ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (KDVR) — There is a learning curve for rookie quarterbacks in the NFL — and on a hot practice at Broncos Park, first-round pick Bo Nix looked sharp.
“I thought overall pretty well,” head coach Sean Payton said of Nix, who received the majority of the snaps with the first team on Wednesday. “There are clips and plays where you’re going to look at and correct, and then there are others where you’re going to say, ‘Hey’ — but I do have to watch the film because I’m looking at so much. He ran with the ones, and I like his progress.”
A day after switching up the quarterback rotation, Nix and Jarrett Stidham continued to get the majority of the work. Payton said the emphasis was on third down work and gave high praise to wide receiver Josh Reynolds along the way.
“(Reynolds) had three or four catches that were something else,” Payton said of the offseason free agent signing from Detroit. “He’s a tough player. He has range. You saw today there were a number of 50-50 balls that he ended up with. We had a good, clear vision for him and I’m glad we have him.”
Like in 2023, Payton said he will play the starters in the preseason.
“I think it’s important to build a callus,” Payton said as the Broncos will kick off the preseason with a trip to Indianapolis on Aug. 11. “Obviously, you weigh the reps. When I say we’re going to play them, in Week 1 it will be a certain number of snaps, Week 2 the same and then we’ll see where we’re at in Week 3. I think it’s important, so our guys know that.”
Extra Points
Tackle Quinn Bailey left practice with what Payton called a fractured ankle. “He’s a tremendous teammate and a guy that all he does is work his tail off,” Payton said.
Tight end Greg Dulcich continued to look good and healthy this preseason. His career has been marked by injuries, most notably hamstring. His rehab included re-teaching himself how to walk and adjusting his gait. “All summer, we were just working to build volume on it,” Dulcich said. “Running, sprinting and change of direction. All of it. I feel good.”
Heading into his eighth season, defensive tackle D.J. Jones says he isn’t concerned about getting a new contract. With the additions of John Franklin-Myers and Malcolm Roach on the defensive line, Jones understands the importance of having experience in the trenches. “I think it’s everything. If we can’t stop the run, we can’t win as a team,” Jones said.
