Broncos’ Sanders excited for an ‘attack offense’ this year

Day one of OTAs 2017 is in the books, and while the local media is mostly focused on the horse race between the quarterbacks, the better story is the fact that both QBs are getting a new offense - and that should make a lot of people happy.

One group it is definitely making happy is one of the NFL’s top wide receiver duos - Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders - who will be looking for their stats to pick up where they left off in 2014 when Peyton Manning was slinging the ball everywhere:

Thomas with 111 catches for more than 1,600 yards and 11 touchdowns; Sanders with 101 for 1,404 yards and nine touchdowns.

As Les Shapiro and Ryan Edwards noted on The Afternoon Drive, neither DT nor Sanders ever threw their quarterbacks or coaches “under the bus,” but both were more than a little frustrated with last year’s offensive scheme.

“At the back end of the season, when you need to be playing your best football, the offense went anemic,” Edwards pointed out as Shapiro added “impotent” to the description. “That shouldn’t happen with this much talent, especially with those two wide receivers on this offense. I can’t blame them for being frustrated.”

As expected with Mike McCoy back at the offensive helm, the offense looks fast - and Sanders loves it.

“Obviously we’re going to have an attack offense,” No. 10 said, noting they are going to have an attack defense and attack offense this year. “We’re keeping an attack mentality. Coach Joseph has expressed that a lot.”

Sanders admitted that after the Super Bowl victory, the offseason was a lot of celebrating and it was easy to “get caught up in the sauce a little bit.”

But after not making the playoffs last year, no one has been celebrating this offseason. And the first OTA practice seemed to take a more serious tone.

“We’re having fun, but at same time we’re trying to get better,” he said. “We didn’t make playoffs better and that was a huge disappointment so we’re working to make Broncos Country proud of us.” (For a great listen, go to 4:25 of the clip and you’ll get a hilarious mocking voice of the critics from Sanders - totally worth it).

And if you want to get Sanders to pick his quarterback and tell you who is “winning” after one day, he’s not gonna do it.

“Both of them look good. At end of the day, ball spins the same way, I just got to continue to do my job,” Sanders said, while noting with “whoever John Elway and Vance Joseph” decide upon, the goal is “to try to win it all.”

“Both want to be the guy, both have confidence, both can sling it,” Sanders added. “We’re in good shape.”

Sanders also hinted at who the real quarterback whisperer might be for this team - Bill Musgrave.

“Great quarterback coach, man, he got those guys right. I’m excited,” Sanders said. “First day went well, looking forward to number two.”

The wide receiver also promised he’ll be bringing some TD celebrations now that the NFL relaxed its rule - just as soon as he reads up on “what I can get away with.”

“It’s going to be fun now. Be ready. ...Once I figure out the rule, I’m coming.”