Little drama from Broncos’ camp could be a sign of things to come

Denver Broncos Training Camp is now in full swing and there are multiple things to like and dislike about the Broncos practices within the first few weeks. The offense struggled early on but found their rhythm, depth corners have stepped up their game and veterans and rookies alike have had good things to say about their new coaching staff.

The Skipper Dude and I talk in-depth about the first few weeks at Dove Valley on the podcast linked above but here we will discuss three things we love and three we hate from Training Camp.

Things we don’t like

#1) Connor McGovern has struggled at Center so far and it’s something we should be worried about. This offensive line isn’t overly talented and the QBs have thrown more than their share of picks during drills and thus this side of the ball can’t afford another issue added to the others. McGovern has a lot on his plate after taking over for Matt Paradis and he will need to get this fixed ASAP or he may lose the position to someone else before he has even had a chance to play it.

#2) It’s a prove-it year for Courtland Sutton in his sophomore season and for Emmanuel Sanders coming off an injury, but unfortunately, so far in camp, none of the receivers have been particularly impressive. When you start to hear undrafted guys “getting open” and former CB Brendan Langley becoming Drew Lock’s No. 1 target, it might be time to worry about the position as a whole.

#3) Drew Lock hasn’t dominated camp by any means, but if he’s been “meh,” then Kevin Hogan has been double “meh.” The only difference is that Lock could be the future of the franchise while Hogan could be the future backup of some other team. It makes little sense to have Hogan struggle with the second team while Lock only gets time with the third. Give the kid as many snaps as you can, and let him sink or swim in a more pressured position.

Things we do like

#1) Phillip Lindsay is the man. He’s a gifted, explosive runner and should touch the ball in space as much as humanly possible. Though we don’t love the idea of him returning kicks, the idea of him catching balls out of the backfield is drool-worthy. It’s something they should have done last season but the new coaching staff sees the potential and will be looking to exploit the mismatches that the local kid can create. Can’t wait to see more of this.

#2) There have been a lot of nice things said from the players about the coaches, and it’s not just the normal “he’s a nice dude” type stuff. Veterans and rookies alike have expressed how the coaches have helped them to become better at their craft and have pushed them while also allowing them to make mistakes. The staff seems completely in control of what is going on and it is a breath of fresh air for everyone involved.

#3) There have been some bumps and bruises but - knock on wood - there haven’t been any horrible injuries so far. We’ve also seen very little drama and even a shockingly low amount of fights in the trenches between teammates. It is a bit of luck but hopefully also a sign of things to come that we will have more positive things than negative ones to talk about in 2019 and beyond.