He’s someone that moves well and has the athleticism needed to play corner, which is probably one of the more athletic positions in our game.” You see some of his athleticism, even in the special teams drills when we watch it on tape. “He’s also someone that learns pretty quickly. Payton on third-round pick Riley Moss, who looked comfortable in the outside cornerback spot and got the best of a one-on-one route with Mims during Saturday’s practice: “He’s (the) prototype - when you hear me say that, (it means) he’s over 6 feet,” Payton said.I wasn’t here last year, but I know (the Broncos) did it with Dallas.” There has been no announcement made, but our hope and goal is to have a chance to practice here. “Obviously the ownership groups are connected, along with (Rams general manager) Les (Sneed) and George (Paton). “Sean (McVay) and I have talked,” Payton said. Payton said “the goal” is to host a joint practice with the Rams in August before the teams’ third and final preseason game, which will take place at Empower Field at Mile High on Aug. ![]() “I just did my job,” he said, “and it ended up working out in my favor.” Extra points LSS8SINyQLĪsked to describe the interception, Sanders looked like he was making a play for the $50 gift card Payton promised to whichever player gave the most milquetoast answers when reporters entered the locker room. Rookie 3rd-round pick Drew Sanders wearing No. I’m having a blast,” Sanders said afterward. “I’m just enjoying being back to football, learning a new defense with new teammates. It’s easy to see why the Broncos want to start him off on the inside and allow him to impact more plays. He gears up quickly but breaks on balls like a defensive back. Sanders’s short-range quickness was on display throughout the two-plus-hour practice. “He’s looked like that since his senior year in high school,” said wide receiver Marvin Mims, a fellow rookie who played against Sanders in the semifinals of the Texas High School playoffs in 2019. But Sanders has looked good during his first few days in a Broncos practice uniform. This is not the time for sweeping declarations. The bulk of the players on the field Saturday likely won’t make their way onto active NFL rosters this season. “It was a good play by Drew, a good break,” Payton said of Sanders’ interception, which came during a 7-on-7 drill and happened right in front of team co-owner and CEO Greg Penner. Sanders later ranged to his right to stuff a run play near the line of scrimmage, then sprinted from behind a play to break up a short curl route. ![]() So did his sideline-to-sideline range - on display when he broke on a short out route from quarterback Ben DiNucci and intercepted the ball for what would have been a pick-six. At 6-foot-5 and 233 pounds, Sanders’ length and range from the inside linebacker spot jump out right away. ![]() None of those players stood out more than Sanders, the linebacker out of Arkansas whom the Broncos selected with the No. That included Denver’s five draft picks, 15 undrafted free agents, a handful of players already on the roster who haven’t yet accrued a year of league experience and rookie and veteran tryout players. The Broncos listed 57 players on the minicamp attendance sheet. Here are more observations from Saturday’s minicamp practice, the second of three sessions and the only one open for media viewing: Rookie linebacker Drew Sanders looks the part There has not been an additional veteran signing at the position since the draft ended, though Denver did sign two undrafted free agents, Jaleel McLaughlin and Emanuel Wilson. They signed former Bengals back Samaje Perine in free agency - a player Payton said Saturday “can be an every-down back” - but they did not use any of their five draft picks on a running back. But the Broncos’ moves at the running back position this offseason could be viewed as another reason to be optimistic Williams will be ready for the start of the season. The (late July) start of training camp is still more than two months away and there are benchmarks for Williams, who had 1,219 total yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie in 2021, to hit in his recovery. At the time, Paton said it was still too early to know whether Williams could return for the start of the season. And it would be a quicker return than general manager George Paton seemed to suggest when asked about Williams at the league meetings in Arizona in March. Being ready for the start of training camp would represent a relatively rapid recovery for Williams, whose absence was felt significantly by Denver’s league-worst offense last season. Williams, a second-round pick in 2021, suffered an ACL tear in Week 4 against the Raiders last season and sustained other damage in the knee as well.
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