ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton was going through what he liked about his team’s performance in the first preseason opener Friday night at Arizona.
The Denver defense brought pressure on the quarterback. Situational football was handled well.
Then the head coach went through what he didn’t like.
“I thought offensively, it took us a minute to get going,’’ Payton said. “I think we can protect better. It was good to see that the first group have success. The kicking game—we didn’t punt it like we thought. We’ve had a good two weeks punting the ball when you guys watch out here. I think (Riley Dixon will) be much better the next game we play. I don’t want to say what you expect when you look at preseason tape, but there were a lot of good things. The last play of the game [wide open 18-yard touchdown pass allowed] is something we’ll get cleaned up. That wasn’t really good (from) us.
The offensive line did a nice job with run blocking – 5.5 yards per carry – but left tackle Garett Bolles, left guard Ben Powers and right tackle Isaiah Prince each looked rusty at times in pass protection.
Payton was asked if the protection leaks were assignment-related.
“No, the assignments were fine we just got leveraged on a few plays and got hurried a few too many times,’’ Payton said. “We will be able to clean that up.”
Rehab ward
At various times, 14 Broncos players were conducting rehab-type conditioning on a third field Monday while roughly 75 players were going through practice drills on the other two fields.
The 14ers: Pat Surtain II, Courtland Sutton, K’Waun Williams, Justin Simmons (groin), Kendall Hinton, D.J. Jones (concussion protocol), Riley Moss (core surgery), Mike McGlinchey (knee), Brandon Johnson (ankle), Caden Sterns (hip maintenance), Baron Browning (knee surgery), Mike Purcell (surgery), Nik Bonitto (hip) and Chris Manhertz.
Actually, the injury news was more positive than negative because of the presence of McGlinchey and Johnson less than a week after suffering their respective injuries.
Even Surtain, the star cornerback who didn’t play in the preseason game Friday, has nothing serious.
“I think you’re going to see him this week,’’ Payton said. “I think he’s really close. We have a handful of those guys, Courtland, I think we have a group of four or five guys that you’ll be not asking me anything here in a couple days.”
Bronco Bits
The next three training camp practices are open to 3,000 ticketed fans – the final three scheduled public practices of the summer. Based on history, there is a chance one of the joint practice sessions with the Rams next week will be open to 3,000 fans but that has not yet been determined. …
The Broncos waived linebacker Ray Wilborn and signed receiver/returner J.J. Koski, who spent the previous three seasons with the Rams and had two punt returns for 20 yards in L.A.’s Super Bowl season of 2021.
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