The Denver Broncos are never short on storylines, especially during training camp. From who will win the starting quarterback job to who will grab the final receiver spot on the roster, there is plenty to talk about with the Broncos right now.
However, with so many media outlets trying to find the next big story and fans only hearing bits and pieces of camp, sometimes the truth gets skewed. Now is a good time to set the record straight, since camp is already halfway over, and address a few topics that haven’t been entirely true.
While there is still an entire preseason for these things to change, as of right now there is no evidence that lends them to be true. Here are the three main myths of Broncos training camp so far.
Paxton Lynch is in line to start Week 1
Paxton Lynch starting under center would be a great storyline for the Broncos to open the NFL season with on September 8 in the Super Bowl rematch against the Carolina Panthers. Unfortunately, Lynch has been such an afterthought in the quarterback competition during camp that this scenario is very difficult to imagine, at least as of now.
Through nine days of camp, Lynch has yet to take one snap with the first team offense and has only taken one set of snaps with the second team offense. The rest of camp Lynch has been working with the third team.
During training camp practices, there is a period where the first and second team players stay on one field and the third team goes to another field to practice. Lynch has never stayed on the field with the ones and twos.
It is very hard to believe that oddsmakers have given Lynch the best shot at being named the starting quarterback for Week 1. If head coach Gary Kubiak were serious about Lynch being a starter, he would be sharing equal first team reps with Trevor Siemian and Mark Sanchez.
Although there is certainly competition for the starting quarterback position, Lynch is not in the race. This does not mean that Lynch doesn’t have a chance to be a very good quarterback in the future; it just means that he’s a rookie and needs time to develop.
Kalif Raymond will be the starting slot receiver
Although the streak ended last year, the Broncos have been known for keeping at least one undrafted rookie free agent on the 53-man roster for over a decade. This year, wide receiver Kalif Raymond has stood out as a frontrunner for this designation.
The 5-foot-9, 160-pound speedster has showed not only that he can be a threat in the return game, but that he can also be a playmaker as a wide receiver.
While there is no doubt that his ability to get open has flashed at times during camp, it’s way to early to be putting him in the conversation as the Broncos starting slot receiver. The truth about Raymond is that he is still very much fighting for a spot on the roster, yet alone a starting position.
Although Raymond does possess ideal traits for a slot receiver — shifty, quick and elusive — he hasn’t done nearly enough so far to even be taken seriously. Every time the Broncos have used a slot receiver in training camp, Jordan Norwood has been the guy.
Norwood, similar to Raymond, is a smaller wide receiver that can work the middle of the field well. Norwood also has six more years of NFL experience and the confidence of the coaching staff.
Raymond has shown flashes in camp, but he needs to worry about making the team before he can look to take over the starting slot role. While he is an exciting player, he still has a huge way to go until he can even be considered the slot receiver for the Broncos, especially within a very talented wide receiving group.
The defense will be similar to last season’s defense
Along with the obvious personnel differences of not having Malik Jackson or Danny Trevathan, the Broncos defense will look significantly different from last year, and not in a bad way.
While the offseason took Jackson and Trevathan away from the Broncos, it also brought a few new players to Denver, including rookie S Justin Simmons. Although just a rookie, Simmons could very well be the most impactful new acquisition on this defense, even though he’s playing in a backup role.
It looks as if Simmons is the exact player defensive coordinator Wade Phillips has been looking for to allow him to use his entire playbook. On Monday Phillips called Simmons “smart and instinctive” and said that he’s around the ball a lot. When Simmons is on the field, Phillips moves T.J. Ward up in the box to create a formation that was rarely used that year.
Not only will the Broncos have new formations this year, but players that didn’t see the field much last year will have a much bigger role this season.
It is very well known that the Broncos may be without DeMarcus Ware — back injury — and Aqib Talib — possible suspension from the NFL — for some of the season, but what isn’t well know is the other differences that may occur within the depth chart.
Last year Shane Ray was the fourth OLB on the depth chart; however, after significant improvements in the offseason, it looks as if he will now start alongside Von Miller. This comes as a little bit of a surprise after the great season from fellow OLB Shaquil Barrett. If Ware is healthy, still expect a four-man rotation between Miller, Ray, Ware and Barrett.
Additionally, if Talib misses any time during the season, expect to see a lot of Kayvon Webster.
These are just a few changes to watch out for on the defensive side of the ball this year. At the end of the day, the defense’s ranking may be the same, but the way they get there will be different than last season.
