The Denver Broncos have put in a ton of work this offseason. They saw how close they got last season with the drama they did have, and know that they can get back to doing things their way, successfully. And, that's not too far-fetched for them to feel that way, too.
After three weeks of OTAs, or Organized Team Activities, the Broncos set up shop for a mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, where we saw wide receiver Courtland Sutton report for the first time this season. He even opened up about his contract situation.
Usually, teams do three days of mandatory minicamp, and then they wrap up the offseason and prepare for training camp, which is the official start of the 2024 season because as soon as training camp is over, real football is played. Instead, the Broncos are content with the two days they got and will end minicamp early, not practicing on Thursday.
“I felt that we had a really good offseason program,’’ head coach Sean Payton said. “The key for all of these guys is during the five and a half weeks that they are away is maintaining their conditioning level. There will be a few guys who will stay here rehabbing injuries. Overall, I think it went well.”
The Broncos have been working hard, and you can see it in all of the clips you see on Twitter of camp. These guys are putting in so much work because they want to be better.
But, it's always nice to get a break before the biggest part of the offseason, the hardest part, comes.
“There is a happy medium there,’’ Payton said. “It is important that these guys get away. I think these guys will all lift and run. They have their computers, they go to Teamworks and the weight program is there for them. I know that a group of them will gather. All three of the quarterbacks and a lot of the receivers are going to have a week after the Fourth of July where they will go somewhere and work out and train. Courtland mentioned that yesterday.
"Then having the playbook and having the film, all of them — at that position, you shouldn’t have to worry about what those next five weeks are going to be. Quite honestly, I said to every one of these guys, ‘At some point, we discussed every one of you guys in depth and it’s not always the discussion for when you are here. It’s also how we feel like you are going to work when you are not here.’ I think they understand that. Although it is a young team, I think they are pretty smart.”
Sean Payton can seem like a big meanie sometimes, to put it nicely, but he really cares about his players, and you can tell here.
