Observations, notes and quotes from the Broncos latest OTAs

The Broncos kicked off “Phase 3” of the offseason on Monday, beginning their second week of Offseason Training Activities at UC Health Training Center. The team has only been practicing together for a couple of weeks, but already there are storylines emerging, players improving and positions in need of more work.

Broncos head coach Vic Fangio likes how the team is picking things up in OTAs.

“I think the guys are picking things up quickly. That’s a compliment to the assistant coaches and the jobs they’re doing with these guys, which they did in Phase One and Phase Two in the classroom, and that’s a compliment to the players that they have been able to transition to on-field, 11-on-11 football and do what they’ve been taught,” Fangio said, “That’s a big transition from classroom to the field.”

Here are my observations for Monday’s OTA as the team kicks off their second week of training together. I’ll have more observations as the week of OTAs goes on later in the week.

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Defense Wins the Day

There was no doubt that the Broncos defense “won” the day of practice.

It all started with the first play and defensive tackle Shelby Harris. He cut through the offensive line to get into Joe Flacco’s kitchen and disrupt the play. The whistles blew and the play was over before anything could really develop because Harris got through right guard Don Barclay.

Bradley Chubb looks like he could lead the league in sacks.

Chubb has already proven he can be highly productive at the pro level based on what we saw during his rookie season. On Monday, Chubb looked un-blockable and disrupted multiple plays. He was working against left tackle Garett Bolles and consistently making the quarterback move from his spot. It’s great experience for Bolles, but going up against one of the best edge players in the NFL has to give the tackle nightmares.

I even saw DeMarcus Walker get some pressure. Most people have forgotten about the 2017 second-round pick, as he’s done almost nothing the first two years of his pro career.

Walker began his Broncos career standing up and playing outside linebacker. To do that, he had to drop some weight, but he didn’t look the same without his hand in the dirt. In 2018, Walker went back to defensive end, gaining weight in the process but also failing to impress.

This is clearly a make-or-break season for Walker, but on Monday he flashed some moves inside that had to get the coaching staff’s attention.

In 2019, the Broncos want to play great defense. I know it’s just practice, but on Monday they were doing just that.

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A Case of the Mondays

Flacco was let down by many of his receivers on Monday. I saw quite a few drops from most of the wide receivers on the roster.

I thought Flacco looked smooth as a passer and he did a good job of putting the ball on the numbers of his receivers on many throws. However, they just couldn’t consistently catch the ball for him and it had to be frustrating for the veteran quarterback.

The defense was getting pressure often, but when Flacco did have time, he found his targets and made the right throw. After that sort of effort under duress, it is maddening to see a pass bounce off a receiver’s hands.

Tight end Jeff Heuerman is getting a few looks as a pass-catcher, but did have one drop that would’ve been a touchdown for the Broncos in red-zone drills. No one knows how many targets Heuerman will get during the regular season, but one can imagine it won’t be that many. He needs to show that no matter the coverage, he can properly secure the ball and earn Flacco’s trust.

Courtland Sutton had a good day overall (and looks like he’s on the same page with Flacco), but even he had a drop in the back of the end zone on Monday. There was also a long bomb pass play that Flacco put just a little too far in front of Sutton that fell to the ground incomplete. That wasn’t a drop, but it was a “hold your breath” type of throw that would’ve been nice to see Sutton run under for the score.

Sutton looks like a No. 1 receiver and he’s going to be fine. The rest of the guys at the wide receiver position need to step up their game, however. This team really seemed to be missing Emmanuel Sanders out there and the lack of depth at the position is a bit of a concern.

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Enough is Enough

It would be nice if the Broncos would just let 2019 second-round pick Drew Lock play as the full-time second-string quarterback. Instead, we mostly see veteran Kevin Hogan get the snaps after Flacco is done.

This is a new system for every quarterback in the room, but Hogan has a leg up on Lock because of his multi-year (and starting) experience in the pros. Lock has to work hard to make up that gap and get things ahead of Hogan’s game.

The Broncos are clearly making Lock earn that spot.

Lock is known as a hard worker, but in his second week of practicing with the team, you can see at times he has some mental hurdles to overcome. His physical talent, athleticism and arm strength can be matched against the best in the league. But in order to make the most of his pro career, Lock needs to master the mental side of the game.

I don’t want the Broncos to hand Lock the job as Flacco’s backup and it is a good thing that he’s earning his way up the depth chart. But plays like the last one in practice on Monday show how special Lock can be.

Running the second-team offense for the first time on Monday, Lock was up against the ferocious Broncos first-team defense. He had two incompletions on the first two plays, but on his third and final throw, he really shined.

With fellow rookie Noah Fant breaking open on a deep out, Lock was able to calmly go through his progressions while quickly identifying where the big play was. Lock fired a pass that would be inadvisable for guys like Hogan or Brett Rypien to a spot that only Fant could gather in the catch. It was a big play that moved the chains and it was done against the best competition.

Lock’s game is not yet consistent, but that one throw shows he’s got the goods.

I just think the sooner the better for the young passer. Reps are hard to come by as a third-string quarterback in training camp and the preseason. They’re even harder to get once the regular season rolls around.

Hogan can stick on the roster as the No. 3 quarterback if the Broncos want him to run the scout team. I just hope that at some point early in training camp or the preseason, we’re done with the façade that Lock isn’t the true backup behind Flacco.

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Remember the Name(s)

Even a long-shot is still a shot. The Broncos added 17 undrafted free agents earlier this year and a couple of them are standing out on offense.

First, running back Devontae Jackson is doing his best Phillip Lindsay impersonation. Undrafted out of West Georgia, Jackson was one of the most fun players to watch on film. Yes, his level of competition wasn’t the greatest in college, but Jackson was a human highlight reel for the Wolves. He’s a small player who can make big plays as a runner or receiver.

Measuring in at 170 pounds, Jackson is not going to be a pile-pusher in the pros. However, he has no trouble running inside and does a good job of hiding behind his big offensive linemen. Jackson stood out mostly as a receiver on Monday and looked much more comfortable than he did last week. He runs good routes for a running back and plucks the ball naturally with his arms extended away from his body.

Second, wide receiver Kelvin McKnight is one of the players who kept “flashing” with big plays on Monday. Undrafted out of Samford, McKnight is an explosive player with the ball in his hands. He showed well on film in terms of quickness and speed, but in practice on Monday, I loved the concentration he played with.

There were lot of things going on during practice, but multiple times I looked at my roster for No. 16 when he would make difficult catches. McKnight is not the biggest receiver (180 pounds), but he showed a fearlessness over the middle. Perhaps that’s because nobody can hit him in practice, but it is a good sign that he didn’t seem concerned with anything other than making the catch and turning upfield in the blink of an eye.

Neither one of these players is a lock to make the 53-man roster, and we still have a long way to go with training camp and the preseason coming up. The best these two could hope for, with continued strong play, is a spot on the Broncos practice squad.

Talent can come from anywhere, and yet again the Broncos seem to have a nose for finding diamonds in the rough.

Follow @CecilLammey