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Broncos-Bears' next-day observations: Welcome back, Jeff Heuerman

He's been injured almost as much as he's been healthy through his first three seasons (26 of a possible 51 games played). He missed two weeks of his fourth training camp with a sore knee.
Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 18, 2018; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos tight end Jeff Heuerman (82) pulls in a sixteen yard touchdown reception in front of Chicago Bears defensive back Kevin Toliver (33) in the second quarter at Broncos Stadium at Mile High.

DENVER — If there can only be one game ball awarded to a Broncos player from their preseason game Saturday night against the Chicago Bears, give it to tight end Jeff Heuerman.

He’s been injured almost as much as he’s been healthy through his first three seasons (26 of a possible 51 games played). He missed two weeks of his fourth training camp with a sore knee.

Back this week, Heuerman didn’t just catch two passes for 21 yards with another 2-point conversion reception. He took out three-plus years of aggression on hopeless Bears tacklers.

On his first catch, he trucked safety Eddie Jackson on his way to a 13-yard gain. His second catch, for 8 yards, he threw another safety, DeAndre Houston-Carson, out of the way.

Derek Wolfe made a great point. I was talking to the Broncos’ defensive end after the game about the penalty rookie cornerback Isaac Yiadom got for going low and headfirst (even if first contact was made with his shoulder pad) to make what has always been a routine tackle tactic for defensive backs against a tight end, in this case Adam Shaheen.

“It’s going to be tough for defensive backs to bring down tight ends with these new rules,’’ Wolfe said. “Look at what Heuerman did to that poor guy. He just threw him out of the way. A guy like (Rob) Gronkowski, it’s going to be tough for defensive backs to bring him down now. It was tough before these rule changes.’’

Heuerman also made a quick move in the end zone to get open and catch Case Keenum’s two-point conversion that lifted the Broncos’ lead to 20-7.

I’m not sure how Heuerman did in run blocking, but if he can stay healthy and combine with Jake Butt, the Broncos might have a tight end duo comparable to their Joel Dreessen-Jacob Tamme tandem (93 catches, 911 yards, 7 TDs) in 2012.

A few more next-day observations from the Broncos-Bears preseason game:

*No reason for concern yet, but Keenum missing high with multiple throws through the first two preseason games is worth watching. Maybe it’s jitters of being the hired gun with a new team. Maybe it’s his release.

Keenum did settle in nicely with his final two drives against the Bears. Perhaps, he’ll get it straight during his final preseason test Friday at Washington.

*In my opinion, John Elway should repeat his 2016 quarterback strategy, when he had rookie Paxton Lynch as his backup behind Trevor Siemian and lined up veteran Austin Davis as his No. 3.

In the next two weeks, Elway can – and probably should -- bring in a reserve quarterback with NFL playing experience. But Chad Kelly should remain Keenum’s backup for the regular-season opener Sept. 9 against Seattle.

I’d rather have Kelly, who will make the occasional young QB mistake, but will also employ his fearless approach to make plays a veteran won’t attempt. You want a cautious veteran who won’t make mistakes but won’t make plays off-script as your backup? Or do you want a little gumption in your quarterback coming off the bench?

Kelly is more ready to be the Broncos’ backup quarterback in 2018 than Lynch was in 2016. I know there’s some risk in going with the inexperienced Kelly at No. 2, but your team was 5-11 last year and this year’s starting quarterback is 30 years old.

With Lynch not coming along as hoped, the Broncos need to develop a young quarterback. And Kelly won’t develop as the No. 3.

*The Broncos have three quality cornerbacks in Chris Harris Jr., Bradley Roby and Tramaine Brock.

But the drop-off from there is a concern. Isaac Yiadom is a talented rookie who is getting tremendous preseason experience. But he’s got to get better quickly if he is to make a significant secondary contribution on Sunday.

*After the first-team offense called it a day, the Broncos had Garett Bolles stay in for one more series at left tackle with the second-team offense. Connor McGovern shifted from first-team right guard to second-team center for a series, as he did in the first preseason game.

The offensive line does seem considerably improved this year, but Bolles is the key. It all starts with the guy protecting the blind side.

*Justin Simmons is a good player.

*DeMarcus Walker, a second-round pick last year who had a disappointing rookie season, is coming on nicely as an inside pass rusher.

*Alexander Johnson doesn't play in three years, 9 months and 3 days. He has four days of practice, then plays in an NFL preseason game and blows up a kick returner, plus gets in for 10 defensive snaps as an inside linebacker. I take this as a sign the Broncos want him to be on their season-opening roster and they want ready to play soon after the season begins.

*The defensive play of the game was the Bears-former-Bronco Kasim Edebali’s sack on Lynch with 9:19 left in the fourth quarter.

The Broncos’ snapped the ball from the Bears’ 29. Throw an incompletion and Brandon McManus comes on for a 47-yard field goal attempt.

If he makes it, the Broncos are up 26-10 and likely win the game. But Edebali, who had zero sacks in 9 games with the Broncos last year, beat right tackle Billy Turner and sacked Lynch for a 9-yard loss that changed a field goal attempt into a punt.

*Until the Bears took a delay-of-game penalty with 12 seconds remaining, each had team had 14 penalties for 144 yards. Or a combined 28 penalties for 288 yards. A rather excessive numerical pattern, don’t you think?

*Phillip Lindsay is not only firmly established as the No. 3 running back, he did a nice job returning two punts. Isaiah McKenzie better have lost his last fumble.

*My wife is a casual Broncos fan. I am paid to be a Broncos observer. When I got home, she asked who won.

"I'd say the Broncos won even though the final score was Bears 24, Broncos 23.''

She said, wait a minute. What do you mean? I explained the Broncos were up 23-10 midway through the fourth quarter but the Bears kept in their 10-year veteran quarterback to play against Denver's third-string defense.

Chase Daniel throwing two touchdowns in the final 5 minutes against a bunch of third-stringers was meaningless.

My wife said, so what. It counts. You can't separate like that. The Broncos didn't win.

Fine, fine. It's like I always say: It's not whether you win or lose in the preseason, it's that I got to go to bed.

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