Broncos reporter Lindsay H. Jones takes at look at training camp practice from this afternoon:
HIGHLIGHT
After seven full days of training camp, including 12 practices, the Broncos have at last been granted a brief reprieve from two-a-days and hotel living. But they had to earn it. Coach Josh McDaniels selected two defensive linemen — one veteran and one rookie — to try to catch a punt today. Make the catch, you and your teammates get out of meetings and Friday night curfew. Kenny Peterson snagged the punt on the first try to the delight of the veterans. Rookie nose tackle Chris Baker, right, caught his on the third try — after two punts that went way too long — and was mobbed by his rookie teammates. “Coach McDaniels called me out in front of the whole team so you know I couldn’t let him down, or let my teammates down, especially the rookies,” Baker said.
LOWLIGHT
So just how many mistakes did the Broncos make in Thursday night’s scrimmage at Invesco Field? Enough that today’s practice had to be extended an hour while coaches made sure every one of the errors was corrected. Players wore shorts and jerseys and helmets, but no pads, and went through play after play at half speed. “We basically went through most of what we went through last night over again and got it right on both sides of the ball and make sure we understand the mistakes that we made and what to do differently,” coach Josh McDaniels said. “We’ll see if they can make the adjustments the next time we’re out on the field and go forward.”
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I’m out here every day catching punts, trying to be a little guy.” — Kenny Peterson, 295-pound defensive lineman on how he so easily caught a punt on the first try.
POINT AFTER
For most of the time during training camp, offensive lineman Clint Oldenburg, who starred at Colorado State, has been concerned only with trying to make the team. Today he got a new perspective.
Oldenburg invited 16-year-old Alyssa Shelton from Durango to be his guest at practice. Three months ago Shelton was left 70 percent paralyzed when a soccer goal fell on her while she was stretching at a track meet. Shelton, who spent eight weeks at Children’s Hospital, was back in town for a check up. Oldenburg brought his offensive line teammates over to the VIP tent after practice to sign autographs and take pictures with Shelton, who has regained most of the feeling below the waist and is beginning to walk. She also got a ball signed by Champ Bailey, her favorite player. “From what I understand she’s been kind of depressed about the whole situation. She’s a huge Broncos fan, so when I heard that, I was like shoot, bring her out here,” Oldenburg said. “It’s humbling for me because as tough as we think training camp is, it’s nothing like that.”
CAMP FACTS
The team will not practice Saturday. The next scheduled practice is from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Sunday. It is free and open to the public.
