ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos are set to close their open training camp slate in style.
As Denver hosts its final open training camp practice on Friday, the team will welcome the Green Bay Packers for a joint practice ahead of their Sunday preseason matchup.
And as the Broncos' coaching staff explained Thursday, there's tremendous value in those upcoming reps.
"It gives a little bit of juice to practice," Offensive Coordinator Joe Lombardi said Thursday. "You've been out here for three or four weeks or whatever it's been, and you're seeing the same looks. You have some plays you'd like to practice, but maybe your defense's structure kind of makes it where it's not a great play, so you don't like scripting it. It gives you a chance to work on some different things and gives you a chance to evaluate guys against different people."
Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph echoed Lombardi's sentiment, saying the joint practice gives Denver a chance to "test" its scheme against a talented offense. Led by quarterback Jordan Love, the Packers' offense showed its potential as the unit scored 48 points in an upset win over the Cowboys in January.
"We don't play Green Bay in the fall, so it's a nice time to test out your scheme and also test your players," Joseph said. "This offense has a great quarterback, obviously, and about four [or] five good, young receivers with speed, height and quickness. Good tight ends, two good runners, and it's a really good scheme. So for us, it's going to be a nice challenge to kind of test where we are."
Joseph and Lombardi both also noted that facing different players can provide a truer evaluation of where the Broncos stand, both individually and as a team.
"It's tough in this league to kind of go through camp and not know what others are doing," Joseph said. "Your measurement is sometimes false. So having those guys come in on Friday and again Sunday, it's going to be a good test for our defense, especially."
Added Lombardi: "They're facing the same guys every day, and they kind of get used to them and they kind of know what their tricks are. I think it gives you as much as anything a good evaluation of your guys against different players. Then just seeing different things and reacting to different looks — things you're not as familiar with — it's probably a little more realistic at this point of camp to game day."
Open practices may be winding down, but one big test for the Broncos still remains.
'SAY LESS AND DO MORE'
A day after tackle Mike McGlinchey discussed the Broncos' increased belief in Year 2 under Head Coach Sean Payton, Joseph spoke to the task that lays ahead of the Broncos. While Joseph recognized the team's recent struggles, he expressed confidence in the direction of the team and stressed a need to keep a day-by-day approach.
"It's been a long time since this team's been in the playoffs, but things are being done right," Joseph said. "Coach Payton's come in, and he has changed the culture. It's not the same team it was, even last year. We're young, but it's a smart, tough, confident group. Our deal right now is just keep improving. Keep improving, and let the wins prove in our words. Say less and do more. We know what it is. I've been here half my life, so I know how important the Broncos are to the city, and how important [it is] for us to win. We get it, so our goal is to win. That's most important."
