Denver Broncos Training Camp – 08/04 p.m. – Wet Wednesday

Denver Broncos quarterback Brady Quinn at the team's training camp August 4, 2010. (BroncoTalk.net)

Thunder and rain delayed practice for half an hour Wednesday afternoon, but the Denver Broncos still completed two hours of work on a wet field to the delight of the several hundred fans who also toughed it out.

The session was marred by more than weather; Pro Bowl linebacker Elvis Dumervil left the early portion of practice, clutching his right arm to his chest, and wouldn’t return.  Head Coach Josh McDaniels didn’t comment on Dumervil’s status afterward, and the extent of his injury isn’t known.

Otherwise the Broncos worked on team drills and red zone work, and welcomed their newest addition to practice, running back LenDale White.

Attendance: Absent: WR Kenny McKinley, S Brian Dawkins, RB Knowshon Moreno, RB Correll Buckhalter, S Josh Barrett, LB D.J. Williams, OL Dustin Fry, DT Chris Baker, TE Daniel Graham, DT Ronald Fields, LB Joe Mays, DT Jamal Williams, LB Darrell Reid, and T Ryan Clady.  Fan attendance was lessened due to the rain.

Injury Report: Nothing to report beyond Dumervil.

What I Liked

WR Matthew Willis — It’s becoming remarkable, how consistently remarkable Willis has become.  I was asking myself today if any receiver had outperformed Willis in any one practice yet, and I couldn’t convince myself the answer was yes.  Today, The Story of Training Camp caught Tim Tebow‘s best ball to date, a deep bomb on a right rollout that Tebow threw across his body.  Willis got behind both Perrish Cox and David Bruton and made the leaping catch, falling at the goal line.  He might have impressed me even more with an earlier smart, albeit less flashy play.  He made a veteran move in a jump ball with Andre Goodman, having to switch roles and play defender when Kyle Orton‘s pass came up short and bat the bobbled ball down….  I’m starting to get really excited about this kid.

QB Tim Tebow — Tebow’s best practice to date, by far.  He had the beautiful rollout to Willis that followed an earlier touchdown to Eric Decker — a low dart from the 10-yard line that forced the rookie receiver to make the sliding catch on wet grass.  It wasn’t just the highlight reel plays that impressed me, though: a nice check down to Richard Quinn for a huge run after the catch where he could have run it himself was a nice play to see from the rookie.

LB Robert Ayers — Ayers had a sack on Chris Simms Brady Quinn (it was difficult to tell who got there first, he or Jarvis Moss, but I’m going with Ayers), and was getting a good burst and push off the o-line most of the day.  Particularly encouraging since #92 wasn’t there to steal the o-line’s focus.

What I Didn’t Like

WR Jabar Gaffney — Gaffney dropped two catchable balls in team drills, including a beautiful deep dart from Orton on a crossing route over the middle.  In both instances, it seemed like the Broncos next ran a similar play with a different receiver who had no trouble catching the same type of ball — first Brandon Stokley, then Willis.

Walking a mile in the rain to make it back to practice — It’s my own damn fault for walking out, with dark skies on the horizon, without an umbrella or raincoat,  but man, did I get drenched.  I’m still shivering as I write this.

Miscellany

Demaryius Thomas had his best catch as a Bronco, a leaping sideline tip-toe grab over the Champ Bailey that drew huge cheers from the crowd.  It was a perfectly placed high arc from Orton, and Bay Bay capitalized.  He would have made my Studs List had he not dropped another pass minutes later that was eerily similar to some of the frustrating performances he had displayed earlier in camp.  He also needs to buckle that chin strap — his helmet flew off in an end zone jump ball that went Renaldo Hill‘s way.

At one point, the entire defensive unit — to me it looked like mostly third-teamers — did the run of shame around the west field.  A few of the guys tried to cut the lap short around the south end zone, but DC Don Martindale saw and quickly put an end to that.

It took a little while for Orton to get into rhythm today; he overthrew everyone at the beginning of red zone work, but seemed to settle down and hit his guys as the practice progressed.

White participated in individual drills, but as far as I could tell, he did not carry the football in team work. Not surprising at all since the ink had barely dried on his contract.

Next Up

One practice Thursday, open to the public, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.