ENGLEWOOD – Broncos President Joe Ellis met with the team’s 90 players Tuesday morning to discuss the NFL’s new national anthem policy.
Ellis reiterated the league and Broncos management want players to stand during the national anthem. If a player should want to protest, he would want that player to have a discussion with him about it.
Ellis did not talk about a team policy, putting the focus on the league policy and ongoing dialogue with the team’s players. (Update: Ellis told his players the team does not intent to fine players for demonstrating a protest on the field during the playing of the National Anthem and he does not want to fine anyone, but he does have to follow the league's policy.)
“We have an understanding as players of what needs to be done regarding the national anthem,’’ Von Miller said. “We were already done with that last year. We came together as a team last year. It’s a situation that we’re already passed last year. So, any new policy that the league imposes, it really doesn’t affect us because we were already done a season ago.”
Miller refers to the week 3 game at Buffalo last season when half the Broncos’ players took a knee during the playing of the Star-Spangled Banner to protest a derogatory statement President Trump made during a rally in Alabama on the Friday before the game.
After that game in Buffalo, the Broncos’ leadership council met and decided all players should stand during the Anthem the rest of the season.
The decision by the leadership council was not unanimous but all players did stand during the national anthem the rest of the season.
“He said he was proud of how we came together last year after the Buffalo game,’’ Broncos defensive lineman Zach Kerr said about Ellis. “I enjoyed it. It’s always good to get the big dogs’ perspective on what’s going on.’’
Demaryius dominant
With starting cornerback Bradley Roby out sick Tuesday, Broncos’ No. 3 corner Tramaine Brock stepped up to No. 2. Brock was beaten twice by Demaryius Thomas on nicely thrown balls by Case Keenum.
“I finally got a connection on a deep ball, which is big for us,’’ Thomas said.
Von gathers top pass rushers
Von Miller’s second annual Pass Rush Summit, featuring a collection of the league’s top sackers, will be held June 27-28 at Big Cedar Lodge in Branson, Missouri. Bass Pro Shops is sponsoring the event, hence the location.
“We’ve got a good group of vets and retired guys that are coming to come and talk about pass rush and come up with ways to beat some quarterbacks up,” Miller said.
New kickoff rule
Broncos head coach Vance Joseph likes the league's new safety initiative that says the kickoff team cannot get a running start and the return team cannot form any type of wedge.
“I’m in favor of this rule because the problem with kickoffs was the space—the space and speed and big guys versus little guys,'' Joseph said. "That’s when guys get hurt. Now, you’re kind of condensing the field by shrinking the takeoff. Without having the back wedges, now you don’t need big guys, you need little guys who can block guys in speed.
"It’s going to go to a safer play because it’s going to be manageable in the effect of having big skill on big skill. It won’t be offensive linemen blocking skill players. It’s going to be a speed and skill play now. It won’t be a wedge, aggressive double-team play. It’s going to be like a basketball play.''
OTA observations
*First-round rookie Bradley Chubb lined up at right defensive end on the first defensive play of the practice.
*Rookie running back Royce Freeman got plenty of first-team reps behind Devontae Booker.
*Rookie inside linebacker Josey Jewell mixed in with the first-team defense.
*Menelik Watson got the first rep at right guard with Connor McGovern rotating in.
