Of the many things Denver Broncos head coach Vance Joseph addressed with his team last week as they headed out on their five-week break before training camp was to continue to train and stay active. He also reminded them to keep out of legal trouble. Lastly, Coach Joseph addressed another hidden danger of having a month before the the team reports back to Dove Valley: Players forgetting some or most of what the team covered during OTAs.

“As they head out, the football message was the things that were learned as far as the scheme on both sides of the ball, let’s not lose that. Let’s come back and start from this point, not go backwards,” Joseph said.

This is especially important for the Broncos, who are learning new systems in all three phases of the game on offense, defense and special teams.

As the team’s final practice of minicamp ended, Coach Joseph sent his team off with a message about his expectations and words of wisdom for the upcoming time off:

“Football-wise, as you’re leaving here, come back the same as the football IQ. Off-the-field, just be smart. Let’s make good decisions socially and come back here with no issue. Use Uber or Lyft, their choice (laughing). Don’t drink and drive. That’s the message.”

Players often use this time to continue to train and ready their bodies for the upcoming season, but there is also an element of anxiety with the break that lasts more than a more than a month before football resumes.

This is the time when players can find themselves in legal trouble if they don’t stay focused. It’s a fear all NFL teams have: Having a player injured or suspended before the season even begins.

Just a big a fear for the Broncos this year is that the installs they did during OTAs and minicamp won’t be as fresh in their minds.

The coaching staff was testing players during the offseason workout program, to determine their knowledge of the new systems.

“We’re testing them every week. We test them on paper every week by position. It’s a process. It’s a long process. Nobody is ready to play right now. Including us,” Joseph said.

A key to the Broncos’ success in 2017 will be how well the team shows up prepared for training camp. The quicker and more efficiently the team can grasp the new systems under the new coaching staff, the better results it will yield during the 2017 season.

This five-week break is a chance to rest and relax before the grind of the NFL season begins. It’s a chance to get healthy and fit before the rigors of training camp. And this year, just as importantly, it’s time to hit the books and come prepared for the tests that await them – on the field and off.

Featured Image Credit: Kyle Berry