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The Jugg's machine sits at the North goal line today and as the players begin to emerge from the locker room, I see they are having a 3rd consecutive practice in Full pads. John Boyett, Greg Latta and Jameson Konz are in shorts and will not be participating in practice. DeMarcus Ware has not made an entrance yet either. At 8:50 sharp, the HORN kick starts the session.
Punt Protection begins this Monday practice while punts are launched from the JUGG's machine for Bradley Roby, who muffs his first chance, Isaiah Burse, Omar Bolden, Tony Carter and Wes Welker. On the far field I see the Blue ball is out where the Wide Receivers and Cornerbacks are working. The return men get plenty of reps to field punts before theHORN.
Walkthroughs begin the next segment. Quanterus Smith and Malik Jackson work at the Defensive End spots in lieu ofVon Miller and DeMarcus Ware. Much of the focus in this session is on the Run Game, but later on, Julius Thomas and Bubba Caldwell make catches. Taco! Sushi! as well as the customary Omaha! are heard among Peyton Manning's cadences. HORN.
The team stretch begins with what I believe is Emmy Lou Harris singing "Old Rocky Top" and even though Britton Colquitt starts dancing a jig, you know it is the "Sheriff's" day to pick the music.Of course the "Yee-Haws" also break out through the ranks. Song number two is Garth Brooks singing "Friends in low places" and Peyton replies, "That's what I'm talking about." When that ends, the team huddles up. HORN.
Coach Fox yells, let's go to work!"
The Defense works as a unit against a "Red Hat" Offense. One of the Defensive coaches acts as the Quarterback, whileDavid Bruton, with red hat adorned, poses as a Running Back. They practice attacking the screen play. Over on the other side, the Running Backs are high stepping the strings, the Wideouts are doing their route trees, the Tight Ends are hitting each other one on one, the Quarterbacks do footwork drills as the Offensive Linemen beat up the blocking sled.
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Now the Running Backs are hitting the sled and the Linebackers do a hurdle drill while a coach fires a pass at them. This turns into a Fumble Recovery drill in place of having the ball thrown at them. The Safeties attack the ballcarrier near the sideline and the Cornerbacks do a slalom-reaction drill. The Defensive Linemen move over to hit the four-piece sled and now the Linebackers engage and shed one on one. Coach Smith requires them to turn up the intensity. The D-Line works against the Red Hats as the Defensive Backs do some Zone coverage work against the Red Hats. Across the field, the Wide Receivers are during a slalom weave drill. This entire segment lasts about 25 minutes HORN.
11 on 11's begin with a split squad. One side, with Manning at the helm, is working on the Run Offense. The other side has Brock Osweiler passing for the Wide Receiver/ Defensive Back one on one battle. Jordan Norwood beats Louis Young on the first snap, a deep completion. Bennie Fowler beats Omar Bolden on a double move. Greg Hardin beats Bradley Roby and a coach tells the rookie to "get your hands on him." Tony Carter gets the better of Isaiah Burse, Cody Latimer and Jordan Sullen mix it up and neither one catches the ball. Peyton switches places with Brock and Emmanuel Sanders schools Omar Bolden. Wes Welker pushes off Kayvon Webster for a catch. Manning throws a long ball to Sanders, who beats Rahim Moore. Andre Caldwell beats Tony Carter with a double move. Welker eludes Webster with a slippery move. Aqib Talib and Julius Thomas cancel each other out. Emmanuel Sanders and Bradley Roby run stride for stride on a fly pattern, but Sanders comes up with the catch. Welker and Jerome Murphy play tug of war and nullify each other. Osweiler enters and promptly hits Bennie Fowler at the sideline. Cody Latimer and Bradley Roby duel and Roby gets called for the Hold. Jordan Norwood puts an elusive move on Louis Young. Pads are clashing back at the Running Offense area and a scrum breaks out between Will Montgomery and L.J. Fort. It is quickly broken up by the HORN.
7 on 7's start up with the Chain gang being employed. Peyton Manning throws complete to Virgil Green, but the second pass attempt, intended for Bubba Caldwell, is picked off by Kayvon Webster. Manning hits Emmanuel Sanders and Julius Thomas on consecutive plays. The next snap has rookies Latimer and Roby matched up again and Roby is called for Pass Interference. Brock comes in and passes to Greg Wilson, who beats Tony Carter. Jacob Tamme makes a catch and then Tony Carter misses a pick that hit him in the hands. Isaiah Burse makes a catch and Quinton Carterstops him short of the 1st down marker. Osweiler completes a pass to Gerell Robinson in front of Jordan Sullen. Zac Dysert throws his first pass through Nathan Palmer's hands and then completes a pair of passes to Cam Morrah and Isaiah Burse on back to back plays. A reception on a swing pass to Juwan Thompson closes this segment. HORN.
