5 takeaways from Day 2 of Broncos training camp

USA Today

27-07-2025

Following light acclimation days last Wednesday and Thursday, the Denver Broncos officially kicked off training camp with practices on Friday and Saturday -- without pads.
The first four sessions were meaningful, but things will heat up when the pads come on Monday.
'Well, they all mean something," Broncos coach Sean Payton said after Saturday's practice. "I think a lot is you're just slowly building up a resume of what you're doing technique-wise. When you get into full pads, guys will play differently or step up a little differently and you get maybe a cleaner evaluation. It's probably more relative to the interior lines, but it all goes into the process.'
It's hard for running backs to stand out without pads. It can be difficult for defensive linemen and offensive linemen to engage safely without pads. And heavy hitters like linebacker Dre Greenlaw hold back. That changes Monday.
"He's impressive when you put the tape on," Payton said of Greenlaw. "Monday will come with the pads and there are certain players that really express themselves in the full gear, and he'll be one of them.'
With that, here are five quick takeaways from Saturday's session ahead of the big day Monday.
Broncos training camp takeaways Day 2
1. Broncos injury report: Right tackle Mike McGlinchey (undisclosed) observed practice Saturday while wearing a sleeve on his right leg. Wide receiver A.T. Perry (ankle) remains on the physically unable to perform list. Linebacker Drew Sanders (undisclosed) was carted off the field. Payton said Sanders is undergoing an MRI. Veteran receiver Courtland Sutton "did individual drills but did not take a rep in 11-on-11," according to the Denver Post's Parker Gabriel.
2. Adam Gase has been around, but not in an official role: Gase, who worked his way up from wide receivers coach to quarterbacks coach to offensive coordinator during his time in Denver (2009-2014), has been around the team and talking with their quarterbacks and QBs coach Davis Webb. Payton explained after Saturday's practice that Gase is the son-in-law of senior defensive assistant Joe Vitt, but has not joined the Broncos' staff. "It's good to see him out here," Payton said of Gase. "I know he worked here for quite some time. He's not helping in any official capacity or anything like that, but he's welcome to come out and he's always been a good resource, someone that has seen a lot of football.'
3. Bo Nix discusses visit with Drew Brees: Last week, Payton revealed that Nix traveled to San Diego to spend time with Brees during the offseason. That was, of course, one of the first topics when Nix spoke to media members after Day 2 of camp. 'It was fun," Nix said. "Any time you can spend some time with a guy like that, with that experience and just that mind and the knowledge of the game. Just his routine and what he was able to do. More than anything, it was just sitting down and talking to him. A lot of guys are like that. Peyton [Manning] and Eli [Manning] are the same way. Anytime you can pick those guys' brains, and just kind of stand in their shoes and see what they went through and if you can pick up on any one thing that's a win in the conversation.' Brees won a Super Bowl with Payton and the New Orleans Saints. Peyton won titles with the Indianapolis Colts and Broncos, and Eli won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants. Going into his second year in the NFL, Nix has been soaking up all the advice he can get from the QBs he grew up watching.
4. No official stadium update: Earlier this month, Denver Mayor Mike Johnston hinted that Broncos stadium news could be coming soon. Team president Damani Leech pushed back on that notion Saturday. '[We're] certainly aware of all the media coverage here recently," Leech said. "We share in the excitement and interest that it's generated among the fans. We appreciate it. It's good for us to learn what some of the fans say and hear in response to some of those media reports. But, no, I wouldn't say any decision is made. It's a very comprehensive, long-term process that we're going through. We're trying to be very deliberate about it. [There's] still no determination about whether it's a new stadium or whether it's a renovation or the location that it's in, a lot of work to go there.' There has been widespread speculation that the team will end up building a new stadium (perhaps at Burnham Yard), but the team insists no big decisions have been made yet, and all options remain on the table.
5. New uniform combinations coming in 2025: Leech is not ready to announce any stadium news, but he did break news about uniforms earlier this year. Teams now have four opportunities to wear alternate/throwback uniforms (up from the limit of three last year), and there is more flexibility for the combinations a team can use (such as Denver's alternate white helmet being worn with a non-alternate jersey). 'I think I inadvertently broke some news with you guys at the league meeting in March around uniform flexibility, which we're certainly excited about," Leech said Saturday. "We'll be releasing our uniform schedule here shortly, and what you guys will see, what the fans will see, is greater combinations. Certainly, the use of our throwbacks, we'll have the opportunity to wear that one more time if we want to, and then mixing and matching, particularly the helmets and the jerseys. That flexibility I'm excited to see.'
Leech said the uniform schedule will be released "shortly," so that's something for fans to monitor.
Meanwhile, players will be back on the field Monday as camp continues with six consecutive practices on deck before another day off next Sunday (view the full training camp schedule).
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