ENGLEWOOD – If there were a game here Wednesday at UCHealth Training Center, Paxton Lynch would have led the Broncos to victory and he would have been the star.
Wait a minute. Hold on. There wasn’t a game played here Wednesday. It was a training camp practice that was held at Broncos’ headquarters. Let’s rephrase.
On a pleasant, partly sunny morning on the first day of August, Lynch was the star of the Broncos’ camp practice No. 5 as he made a series of special throws and plays.
“He did,’’ said Broncos’ offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave. “We’ve just got to keep building. All of us, not just Paxton. We all have to keep building, isolating and identifying what we do well and then hang our hats on those. Paxton has some tremendous qualities.”
Lynch is still only the No. 2 quarterback to starter Case Keenum, who has been by far the most consistent QB. But if the locals are going to bash Lynch for his rough practices while he continues to develop as he begins his third NFL season, it’s only fair to give him props when he plays well.
Lynch - who at 24 is younger than first-year players Jordan Moore and Tim Patrick, and rookie Trey Marshall, and was born in the same year as rookies Josey Jewell, David Williams, Bo Bower, John Diarse and Phillip Lindsay - was especially good throwing off a rollout Wednesday.
In the first team period, he rolled left for a third-down pickup completion on one play, then rolled right and completed another pass. He moved well and threw well.
Musgrave pointed out something about Lynch that suggests the first-round pick’s progress hasn’t been as slow as people think.
“What’d they have, eight plays at Memphis?” Musgrave said of the Tigers’ spread, fast-paced, run-pass option system.
In Musgrave, the Broncos may have the right coach to bring Lynch along. Musgrave is in his 20th season as an NFL quarterbacks coach or offensive coordinator. He has helped develop the young quarterback likes of Michael Vick, Matt Schaub, Matt Ryan, Nick Foles and Derek Carr, as well as veterans like Steve Beuerlein.
Musgrave was the Broncos’ quarterbacks coach and interim offensive coordinator last season, but this is first full season as coordinator.
“Billy does a good job of making their jobs easy,’’ said Broncos head coach Vance Joseph. “That’s coordinating, right? It’s our job as coaches to make their jobs easy, not make it hard. He’s done a good job with our offense completing (high-percentage) passes. If we can drop back on first-and 10 and hit a 4-yard pass, that’s huge for us.
“He gets it with young quarterbacks, as far as the time it takes to develop young quarterbacks and the progression it takes.’’
Photos: Broncos Day 5 camp
De’Angelo praised
It’s not easy figuring out the running back depth chart. There are periods when Devontae Booker lines up behind Keenum, and others when he’s taking the hand-off from third-stringer Chad Kelly.
Royce Freeman, De’Angelo Henderson, Williams and Lindsay all play with each of the three quarterbacks.
“The guy who looked really good, I think initially, is De’Angelo,’’ Musgrave said. “His nickname is ‘Hop.’ He’s come back a little bit lighter than in the spring. He’s gone five or six weeks and I feel like he’s really done a nice job.’’
Yiadom moves up
With veteran Tramaine Brock down with a hamstring injury, the Broncos have moved up third-round rookie Isaac Yiadom to No. 3 cornerback. Ready or not.
And No. 3 corners play with the first team in nickel and dime packages. Yiadom has earned it. He has consistently been the first player out on the field prior to the start of practice so he can get in extra positional work.
“He is a guy you love to coach because he does exactly what you tell him to do,’’ said defensive coordinator Joe Woods. “He plays with clean eyes. He has a proper technique at everything he does. Just from our time with him in the Senior Bowl we know … he has that little nasty demeanor. He’s kind of a silent killer. I really look forward to him playing in the preseason.”
Snapping Sam, Snapping Schlottman
The Broncos moved Austin Schlottman, an undrafted rookie who was Courtland Sutton’s high school teammate, to second-string center Wednesday. Sam Jones, the Highlands Ranch-product who is a left guard by trade, was moved to third-string center.
Jones and Chad Kelly had some early troubles with the snap exchange but they seemed to work it out.
“You never have enough guys on campus who can snap the ball,’’ Musgrave said. “Austin played a lot of football at TCU. Sam’s played a little bit (of center at (Arizona State) but I love the way Sam plays football. We’re looking to cross-train him both at guard and center.’’
Cravens joins wounded
Strong safety Su’a Cravens missed practice Wednesday with knee soreness. So did starting tight end Jeff Heuerman, who has been out the past three practices. Josey Jewell (hamstring), Kenny Bell (hamstring) and Corey Brown (concussion) were also out.
The staff gave 13-season nose tackle Domata Peko a veteran day off from team drills. Tight end Jake Butt didn’t participate as a precaution to his two previous ACL surgeries.
Camp observations
*Lowlight of the day: Isaiah McKenzie dropped a perfect – I mean perfect – deep post pass from Chad Kelly. If he catches it, it’s a 50-yard touchdown.
McKenzie stayed after practice for extra catch and punt catch practice.
*Shane Ray has been the No. 1 right outside linebacker. Bradley Chubb is with the second team. Joe Jones subbed for Brandon Marshall, who has been held out of team drills because of a left wrist injury, at inside linebacker in the No. 1 base defense.
*With Heuerman and Butt both out, Austin Traylor, Matt LaCosse and Brian Parker all got their share of first-team tight end reps. Fifth-round rookie Troy Fumagalli got plenty of snaps with the second- and third-team offenses.
*The Broncos are off Thursday and return to training camp for a 9:30 Friday morning practice.
