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5 takeaways from Broncos' first padded practice of training camp
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- 5 takeaways from Broncos' first padded practice of training camp
The Denver Broncos resumed training camp on Monday with Day 3 of full-speed practice with about 1,000 fans in attendance at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit. It marked the team's first padded practice of the summer.
"First day back off the day off," coach Sean Payton said after practice. "Pads were on, it was good. I'm anxious to see the tape of some of these periods."
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The biggest storyline of the day was starting center Luke Wattenberg going down during a one-on-one drill and not returning to practice. Alex Forsyth filled in at center after Wattenberg left practice.
Fortunately, Denver coach Sean Payton provided an encouraging update after practice. "We'll go ahead and evaluate," Payton said. "I think he'll be fine."
Forsyth has started six games as an injury fill-in during his career, and he performed well. Having a backup of his quality is a big plus for the Broncos .
"He's super savvy and smart," Payton said of Forsyth. "He's one of the smarter guys in that room. You don't feel a young player. You feel like, if you interviewed him, you'd feel like you're talking to a seven-year vet. He's a little bit of an old soul that way and much appreciated though. He's really talented."
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Here are a few other quick takeaways from Monday's session.
5 takeaways from Day 3 of Broncos camp
1. Broncos injury report: Wattenberg wasn't the only player with an injury update on Monday. Outside linebacker Dondrea Tillman ( hamstring ) worked on a side field , and tight end Caleb Lohner ( knee ) remains sidelined. The good news: pass rusher Drew Sanders ( undisclosed ) and rookie wide receiver Joseph Manjack ( back ) both returned to practice . Payton was asked after practice if he's concerned about Lohner missing so much time, and he said he's always concerned, especially when it's a younger player missing practice. The coach also highlighted Lohner's work before the injury. "I do know this, I do know what I was seeing before his injury and the work he's put in," Payton said. "It's interesting, when you draft someone like that, you really don't know the temperament because you haven't seen enough film, and he in his first year showed us that."
2. Pat Bryant might be the favorite for WR3 role: It's still early, and Payton insists that the Broncos don't have traditional WR1, WR2 and WR3 designations, but Bryant seems to be trending toward unofficial WR3 duties. Courtland Sutton and Jaylen Waddle are the obvious top two receivers, and Bryant has been among the standouts early in camp. "He has some of the better hands in traffic with his feet on the ground, he's really good [at] run after the catch," Payton said of the second-year receiver. "I said this to you guys a year ago, he's real smart. So he's someone that can move from 'X' to the slot. It'll be easy creating his role."
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3. Riley Moss holding down CB2 job: Moss had another strong practice , with his highlights including beating Courtland Sutton for a 50-50 ball to secure an interception. "He competes his tail off," Payton said of Moss. "I love that about him. He has those traits where it's a short mindset, short memory. He's moving around really well right now." With Moss playing well on the outside across from Pat Surtain and Ja'Quan McMillian continuing to perform in the slot , there doesn't seem to be an obvious starting role for second-year cornerback Jahdae Barron this fall.
4. Jahdae Barron is not moving to safety: With limited playing time at cornerback, Barron has been suggested as a potential safety candidate (and there was apparently an inaccurate report that he was getting reps there). Payton shot that notion down after Monday's practice. "He's doing good," Payton said . "I read somewhere we moved him to safety. ... I'm not — he's playing nickel. He's playing corner. And then we get into dime, he replaces the linebacker. So he's doing really good. There's been no position change."
5. Broncos aren't rushing to sign Taysom Hill , but...: After the do-everything tight end announced he won't return to the New Orleans Saints in 2026, it was easy to connect the dots for a potential reunion with Payton. The coach told NFL Network on Saturday that the team will explore bringing Hill in , but he indicated after Monday's practice that nothing is imminent. "There's no hurry right now, I'm going to see him here in five days [ at Drew Brees' Hall of Fame ceremony ], so... we'll see where he's at and kind of go from there," Payton said . The coach also noted that he'll check in on Hill's health and where he's at mentally. "I don't want to assume that he still wants to play," Payton said. "You know, I haven't had a chance to talk with him ... we'll see where that goes." Those comments certainly seem to suggest that if he wants to continue playing, Payton could find a spot for him with the Broncos.
Denver's scheduled to hold six consecutive practices this week. Payton will miss Saturday's practice to attend Brees' induction into the Hall of Fame. Check back tomorrow for updates from Day 4 of training camp.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: 5 takeaways from Broncos' first padded practice of training camp
