Mile High Monday: The dink-and-dunk offense has to be a thing of the past

We are on the verge of the beginning of training camps across the National Football League. It’s going to be a different process in 2020 due to COVID-19, but camps are going to start up and then progress through an acclimation period for the players.

There are no preseason games this year, so when things kick off in Week 1 of the regular season the quality of play may be a little rough. Teams can help that by performing well and preparing properly in training camp.

I like going to training camp every year, and I will be out at UC Health Training Center as much as I’m allowed. For years, I have seen storylines develop from the early days of camp that have lasting impacts as the regular season rolls on. I’m looking forward to finding out who is standing out and who is struggling for the Broncos in camp.

I also like contemplating life and sports when driving around with the top down on my old Jeep TJ! The following is a result of those trips during the week.

Buckle up, let’s take a ride through my thoughts.

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Falling Short

Broncos quarterback Drew Lock’s average depth of completion of 4.8 yards was tied with Steelers quarterback Devlin Hodges for the second-lowest mark by a quarterback in 2019, according to Pro Football Focus. Last year under former offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello, the Broncos played it safe with the rookie quarterback. Sure, there were some deep shots, but for the most part, the offense was rather reserved as Lock went 4-1 as a starter.

There are many things that Lock needs to prove in 2020, but I’d like to see the offense open things up more for him in terms of downfield passing. New offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur does favor a deep passing attack and that should be able to highlight one of Lock’s best traits as a passer – his rocket arm.

Add in the weapons the Broncos added this offseason, especially the speed/quickness coming from rookie wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler, and you can see how this number will most certainly go up for Lock in 2020.

Advanced data is interesting always, but for me to quote such a stat it must back up the film. Looking back on last year, I have identified some parts of Lock’s game that must improve for him to take the next step as the team’s starter. Attacking more downfield should be a big part of each week’s game plan this season.

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More Tim Patrick?

The Broncos went out of their way to improve the wide receiver position this offseason, exclusively through the NFL Draft, where they added three players at the position. The early picks of Jeudy and Hamler are the players to highlight in this area, although the team did add (likely special teams ace) Tyrie Cleveland late in the draft. The additions to the wide receivers room will greatly help this offense be more dangerous in 2020.

However, there are some who believe that veteran Tim Patrick may actually get to start on the outside opposite of Courtland Sutton. This move would give the Broncos a ton of size on the outside with Jeudy manning the slot. Do you want size or do you want speed on the field regularly? This is a question that Shurmur will have to answer for himself in training camp.

Patrick is no doubt an athletically gifted player with a “never-say-die” attitude when it comes to making plays on the football field. He is an emerging talent who has looked like another undrafted gem for the Broncos for a couple of years now. However, is having him on the field better than having Jeudy outside and Hamler in the slot?

Anything is possible, but what is more likely is that the Broncos end up choosing speed with those two rookies on the field at the same time as Sutton. In fact, I want that combination of Sutton/Jeudy/Hamler on the field for the Broncos as much as possible. It is possible that Patrick gets some early season nods due to his experience and due to the fact these rookies are coming into the NFL without the benefit of a normal offseason or even a single preseason game.

This is not a Patrick-or-Hamler situation, it just comes down to how much Patrick impresses Shurmur in camp and how much the Broncos will choose size over youthful speed in 2020.

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Jackson Reporting On Time

Broncos safety Kareem Jackson said he has been working out and plans to report to training camp on time. He tested positive for COVID-19 last month and has been working his way back ever since. Jackson is going to be subject to the testing every other player in the NFL is going to undergo in order to play this season.

Having Jackson out there from day one is going to be of the utmost importance to the Broncos. He is one of the strongest leaders on this team, and his veteran presence will help all of the younger players on both sides of the ball who are looking for examples of how to be the best pros they can be.

Jackson is still a hard-hitter, and he’s one of the most intimidating players on the field of any team in the league. In addition to his presence as a run-defender, Jackson can make plays in coverage. The Broncos are hoping that in year two of the Vic Fangio defense there will be more turnovers gathered on defense. That’s not only going to come from hits that lead to fumbles, but it’s also going to come from coverage plays where passes are picked off.

We’ll see Jackson lead the way for the Broncos defense and their performance in 2020 could easily come down to how he performs (and how those inexperienced corners perform) during the regular season.

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More Sports Please

With sports returning you see sports fans on social media overjoyed at play resuming. It doesn’t matter if you’re a big baseball fan or big basketball fan, if you’re a sports fan, then you’ve likely tuned in during the last week.

My boss at Footballguys.com, Joe Bryant, is often asked (as am I) if people will return to football this year, especially with a jam-packed sports calendar over the next couple of months. Joe’s answer on Twitter basically sums up my feelings to a tee.

Someone asked me today if I thought people would be more into the NFL this year. I watched 2 MLB games last year. I’ve watched 2 MLB games in the last 2 days. I think they’ll be into it. pic.twitter.com/50FwQjYf1u

— Joe Bryant (@Football_Guys) July 24, 2020

I’m going to watch other sports more than I have before. Football is my passion and my job, so I regularly forego watching the NBA or MLB because I want to watch every preseason game (except Week 4 of the preseason) to see if there are any sleepers or players emerging that we didn’t expect. Without a preseason schedule this year in the NFL, my sports-watching calendar has opened up. I’ve already noticed myself dialing into more sports as I wait for football to return.

So, how much more sports are you going to watch? Hit me up on social media and let me know!

Follow @CecilLammey