Broncos training camp wraps up with pre-season opener vs. Cardinals

With two weeks of training camp in the books, the Denver Broncos prepare to face the Arizona Cardinals in the first week of the preseason. Injuries continue to derail the Broncos' plans, with multiple key players injured in the second week of training camp. Head coach Sean Payton announced starters would get reps in the preseason opener and penalties would be the focus of the game. Payton stressed the importance of playing with discipline and maintaining focus in the upcoming season.

Broncos' travel to Arizona

In their first preseason game of the year, the Denver Broncos will travel to Arizona to face newly appointed head coach Jonathan Gannon and the Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Previously, he served as the Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator for two seasons. In which he helped lead the Eagles to the Superbowl after blowing a 10 point lead at the half and giving up 24 points in the second half.

In contrast, Sean Payton has enjoyed a legendary 15-year career as New Orleans Saints head coach. He finished with a 152-89 record with the Saints, including a win in Super Bowl XLIV over the Indianapolis Colts and retired Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning. Head coach Sean Payton recently worked as an analyst at Fox and now wants to lead the Broncos back to the Super Bowl.

Since taking over as the Head Coach of the Denver Broncos, he has shown his ability to turn the team around and bring in some fresh and innovative ideas to the franchise. Paytons main concern is penalties. Last season the Broncos killed their chances of winning games on penalties. In just two games, Denver had accumulated over 25 penalties. An unprecedented first for the franchise!

"Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson had this to say after week two last season vs the Houston Texas"

“We have to quit hurting ourselves,” quarterback Russell Wilson said after the game. “We have to quit getting penalties as players. That’s on us. That’s discipline. That’s making sure that we’re doing the little things right. Those things can be fixed — that’s the good thing. Those things can be fixed.”

Head Coach Sean Payton has been working to improve discipline among players and reduce penalties. Payton has implemented a system of taking players out of the game who repeatedly commit penalties in the game. He has also encouraged the players to focus on the details of the game and stay discipline.

“I just finished talking about it [to the team],” Payton said immediately after Friday’s practice. “Too many fouls there with the officials here. So, before you ever get going, you put yourself in a hole. So it’s something, obviously, we’ve got to improve on.”

“There’s a point in which you pull the player out. So, there’s an emphasis to it, but there’s got to be more than just that. And it’s got to go away.”

Payton will have the chance to lead the Broncos to glory and it will be interesting to see how he does. It is expected that the starters will play between 15 and 18 snaps. Payton has the tools to be successful and the Broncos have the potential to be one of the best teams in the league. He will need to make sure the starters are well prepared and executing the plays correctly in order to get the most out of them. The Broncos are a team on the rise and Payton will be the key to their success.

Injuries

Griffith/Sanders/Ajiake

The Denver Broncos have suffered a numerous amount of injuries since the start of training camp. In week two, of the Broncos' training camp. After starting as a linebacker with the Broncos in 2022, Jonas Griffith was also injured. He suffered a torn ACL and will be out for the season. Griffith's absence has left a hole in Denver's defense.

He has played in 22 games over the last two seasons with 12 starts and 92 tackles. However, the team is hopeful that he will make a full recovery for the 2024 season. In the meantime, rookie Drew Sanders is expected to fill the void.

Rookie LB Drew Sanders was also supposed to add depth to the Broncos' core. As a young player, he has shown flashes of being a star in his college career.

Filling up the stat sheet with 103 tackles, 13.5 tackles for a loss, 9.5 sacks, 1 interception, 5 pass deflections and 3 forced fumbles. It remains to be seen what Sanders can do in the big leagues. However, he has the potential to be an exceptional player. Denver also signed ILB Austin Ajiake, a veteran of the league who can come in and provide even more depth to the LB core.

Safety Justin Simmons

Among the most notable injuries suffered by the Broncos, Justin Simmons tweaked his groin. Simmons isn't expected to be sidelined for the foreseeable future. But Head Coach Sean Payton and the team are being very cautious about his return.

As they should Simmons is arguably one of the most effective safeties in the league. Simmons had an excellent training camp. From intercepting the ball to making it nearly impossible to throw it in his direction, Simmons has demonstrated that he is one of the best defensive players in the NFL.

Payton on Simmons

“He’s the player we knew he was back when we had to play against him," Payton said Saturday, referencing his tenure with the Saints. "He’s certainly smart, he’s got really good length and good ball skills."

Simmons is unlikely to play against the Cardinals in the preseason opener. Caden Stern and Kareem Jackson are expected to fill in while Simmons remains sidelined.

Randy Gregory/Mike McGlinchey Update

Linebacker Randy Gregory tweaked his ankle but is expected to play in the preseason opener. Gregory's injury is not anticipated to be serious, so he should be ready to take the field. Broncos right tackle Mike McGlinchey sprained his knee and could be out for two to three weeks. McGlinchey was expected to upgrade the Broncos offensive line after signing a five-year $87.5 million contract this offseason.

He is expected to be back in time for the season opener on September 10, against the Las Vegas Raiders. However, the team is already looking at other options in case he is not ready. They are also monitoring the situation closely and will adjust their plans accordingly.

Signee's and Waivers

The Denver Broncos signed former Los Angeles Charger and Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman Forrest Merrill after waiving guard Yasir Durant. Merrill has played in four NFL games and recorded four tackles. His size isn't ideal for a lineman but he has the strength and agility to make up for it. He will likely be used as a rotational defensive lineman or special teams contributor. He'll have an opportunity to prove himself with the Broncos and potentially earn a bigger role in the future.

"Overall Review"

Compared to last year, the Denver Broncos have done everything possible to improve their performance. Despite his age, Russell Wilson is still an effective quarterback and leader on and off the field. With a bundle of joy on the horizon, Russ is the driving force behind the team's renewed energy. The team has embraced his leadership and is determined to show the league what a force they can be.

Running Back Javonte Williams is expected to play in the preseason but it's unclear which games. Williams has shown promise in training camp after coming off a season-ending knee injury. Payton on Williams “He’s getting work out here. I don’t know how many snaps I’ll give him Friday, but he’s 100% right now. He’s got good vision and great makeup. He’s great to be around.”

The Denver Broncos wide receivers group took a huge hit this summer with major injuries to key players like Tim Patrick and KJ Hamler. Following the loss of the pair Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton are the top two receivers headed into preseason. Jeudy is expected to do well in the new year after having dealt with offset injuries for the past two years.

In Payton's system Jeudy could be an integral part of the offense like Michael Thomas was in Payton's Saints offensive rotation.

Sutton on the other hand has been a part of the Broncos' system for years and his presence helps the offense run smoother. Sean Payton, on Courtland Sutton this camp.

"He’s transitioning well. I think he’s running well. I feel his strength. When we watched him in 2019, for instance, it was really impressive...Fortunately, we’ve seen some of that in this camp." PER @ZacStevensDNVR

There is no doubt that the Broncos are among the best defensive teams in the league. But with injuries, to some of their top rotational players, they could be tested early in the season.

It will be imperative for the veterans to step up and provide leadership. The rookies will have to fill in the gaps and learn quickly if the Broncos hope to remain successful. It will be interesting to see how the team handles the challenge.