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After a water break, the Special Teams Unit goes back to work with Punt protection drills versus the Red Hats and short cones designating the coverage lanes. Jordan Norwood, Isaiah Burse, Wes Welker, Julius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders all field punts this time. Britton Colquitt even gets in a little exercise rotating with the JUGG's machine. While I am down near the end zone where the Return men are, right next to me the Defensive Tackles are engaging their position coach in a quick-move handwork drill with each player getting a turn. After a couple of full coverage reps, Greg Wilson makes a nice play and downs the final punt at the 1 yard line. HORN.
11 on 11's again. Frisco! Empire! and a Montee Ball 5 yard run. Then Manning throws a play action pass to Ball. Peyton connects with Emmanuel Sanders on back to back snaps and then it's Brock Osweiler's turn. A swing pass to Brennan Clay ends up with Quinton Carter riding the Running Back roughshod out of bounds.Clay picks up 3 yards on the next play. Derek Wolfe gets quickly into the backfield for the Sack on the following snap. Brock hits Latimer and only once during this set of reps, does he look indecisive. Zac Dysert passes complete to Isaiah Burse. Juwan Thompson runs up the middle for 4 yards. Dysert hits Cam Morrah and a flag flies on the Defense away from the ball. Jerodis Williams gets stuffed by Steven Johnson. HORN.
11 on 11's in the Red Zone. Peyton's first attempt goes into the end zone for Emmanuel Sanders and Aqib talib breaks it up. Manning's next pass goes to Virgil Green, but it is denied by Nate Irving. Montee Ball takes an inside handoff for 3 yards and gains a couple more on the ensuing play. Manning throws a Touchdown pass to Julius Thomas, who beats Danny Trevathan. Osweiler comes in and Will Montgomery delivers a high snap. That gets a comment from John Fox about the snap being high even for a 6-8 Quarterback. Brock handles it anyway and completes a pass to Jacob Tamme, who is working on Lamin Barrow. Kenny Anunike gets in for a Sack on the next play. Osweiler hits Ronnie Hillman in the flat, who is then popped good by Duke Ihenacho. Hillman loses his helmet and still gets down the field to score. The next play is a quick slant to Jacob Tamme for a Touchdown. A fight ensues after the play between Derek Wolfe and Vinston Painter. In a 3rd and goal situation from the 3 yard line, C.J. Anderson picks up 2 yards. Zac Dysert fires a pass to Cam Morrah, who is immediately wrapped up by Steven Johnson. Kapri Bibbs gets stuffed at the Line of Scrimmage by Steven Johnson on the following snap. Zac finds his second read in a wide open Isaiah Burse that draws a comment from Jack Del Rio, who asks his Secondary coach who missed an assignment because "Nobody is that wide open in the Red Zone." Dysert passes to Greg Hardin for a short gain and then tries to hit Bennie Fowler in the end zone but the play goes out of bounds and draws a Defensive Holding flag. HORN.
11 on 11's with the ball on the 15 yard line with the Offense working towards mid-field. Manning's first pass to Welker produces a 1st down and then a shovel pass to Montee Ball gets another 8 yards. Peyton completes a pass to Emmanuel Sanders and then a screen to Montee Ball. Osweiler handsoff to Ronnie Hillman, who runs tough for a 6 yard gain. The next play is a deep ball for Cody Latimer against Tony Carter. The rookie makes the catch, but Carter knocks the ball loose and it goes incomplete. Brock's next attempt is too high for Jordan Norwood too handle with Omar Bolden covering. C.J. Anderson rips off a 10 yard run before getting popped by Duke Ihenacho. Zac Dysert handsoff to Brennan Clay twice in a row. Clay picks up 2 yards on each carry and goes down too soon. Gotta stay on your feet rookie. A swing pass to Isaiah Burse on the following play gets blown up by Charles Mitchell and Jerome Murphy in the backfield. Dysert's next attempt, for Bennie Fowler, is broken up by Jordan Sullen. HORN.
Round 3 of the Special Teams Punt protection drill with the JUGG's at the 15 yard line. Britton Colquitt is alternating once more with the launcher as Isaiah Burse, Jordan Norwood, Wes Welker, Tony Carter and Julius Thomas each take reps fielding punts. Carter muffs an attempt. HORN.
11 on 11's Down and distance scenario. The situation is 3rd and 1 around midfield. The 1st team Defense stuffs Montee Ball three times. Osweiler leads the "2's" and hands off to C.J. Anderson who converts his first attempt and loses 2 yards on the second try. Ronnie Hillman converts on his lone rep. Dysert hands off to Juwan Thompson, who his hit by Sione Fua and loses 2 yards. Thompson converts his second attempt. Kapri Bibbs chance is denied when Zac Dysert takes off on a naked bootleg.Two fights break out and Virgil Green looks to be in the center of one of them. The Double HORNends practice and the melee is dispersed. The Defense runs gassers after practice.
Von Miller hit the podium and was asked about the chippiness of today's practice.
"It's always like that when guys are competing. That's how it is in Training Camp, you're grinding it out. That's just part of it. It's that way at every level I've played."
Guys are definitely competing and I would venture to say that this group is as deep as any I've ever seen.
Go Broncos!
-- Kaptain Kirk