ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — When the Broncos take the field Wednesday for the first acclimation practice of training camp, the quarterback repetitions are expected to look much like they did in the spring.
Throughout the offseason program, Jarrett Stidham, Zach Wilson and Bo Nix rotated reps with Denver's first-team offense — and Head Coach Sean Payton said Tuesday that in the early days of training camp, that rotation is expected to continue.
From there, the Broncos will begin to move toward finding a starter for their Week 1 matchup in Seattle on Sept. 8.
"We'll mix it up [with the reps] again," Payton said. "Obviously, [the reps] won't stay that way for the long term. But as we get started, we'll keep you posted. Eventually, we'll settle into the routine we want."
Payton declined to reveal whether the Broncos would first narrow the competition to two quarterbacks before deciding on a Week 1 starter, as he said he prefers to naturally let the competition unfold.
"I think the mistake made is deciding how it goes," Payton said. "Organically — in my experience — we'll see a rotation initially, and then we'll move on from there."
Payton also said he doesn't believe there is a balance in trying to rotate through the three quarterbacks, as the team's goal is to find the right player to lead them into Lumen Field in Week 1.
"We're looking to find the guy to beat Seattle, and we're going to find that player," Payton said. "How do I balance the day? How do I balance the schedule? How do I balance the reps? That's all part of what we do relative to the teaching and the teaching progression. I think the same thing exists, though. Look, the No. 1 goal is to find the right 53 players here for our team. Certainly there's a lot of focus on the quarterback position, because there's open competition there.
"But I don't look at it as finding the balance, I look at it as finding the player."
THE VALUE OF THE LINE
The Broncos officially signed guard Quinn Meinerz to an extension on Monday, and Payton said there were "many things that we felt strongly about" as they worked to keep him in Denver.
"We're excited for him," Payton said. "His consistency and how he played at a position we value [were important]. It made sense for the player and the club."
Payton emphasized the importance of the offensive line for team building, and his teams have often built from the inside out in solidifying the offensive line. Since Payton arrived in Denver, the Broncos have added Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers to the offensive line, extended Meinerz and added another young center in Alex Forsyth to a group that also features third-year player Luke Wattenberg. Including Garett Bolles, the Broncos' offensive line will feature four returning starters in 2024.
"I think it's the most important position group on your roster," Payton said. "I think it permeates your building. I believe that, and it's served us well everywhere we've been."
INJURY UPDATE
As the Broncos prepare for their first practices, a pair of players who missed some or all of the offseason program are expected to rejoin the team.
Payton said rookie running back Audric Estime is "doing good" and is ready for the start of training camp, and he also expects tight end Greg Dulcich to return to practice this week.
Payton did not provide a specific timetable on when safety Caden Sterns — who is on the Physically Unable to Perform list to start training camp — would return to practice.
