The Broncos lost a quarterback but gained a running back Saturday.
First-round draft pick Paxton Lynch missed Day 2 of rookie minicamp Saturday to attend his graduation at the University of Memphis, where he majored in sport and leisure management.
“It means a lot to me. I get to go to Memphis however many more times but this might be the last time for a long time,” Lynch said Friday. “… I’m excited to graduate as well as being a first-round draft pick for the Denver Broncos. I’ve had a pretty busy two weeks.”
But Devontae Booker, the Broncos’ fourth-round pick, returned after attending his commencement ceremony at the University of Utah on Friday.
“It was exciting for me to go back and graduate for my family,” said Booker, who received his degree in sociology in December. “Just for me to go back and walk the stage for my family, it meant a lot.”
Booker was limited in drills Saturday as he continues to recover from two surgeries on his left knee. Booker tore his meniscus and suffered a bone bruise during a game against Arizona last season. After undergoing a procedure to repair the meniscus in November, he underwent a second surgery in February to remove it.
Booker said his knee is about 90 percent recovered and he is day-to-day, but he feels he can already make all the necessary cuts. The coaches have held him back for precautionary reasons, but being limited in practice isn’t something that comes natural.
“They wanted me to slow down, but I only know how to practice fast,” he said. “I think they needed a leash or something to put on me just to hold me back. But I felt good out there.”
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:
Gotsis recovering, too. Adam Gotsis, the Broncos’ second-round pick, observed drills as he recovers from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. He, too, says he’s day-to-day in his recovery and there is no set timetable for his full return.
Despite Gotsis not participating, defensive coordinator Wade Phillips reiterated the team’s hope for him and excitement over what they saw on tape from his time at Georgia Tech.
“Sometimes with foreign players that we’ve seen, sometimes they really look great, they can run fast and they’re big and strong, but it doesn’t carry over to American football,” Phillips said. “This kid has very good instincts. He finds the ball really well. He’s a brute on the field. He’s very physical. He’s adapted to American-style football really well.
“I think he’s just like any fairly high-round pick. You expect him to come in and help you this year.”
Punters have feelings, too. The Broncos drafted Syracuse punter Riley Dixon in the seventh round, creating competition for veteran Britton Colquitt.
Colquitt has one year remaining on his restructured contract, with a $3.25 million salary and $4 million cap hit.
“We think he’s got a chance to be a real good punter in the National Football League,” special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis said of Dixon. ” It’s going to be a competitive situation because, in my opinion — I got up here a few times last year and people were railing on Britton. But I can tell you one thing, there wasn’t a better guy in the playoffs. I can promise you that. He helped us win games in the playoffs, so it’s going to be a heck of a competition.”
The Broncos had the inside scoop on Dixon, thanks to coaching assistant Chris Gould. Gould served as Syracuse’s special teams quality control coach for three seasons before joining the Broncos last year.
In his time at Syracuse, Dixon was used on a number of fake plays became known for his versatility and emotion. In a game last September against LSU, Dixon hurdled one defender while running the ball on a fake field-goal attempt, while throwing his arm in celebration.
“I definitely get excited,” Dixon said. “I haven’t always been a kicker. I grew up, I was a quarterback, I played baseball and I definitely got a little fire inside of me. I’m not just kind of a deadhead that runs out there and kicks the ball and runs off the field. I have emotions, too.”
QB fill-ins. In Lynch’s absence, receivers fielded passes from Klint Kubiak, coach Gary Kubiak’s son and the Broncos’ offensive/QBs assistant, and Mark Thewes, the Broncos’ director of team administration.
Nicki Jhabvala: njhabvala@denverpost.com or @NickiJhabvala
