklin-Myers and Baron Browning, each of whom had at least one play where they wrecked the offense’s intent — was the thoroughness of the control.

They were ready.

“You kind of understand that there’s times and the place for everything, but physicality is something that you just have to go out there,” Franklin-Myers said. “And if you’re a physical player like me, shoot. I mean, I don’t need to practice every day to know that when it’s time to go put pads on, I’m gonna be physical.”

Browning destroyed a Bo Nix handoff to Williams on the first team-period repetition, exploding around the offensive line’s left flank to meet Williams in the backfield on the back side. Allen recorded a pressure — and a potential sack — of Nix one play later — after a false-start infraction — and added another pressure in a later team period.

Good for the defense, lousy for the offense — at least in terms of bottom-line result. The film review could reveal something else.

“What you typically see early on with pads — and we’re going to watch it on tape today — our pad level, I’m sure, is going to be higher than we want it to be, both offensively and defensively,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said. “And I’m talking about the interior lines, but it’s significantly different.”

And while the defense had the advantage of it being Day 1 in pads, such performances against one of the league’s highest-paid offensive lines could show that the offseason additions — led by Franklin-Myers and Malcolm Roach — will have the desired effect of turning a 2023 weakness into a 2024 strength.

• Perhaps it was the fact that camp is still in its early phases, or perhaps it was the defensive pressure rattling the offense … but for either reason — or perhaps both — false starts were a problem for the offense Monday. But Sean Payton wasn’t worried. “I don’t think it’s significant,” he said. “Now, a year ago it was significant, but I think it’s something that is easily cleaned up.”
• At one point during a Broncos team period that saw a spate of pre-snap infractions, quarterback Jarrett Stidham threw a towel on the field, as if to signal that Nik Bonitto had jumped offsides. Stidham subsequently stepped under center, took the snap from Alex Forsyth and hit Troy Franklin for a 21-yard gain.
• The offense did have some flashes of physical dominance, none more resolute than when offensive tackle Alex Palczewski pancaked Quinton Newsome, allowing Javonte Williams to sweep around right end for his longest gain of the day.
• Monday’s practice was quick, being completed in just over an hour and a half with two team periods, one seven-on-seven period and a special-teams period focused on special teams. By Wednesday, practice is schedule for two-and-a-half hours.
• During offseason work, Sean Payton pointed to undrafted rookie Levelle Bailey as one of the players in the mix at inside linebacker, and he’s consistently delivered in recent days, showing excellent anticipation and diagnosis against the run. He blew up a handoff to Audric Estimé during the first team period Monday.
• The Broncos quarterback trio avoided giveaways, but Zach Wilson was nearly picked off by Kris Abrams-Draine during the final period of practice.
• Denver focused on punting during the special-teams period, with an extended session that included a combined 13 punts for Riley Dixon and Trenton Gill. Hang times were decent to excellent for the punters, ranging from 4.26 seconds to a 5.55-second blast from Gill that covered 65 yards into the north end zone. Every punt covered at least 44 yards in the air.

It wasn’t according to plan, but when Bo Nix capitalized off open field and took off for a gain that would have been at least 20 yards under game conditions, it showed that part of the success equation for the rookie Broncos quarterback will be with his legs. Nix is more than capable of such plays, having demonstrated this ability on a slew of occasions at Auburn and Oregon, even taking off for an 80-yard touchdown run against Stanford in 2022.

“He’s a very competitive dude and he takes a lot of pride in not screwing things up — or if he does once, he’s not going to do it again.” — Right tackle Mike McGlinchey, on Bo Nix

Bo Nix is learning fast, according to returning Broncos captain Mike McGlinchey.

"He takes a lot of pride in not screwing things up — or if he does once, he's not going to do it again," McGlinchey said. "… Bo has been an impressive person in our locker room." pic.twitter.com/giSCkYky8B

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) July 29, 2024

• Safety Brandon Jones remained sidelined due to a hamstring injury.
• Luke Wattenberg worked on the first team at center for the fifth-straight practice.
• Wide receiver Tim Patrick worked out off to the side on the north practice field. Patrick missed last year with a ruptured Achilles tendon, one year after sitting out all of 2022 due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
• Rookie offensive lineman Nick Gargiulo worked out on the side field, joined by safety Delarrin Turner-Yell. Turner-Yell remains on the physically-unable-to-perform list as he recovers from multiple torn knee ligaments.

Tuesday, July 30 at 10 a.m. MDT.