Mile High Report
The roster staying the same helps build continuity with the system but also gives confidence to get even better.
There is a lot of excitement and expectations for the Denver Broncos.
After getting a winning season and making the playoffs, that’s bound to happen. It also helps to have a franchise quarterback entering his second season with a head coach and an offensive system that Bo Nix knows.
The other factor is roster consistency. Just about everyone from last season has been kept on both sides of the ball, with key additions.
As Broncos head coach Sean Payton said at the end of OTAs this week to the Denver media:
“I think we’re obviously further along with regards to what we’re doing. Now you still have to turn the gameboard over and start from the beginning in our league. You have to do that. We’re not picking up from where we left off. You have to start with the fundamentals. You get a chance to do that in these sessions.”
The other key is the offensive line. Denver’s unit was one of the better surprises last season, and like the team, there is the belief that they can get even better.
“That group played well last year, and it’s an important group,” Payton said to the Denver media. “It’s the one group that permeates your building. So yes, when we watch cut-ups, were there runs that we felt like there was more meat on the bone? Yes. We feel like it’s certainly a point of emphasis to improve in that area.
“The experience and the toughness of that group is extremely important.”
During the media session, Payton was asked what he meant by the offensive line “permeating the building.”
“If you’re not really good on the offensive line, you don’t know how good you are then on the defensive line. … It’s the first line of attack, so when that group is playing at a certain level, then very quickly the defensive front has to meet that standard or it’s not good. So, from a football intelligence perspective, it’s probably one of the most important position groups.
“The building, the roster, everything we’re doing it’s hard to accomplish when that group is not what it needs to be. It’s hard to evaluate the quarterback. It’s hard to evaluate the receiver because the quarterback’s having trouble. It’s hard to evaluate the runner. It’s hard to evaluate the coach. It’s extremely important to get that group right.”
As training camp and the regular season approach, roster consistency and the offensive line will be key factors in whether the Broncos improve from last season.
It’s also why there’s so much excitement about what this team could accomplish.
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