ENGLEWOOD, Colo. --For the first time since 2008, the Broncos will host joint practices during training camp.
In 2008, the team hosted the Dallas Cowboys. This time around, it will be the Houston Texans.
"I think you spend a lot of time working against each other and I think it's kind of a good break for both sides to compete against a different style of offense and defense, as well as different players," Head Coach John Fox said.
Fox said that while this is the first time the Broncos have held joint training camp sessions in his tenure, it's a practice that has been implemented with "just about everybody I've been with."
The three days of joint practices will lead up to the preseason tilt between the Broncos and Texans at Sports Authority Field on Saturday, Aug. 23.
"I am (looking forward to it)," defensive lineman Malik Jackson said. "I'm interested to see how it's going to work with the team being here and getting some pass rushes against some other people, you know, stop working against our guys. I'm excited for it."
Offensive Coordinator Adam Gase cracked a smile when asked if it will be "fun" for his offense to match up against the likes of J.J. Watt and rookie Jadeveon Clowney. But he acknowledged that it will be a good experience for the team, especially because the Texans' 3-4 defense has some similarity to the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs' 3-4 scheme.
"It will be good exposure for us because it's a different defense than what we do," Gase said. "We'll see some looks that we probably wouldn't see in a game. They'll probably be doing some things they want to experiment with in practice just to see how it does against another team so for us it will be good experience for us and going against those players, that pass rush especially, that will get us ready to go for the season."
The key, Defensive Coordinator Jack Del Rio added, will be the mindset with which both teams enter the practices.
Del Rio noted that when he was the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, his team held joint practices with the Atlanta Falcons.
"You see the same things from your offense and they're seeing the same things from us, so it's a good changeup," he said. "It can be very beneficial, as long as both teams come to work with the idea you're going to practice and not spend the day being chippy."
