Broncos OTA report: As D generates pressure, Russell Wilson goes deep

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The signature moment of the Broncos’ organized team activity Monday — at least for the No. 1 offense — was not planned beforehand.

It came late in the practice, as clouds built over the UCHealth Training Center practice fields. Russell Wilson hit his second deep pass of the day — this one a letter-perfect strike to Tim Patrick on a post route.

Wilson hitting the deep ball is nothing unexpected. That’s his game. Applying the vertical stretch to a defense is why the Broncos traded for him. But it was the setup of the play that is notable.

First of all, it was a reaction to the pressure the defense brought. Bradley Chubb, in particular, was a constant presence in the backfield. He worked past left tackle Calvin Anderson for multiple pressures, some of which would have been sacks in a game — even with the mobile Wilson playing.

Pressure led to an adjustment.

“It was funny. We changed the script a little bit,” explained Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett. “We decided to call something different. [We] wanted to throw the ball a little bit, because (defensive coordinator) Ejiro (Evero) was starting to pressure us some, so, we mixed it up a little bit, and it was great.”

Hackett tweaked the script. Then, Wilson made a check at the line of scrimmage before the snap.

“So, it wasn’t just the play that it was, but it was also the check that Russell got to,” Hackett said. “He was very sneaky, too, so, I didn’t know it was coming, and I was a little nervous, thought it was going to progress, and then I look up, and the ball’s going and Tim ran a beautiful route, so that’s awesome.”

Another Wilson completion showed the 11-year-veteran QB’s savvy. As Patrick ran a crossing route, Wilson looked to his left, then turned his head inside where Patrick had separation. Wilson hit Patrick in stride. The quarterback’s look to the outside drew coverage away from the middle, which generated more space for Patrick to operate.

It’s all part of a passing package that seems to get better every day.

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MIXED EMOTIONS?

After the deep-post completion, Hackett, Patrick and the offense exulted.

But for every big play from the offense, there’s also the angle of the defense getting beat.

On that deep pass, Patrick worked past third-year cornerback Michael Ojemudia. Ojemudia has had his positive moments during a busy three weeks of OTAs in which he has worked extensively with and against the No. 1 offense. Conversely, this was a teachable one.

So, with the offense — and the head coach — celebrating, a simple question emerges: How does Hackett, an offensive coach, balance being happy for one side with something going wrong on defense?

In his mind, there is no issue — and no mixed emotions.

“Not at all. One-hundred percent, I was just fired up for Tim Patrick in that moment,” Hackett said. “And it goes both ways. When all of a sudden, the defensive guys make a good play, I’m very excited for them.”

“Just because I’m calling the offensive plays, I’m allowed to be very excited for when the offense has a big, long, 80-yard touchdown or whatever that was.

“But at the same time, it’s about praising the defense when they get those interceptions or they break up a play, or they make something good down the field. But at that moment, it was definitely about the connection between those two (Wilson and Patrick).”

It was an organic moment that provided a glimpse of just how the Broncos upgraded with Wilson. He’s the best of both worlds: the mind and eyes to make a pre-snap check and the arm to bring the deep ball back to Denver’s attack.

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ADAPTING ON THE FLY

With some teams and coaches, there is close planning between the offense and defense as to what each side will do on each snap. For example, a coach may want to see a specific pressure look against a play-action pass. The coaches will script accordingly, and the work gets done.

That isn’t the case for the Broncos — at least not right now.

“Not as much as you’d think,” Hackett explained. “Right now, we’re not trying to scheme each other. We’re not trying to attack his defense; he’s not trying to attack our offense. We’re trying to teach systems.

“So, we want to go out there, we want to teach the intricacies of every
single thing — from the run game to the pass game, from the pressure package to the coverage contours and everything.”

There will come a time for such specific work — most likely at some points in training camp.

“Right now, it’s just about going out there and letting the guys rep things,” Hackett said. “We understand they’re not going to be the perfect plays. They’re not going to be things that we’re looking for, or [Evero] might not have the perfect pressure that would stop something that we [the offense] would do, but it’s about them hearing the call and being able to execute the call.

“As we move forward, we’ll probably be able to talk about it more — if there are certain themes we want within the periods, whether it’s some pressure or a lot of pressure or third down, however we want to do it — but right now, not too much.”

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PLAY OF THE DAY:

Beyond Wilson’s strike to Patrick was a deep completion from the QB to Albert Okwuegbunam. The third-year tight end worked past coverage, found a gap deep and hauled in the deep toss, turning back to make the play. Okwuegbunam later caught a pass in the flat from Wilson during the next-to-last round of first-team reps.

It's beautiful. 🤩@DangeRussWilson x @AOkwuegbunam pic.twitter.com/DKLZpH7UYf

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) June 7, 2022

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NOTES:

• Bradley Chubb had another strong session Monday, consistently generating pressure on Wilson, including one that would have likely been a sack in game conditions — even with a passer as mobile as Wilson. Chubb also had a pressure that forced an incompletion during the first team period of practice.
• Pressure off the edge was one of the storylines of the day, as the No. 1 offense worked without left tackle Garett Bolles and right tackle Billy Turner. Chubb, Nik Bonitto and Baron Browning were among those who generated multiple pressures on Wilson and backup QB Josh Johnson.
• Netane Muti continued to see time at guard, and on one play, he pulled and provided a key block to spring Javonte Williams for a significant gain on a sweep to the left.
• Full-field and third-down work work were the focal points of the session. Thirteen days earlier, it was a red-zone day. “We’ll try to get all the situations done in that time from two-minute to red zone to third down,” Hackett said.
• Hackett reiterated that the entire offensive, defensive and special-teams schemes have been installed. “All these practices that are going on are about reviewing, understanding, and detailing things up because you throw everything at them, give them the whole book and do as much as you possibly can,” he said.
• Offensive lineman Graham Glasgow saw his first team-period work of 2022 on Monday. However, he noted that he’s still waiting for “real reps” with Wilson. Glasgow said. The veteran interior offensive lineman is now seven months removed from suffering a fractured ankle and torn ligaments at Dallas last season. He said that he is at “about 85 (percent) or so.”
• Near the end of practice, undrafted rookie wide receiver Brandon Johnson made a leaping grab across the middle, just beating seventh-round rookie Faion Hicks. “He’s been doing really well,” Hackett said of Johnson. “He’s been working hard and picking up all of the systems.”

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PARTICIPATION/INJURY REPORT

“Precaution” is the watchword during OTAs, as the Broncos continue to bring along players recovering from injury at a prudent, deliberate pace. Monday, that meant plenty of work for cornerbacks Michael Ojemudia and Bless Austin against the first-team wide receivers, with Ronald Darby not on the field and Pat Surtain out of pads.

Third-round pick Greg Dulcich was also out of pads. “We want to be as careful as we possibly can and make sure that everybody is good, so I think that it’s just [that] everything is primarily precautionary right now,” Hackett said of Surtain and Dulcich. “We’re making sure we’re getting better.”

Jerry Jeudy left practice with an apparent “tweak” of the groin. “We’re just going to make sure he’s good for minicamp,” Hackett said. He added that Jeudy would undergo more tests after the practice.

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WEATHER REPORT:

Partly-cloudy conditions gave way to a short, light rain shower as practice concluded. The temperature rose from 73°F to 77°F during the practice, with light and variable winds.

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WHAT’S NEXT:

The Broncos will hold three more OTAs this week, on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. These will not be open to the media. Selected players will answer questions from Denver-area reporters at Broncos headquarters Tuesday and Thursday. Their offseason work concludes with a three-day mandatory minicamp June 13-15.

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