Grover
05-28-2009, 04:46 PM
http://blog.denverbroncos.com/denverbroncos/thursdays-practice-recap/
The team reached day number three of passing camp on Thursday, and the practice was open to the media. Here are a few quick hits from today’s session.
POSTURING FOR POSITION
You can’t read too much into a depth chart during passing camp, but it looked like the first team defense consisted of Ryan McBean, Ronald Fields and Kenny Peterson on the line, Darrell Reid and Elvis Dumervil at outside linebacker, Andra Davis and D.J. Williams at the inside linebacker spots, Champ Bailey and Andre’ Goodman at cornerback and Brian Dawkins and Renaldo Hill at safety.
Spencer Larsen spent some time both in the backfield and with the linebackers.
LaMont Jordan decided to try out a new position as the team was switching between drills — he pulled Brett Kern aside and set up as the long snapper. It looks like Jordan will stick with the running back position, because let’s just say the snap didn’t hit its target.
FIELDING PUNTS, CIRCUS STYLE
Six players practiced fielding punts as Kern and Britton Colquitt alternated lofting the ball downfield. Eddie Royal went first, followed by Nate Swift, Alphonso Smith, Kenny McKinley, David Grimes and Matt Willis.
After the first round of catches, the drill got a little more interesting. The players then tried to field punts with a ball in one hand. Then a ball in each hand. Then finally with three balls already in their arms — Royal, Swift and Smith successfully fielded the fourth.
Then, after practice, a player stepped up to field a punt who you shouldn’t expect to see in that position on Sundays. The offense chose undrafted free agent defensive tackle Chris Baker to field a punt to save the defense from extra meetings.
The 6-foot-2, 326-pound lineman watched the punt directly into his hands with no problem, much to the delight of his defensive teammates. That included Wesley Woodyard, who then punted the ball high in the air in celebration.
MAKING PLAYS
During one drill, the offense lined up in the red zone with :01 left on the clock — one play to decide the hypothetical game. The defense on the sidelines were fired up, yelling to simulate crowd noise.
The shotgun snap came to Chris Simms, who backpedaled, looked around and fired a pass to a leaping Daniel Graham for the touchdown. The offensive players on the sidelines erupted, but the defense did as well, as Dumervil chased after Head Coach Josh McDaniels to plead his case that he had been there for the sack. In the end, the touchdown stood.
During 7-on-7s, D.J. Williams jumped in front of a pass and sprinted his way to the end zone, setting the ball down on the goal line. Again it was Woodyard with the loudest celebration, throwing pretend blocks at anyone who tried to get near Williams.
Alphonso Smith had a solid break-up in 7-on-7s as well, reaching out and knocking down a pass just as it was about to reach Eddie Royal.
Matt Prater went 8-for-8 in the field goal drill.
TWO MINUTE DOMINATION
We don’t know how the offense or defense has looked in drills up until today’s open practice, but one thing is for sure — in the two-minute drill, the first team defense looked pretty dangerous.
Kyle Orton completed his first pass to Royal on first down, but it was followed by an incomplete pass on second down. On third down, it looked like Orton had a nice completion to Royal on the sideline, but Goodman was right there to swat the ball out of his hands. On fourth down, the defense knocked down a pass at the line of scrimmage as plenty of celebrating ensued.
It looked like the second-team defense would put on a similar show, as the second-team offense’s drive started with a Marcus Thomas sack. Darcel McBath broke up a pass aimed at Jeb Putzier on second down, and another incomplete pass followed on third. On fourth down it looked like the defense got the stop, but a pass interference call kept the drive alive. Eventually Simms would find Chad Jackson in the corner of the end zone to give the offense a score in the drill.
(photos are posted on the team's website)
The team reached day number three of passing camp on Thursday, and the practice was open to the media. Here are a few quick hits from today’s session.
POSTURING FOR POSITION
You can’t read too much into a depth chart during passing camp, but it looked like the first team defense consisted of Ryan McBean, Ronald Fields and Kenny Peterson on the line, Darrell Reid and Elvis Dumervil at outside linebacker, Andra Davis and D.J. Williams at the inside linebacker spots, Champ Bailey and Andre’ Goodman at cornerback and Brian Dawkins and Renaldo Hill at safety.
Spencer Larsen spent some time both in the backfield and with the linebackers.
LaMont Jordan decided to try out a new position as the team was switching between drills — he pulled Brett Kern aside and set up as the long snapper. It looks like Jordan will stick with the running back position, because let’s just say the snap didn’t hit its target.
FIELDING PUNTS, CIRCUS STYLE
Six players practiced fielding punts as Kern and Britton Colquitt alternated lofting the ball downfield. Eddie Royal went first, followed by Nate Swift, Alphonso Smith, Kenny McKinley, David Grimes and Matt Willis.
After the first round of catches, the drill got a little more interesting. The players then tried to field punts with a ball in one hand. Then a ball in each hand. Then finally with three balls already in their arms — Royal, Swift and Smith successfully fielded the fourth.
Then, after practice, a player stepped up to field a punt who you shouldn’t expect to see in that position on Sundays. The offense chose undrafted free agent defensive tackle Chris Baker to field a punt to save the defense from extra meetings.
The 6-foot-2, 326-pound lineman watched the punt directly into his hands with no problem, much to the delight of his defensive teammates. That included Wesley Woodyard, who then punted the ball high in the air in celebration.
MAKING PLAYS
During one drill, the offense lined up in the red zone with :01 left on the clock — one play to decide the hypothetical game. The defense on the sidelines were fired up, yelling to simulate crowd noise.
The shotgun snap came to Chris Simms, who backpedaled, looked around and fired a pass to a leaping Daniel Graham for the touchdown. The offensive players on the sidelines erupted, but the defense did as well, as Dumervil chased after Head Coach Josh McDaniels to plead his case that he had been there for the sack. In the end, the touchdown stood.
During 7-on-7s, D.J. Williams jumped in front of a pass and sprinted his way to the end zone, setting the ball down on the goal line. Again it was Woodyard with the loudest celebration, throwing pretend blocks at anyone who tried to get near Williams.
Alphonso Smith had a solid break-up in 7-on-7s as well, reaching out and knocking down a pass just as it was about to reach Eddie Royal.
Matt Prater went 8-for-8 in the field goal drill.
TWO MINUTE DOMINATION
We don’t know how the offense or defense has looked in drills up until today’s open practice, but one thing is for sure — in the two-minute drill, the first team defense looked pretty dangerous.
Kyle Orton completed his first pass to Royal on first down, but it was followed by an incomplete pass on second down. On third down, it looked like Orton had a nice completion to Royal on the sideline, but Goodman was right there to swat the ball out of his hands. On fourth down, the defense knocked down a pass at the line of scrimmage as plenty of celebrating ensued.
It looked like the second-team defense would put on a similar show, as the second-team offense’s drive started with a Marcus Thomas sack. Darcel McBath broke up a pass aimed at Jeb Putzier on second down, and another incomplete pass followed on third. On fourth down it looked like the defense got the stop, but a pass interference call kept the drive alive. Eventually Simms would find Chad Jackson in the corner of the end zone to give the offense a score in the drill.
(photos are posted on the team's website)