What we know about the NFL season: The Broncos’ veterans will be tested for coronavirus Tuesday and Friday, all preseason games have been canceled and the opener against Tennessee remains scheduled for Sept. 14.
What we don’t know about this NFL season: Nearly … everything … else.
As the interminable wait hopefully nears an end, here are eight questions for the Broncos.
Which players are on the figurative bubble?
On the bubble (offense): Running back Royce Freeman, tight ends Jake Butt, Jeff Heuerman and Troy Fumagalli, and receivers DaeSean Hamilton and Juwann Winfree.
On the bubble (defense): Defensive end DeMarcus Walker, outside linebacker Malik Reed, inside linebackers Joe Jones and Josh Watson, and cornerbacks Davontae Harris and Duke Dawson.
Is rookie center Lloyd Cushenberry ready to start right away?
The Broncos want Cushenberry to beat out Patrick Morris and Austin Schlottmann.
But let’s face it: The Broncos used a third-round pick on Cushenberry for him to be a factor right away and not use 2020 as a watch-and-learn season. If he shows during camp practices he has a firm grasp of the system and making the calls in concert with quarterback Drew Lock, he should start against the Titans.
Will players who rehabilitated during the offseason be available for Week 1?
At the Scouting Combine in late February, coach Vic Fangio said outside linebacker Bradley Chubb (torn ACL last Sept. 30) would be held out of organized team activities and the mandatory mini-camp as a precaution. Those practices were wiped out, but the anticipation is Chubb will be ready for the season opener.
Indications are right tackle Ja’Wuan James (63 snaps last year because of knee issues) and cornerback Bryce Callahan (missed all of 2019 with a foot issue) will be 100% when the Broncos get on the practice field.
How will an undrafted free agent crack the roster?
Yikes, it’s going to be tough. For all those who knock preseason games, what it does is provide young players with myriad chances to impress the front office and coaching staff.
The Broncos’ coaches should think about putting young guys vs. young guys in padded practices (controlled environment) to see first-hand how they are grasping the systems, if they’re in football shape and if they can help the Broncos this year.
If the Broncos choose the young guy over the veteran, that will help running back LeVante Bellamy, cornerback Essang Bassey and safety Douglas Coleman.
How many padded practices will the Broncos have before playing the Titans?
The key dates for the Broncos are Aug. 3 (the start of a nine-day period of strength-and-conditioning program), Aug. 12 (first non-padded practice) and Aug. 17 (first padded practice).
Teams will be allowed 14 days in pads during training camp. Let’s say the calendar for this stops on Sept. 3 (which would have been the final night of preseason play), which works out to 19 days of available work.
Would it make sense for the Broncos to use all of their available padded practices? Yes, as an evaluation tool for the back of the roster. No, not for most of the starters.
With so many new skill-position players on offense, how difficult will it be to create chemistry?
This is where Lock’s five games of experience will greatly benefit him. He knows the speed of the game. He knows what in-game adjustments defenses will make. He knows how to find receiver Courtland Sutton and tight end Noah Fant.
Lock must find a rhythm with receivers Jerry Jeudy and KJ Hamler, tight ends Nick Vannett and Albert Okwuegbunam, and running back Melvin Gordon and also get comfortable communicating with Cushenberry.
Will there will really be a left tackle competition?
On Draft Weekend, Fangio and general manager John Elway announced the Garett Bolles vs. Elijah Wilkinson competition. Days later, the Broncos declined Bolles’ first-year contract option, meaning he will be a free agent in March.
How bad would Bolles have to be for Wilkinson to seize the job? Bolles would have to fall apart through practice penalties. Plus, our view is Wilkinson is better as a swing guy, capable of playing guard and tackle.
What is Fangio’s biggest challenges during camp?
1. Making sure his starting lineup gets to Sept. 14 equal parts sharp and healthy. The first month features two East Coast trips (Pittsburgh and the New York Jets) on short weeks. If keeping guys fresh means little-to-no-hitting for veterans, fine.
2. On-field time management. The offseason program is usually the time to practice every single thing in the playbook and then paring it down early in camp. Fangio should forget about trying to accomplish the floor-to-ceiling install and instead emphasize situational football (third down/red zone/goal-line/hurry-up).
3. Devoting enough time to special teams so coordinator Tom McMahon can get a handle on which rookies can play more than one unit, which in turn makes them more valuable.
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