Broncos Camp: 9 Biggest Takeaways From Day 1

Evan Engram Rises

With Webb taking over the play-calling, we've wondered whether Engram's outlook could be on the rise, especially after he seemed to be a schematic afterthought his first year in Denver. Friday's practice may have given us our answer, as the veteran tight end was not only very involved in the offense, but also making huge plays.

Engram caught a long bomb from Stidham that went for 50-plus yards. As DNVR's Zac Stevens opined, Engram caught passes from all three quarterbacks and was a major contributor in the Broncos' offensive fireworks.

It's early, but the implications on Engram's outlook are exciting. It's not like he had a terrible first year in Denver — he finished third on the team in receiving — but he was not utilized as a down-the-field threat.

I was burning to see more usage of Engram as a receiver, especially down the seams and the sidelines. Even at 31, he's an elite athlete, and with Webb calling the offense now, the Broncos could be poised to finally take advantage of the unique talents that made him a two-time Pro Bowler before landing in Denver.

Marvin Mims Jr. Very Involved

Everyone is excited about Jaylen Waddle's arrival, but we've wondered how it will impact Mims. Even Mims questioned it publicly this offseason. We don't have a complete answer to that question yet, but Friday's practice hinted that Webb fully intends to harness the weapon that is Mims.

The Denver Post's Luca Evans opined that Mims's route tree looks "diversified," which is encouraging. Mims's route-running prowess, or relative lack thereof, has been theorized as the only explicable reason he hasn't been as utilized on offense as a receiver as his talent would demand.

His route-running and value to the Broncos as an elite returner are the only reasons I've been able to fathom that Sean Payton hasn't prioritized Mims in the offense over his three seasons in Denver. Mims's improved route tree could unlock a much bigger offensive role.

"He's shown time and time again that he plays with a lot of confidence," Payton said of Mims after practice. "Obviously, he has elite top-end speed, but one of his greatest strengths is locating the football when it's 40 or 50 yards downfield. He tracks the ball exceptionally well."

The first real day of training camp was eye-opening on the Mims front. He's very much front-of-brain for Webb, it would seem. Mims's 50-yard catch over fourth-year safety JL Skinner was one of the biggest plays on a day replete with explosives.

Sutton & Waddle Shine

Courtland Sutton and Waddle both impressed on Friday. Sutton made some huge plays downfield, as noted by KOARadio's Ryan Edwards, while Waddle's speed off the line turned heads.

Waddle's ability to start fast and stop on a dime is his calling card as a receiver. As Payton explained after practice, those are the only two ways for a receiver to create separation in coverage.

"There are really two ways to separate from defenders. One is simply running faster than everyone else, and Jaylen has outstanding speed," Payton said. "The other is being able to stop quickly while carrying that speed into your break and sinking your hips. That's a unique trait. It forces defenders to respect the vertical threat, which creates separation underneath. His ability to sink his hips is exceptional."

Sutton was equally impressive today, but as a ninth-year vet, the Broncos will be keeping a close eye on his "load management," as Payton has coined it, as camp marches on.

"We'll review a list of players and determine how to manage their workloads throughout the week," Payton said. "Some players are coming off injuries, others have accumulated a lot of years in the league, and then there's another group that doesn't require as much discussion. Someone like Courtland Sutton needs a very specific plan."

Sutton has only suffered one major injury as a pro — a torn ACL in his third year. Factoring that and his age (he'll turn 31 in October), the Broncos will be mindful of his load management this summer.

Nix Looking Smooth and In Command

Nix was very impressive on Friday. He's looked good in every practice, but it's worth noting how smooth he was. He looked like a quarterback very comfortable and in command.

There was a lot of scrutiny and hand-wringing, for understandable reasons, this offseason about how fit Nix would be when training camp hit. He fractured his ankle in the playoffs, underwent immediate surgery, and then had a clean-up procedure late in the spring, which set his return timeline back a few weeks.

Suffice it to say, there's been plenty of concern over Nix because fans realized hard and fast just how crucial he is to this team's success. The one game he missed due to injury happened to be the franchise's biggest game since winning Super Bowl 50, and the Broncos just weren't the same team without him.

The Broncos will go only so far as Nix can take them, so it's good to seem him already looking comfortable out there, loose and limber, and making plays against one of the NFL's best defenses.

Riley Moss Making His Presence Felt

Moss enters a contract year, with last year's first-rounder — Jahdae Barron — looking to take his job. We know the Barron pick last season was perceived by Moss as a shot across his bow, and he upped his game accordingly.

After Friday's practice, it appears that Moss is equally motivated this year — maybe even more so because his financial future is at stake. He had multiple pass break-ups on the day, making life a bit harder on the quarterbacks.

It will be interesting to see if Moss can sustain that fiesty level of play, but knowing what we do about him, I wouldn't bet against it. It would also be nice to see Barron produce such a day, but the summer is young.

Undrafted rookie cornerback Brent Austin also acquitted himself well on Friday with a diving pass break-up during team period, per Evans. The Broncos' cornerback depth chart is stacked, but keep an eye on the former Cal standout as camp progresses.

Karene Reid Forces a Fumble

The Broncos' linebacker depth chart is unsettled after Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad. Reid made the roster as an undrafted rookie last year, and he's playing to make the squad back-to-back.

Reid punched the ball out during team period, and recovered the fumble. Payton and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph are emphasizing the need for more takeaways, so any defender who showcases a propensity for that this summer could take priority in the roste math.

Reid joins the likes of Levelle Bailey, Jordan Turner, seventh-round rookie Red Murdock, and undrafted rookie Taurean York as the linebackers vying for the No. 3 and No. 4 spots on the 53-man roster. Singleton has liked what he's seen from the group thus far.

"They're all learning really fast, they're smart, and they're getting valuable reps," Singleton said after Friday's practice. "They're not just running with the third or fourth units—they're getting quality work against a veteran offense. Just like our defense, the offense is also much further ahead because there aren't many new faces. That means those younger players are getting thrown into the fire against experienced teammates every day. They already got a taste of that during OTAs, so they're coming into training camp a step ahead of where they were before."

D-Line Forces to Be Reckoned With

When it comes to replacing John Franklin-Myers in the starting lineup, we've focused a lot of our attention on Malcom Roach because of something Joseph said during mandatory minicamp, as well as third-round rookie Tyler Onyedim, but Eyioma Uwazurike may be the true leader in the clubhouse.

Both Uwazurike and Jordan Jackson, the latter of whom we recently learned is valued quite highly by Payton for his run defense, are standing out early on the defensive line, per Stevens. Uwazurike comes as no surprise after his impressive 2025 showing, but Jackson had become somewhat of an afterthought since he was a healthy scratch for most of last season.

Roach and Onyedim will factor into the JFM vacancy, and hopefully Sai'vion Jones, but there are several players looking to capitalize on the one and only starting job up for grabs on defense.

Injury Report

Once again, tight end Caleb Lohner did not participate in practice after undergoing a clean-up procedure on his knee early last month. Lohner also missed Wednesday and Thursday's sessions . However, fourth-year linebacker Drew Sanders also didn't practice on Friday.

Hopefully, Sanders's absence was a "load management" thing, and not due to anything new or an aggravation of the season-ending foot injury he suffered early in camp last summer. Payton brushed off the absence of Lohner and Sanders after practice, saying he's not concerned, for what it's worth.

Undrafted rookie wideout Joseph Manjack also wasn't out on the practice field on Friday, per The Denver Post's Parker Gabriel. We'll keep an eye on that.