What Can We Learn from the Broncos' Joint Practices with the 49ers This Week?

The Denver Broncos have a beautiful new facility christened the UC Health Training Center. The massive construction project took over a year to complete, and it closed training camp to the fans in 2014. Not only did they build onto the existing building, the Broncos also added an amazing indoor practice facility—complete with two sets of locker rooms.

The new facility makes a perfect spot for the Broncos to host other teams for joint practices. That’s what is going to happen for the first time at the new facility this week as the San Francisco 49ers come to town.

The two teams will face off in the third preseason game this Saturday. Before that, they’ll be practicing against each other on Wednesday and Thursday.

Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak has been through this process before.

“I've been a part of a lot of those through the years. I've been a part of some great ones and been a part of some that are not so good. [San Francisco head] coach [Jim Tomsula] and I have talked, and it is different doing joint practices in Week 3 because that's normally kind of when you're going through your routine.” Kubiak continued, “So I think that we'll only have one day in pads and then in shorts one day, and then we're going to go play. I think that it'll be a little bit different than working much earlier in camp.”

So what can we learn from the joint practices with the 49ers this week? Let’s take a look.

How Does the O-Line Hold Up?

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A big question mark for the Broncos this offseason is the play of the offensive line. They have a lot of youth up front with rookie left tackle Ty Sambrailo, rookie left guard Max Garcia and second-year pro Matt Paradis at center.

Sambrailo has been regularly schooled by future Hall of Fame linebacker DeMarcus Ware. The seasoned veteran has seen improvement from the rookie left tackle during camp.

“From OTAs all the way to minicamp, you can see how much he's matured. He's that athletic tackle that you need, but you have to get that technical work, that small crafty things that you do with your hands and little things that you know when the lines going to slide your way so you can overset me, knowing that you're going to have help inside.” Ware emphasized, “He's seeing all of those things. From the first time when he came out here until now, he's a totally different guy.”

Sambrailo has the athleticism to handle edge-rushers, but he needs to show that he can anticipate (and stop) secondary moves to the inside.

Garcia has the power to work well in a “phone booth” up front, but he needs to show the ability to get to linebackers at the second level quickly. Combo blocks are a big part of what the zone-blocking system entails, and Garcia must show the athleticism to get out and block a moving target effectively.

Paradis quickly took over as the starter at center after Gino Gradkowski failed to impress in a few days of camp. He’s strong and agile, but he needs to recognize stunts and delayed blitzers with better efficiency.

The 49ers may not have the ferocious defense they once did, but this well-coached opponent should be a strong test for the young players up front on the offensive line.

Will Emmanuel Sanders Practice This Week?

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It’s been awhile since we’ve seen Emmanuel Sanders on the practice field. The last time he participated in practice was August 8th, and Sanders has been slowed down by a hamstring injury ever since then.

He’s missed the first two preseason games, but there’s a chance he could be ready for what is the dress rehearsal for the regular season—Week 3 of the preseason.

After missing the first preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks, Kubiak gave us an update on Sanders’ condition.

“The biggest thing with [WR] Emmanuel [Sanders]—he worked out before the game in Seattle. He worked out well, but there continues to be some soreness after a workout, so we're going to take a little bit of a different plan with him this week.” Kubiak concluded, “We're going to give him a couple more days before we go back to work. So I'll let you guys know from day-to-day.”

That “couple more days” turned into more than that as Sanders rested all of last week. His status for this week of practice is unknown at this time. The Broncos have been cautious with their star receiver as he returns from this injury.

Hamstring injuries can linger if not given proper time to heal. Sanders is a speedy wide receiver who can be slowed down by this nagging injury.

That caution may continue this week if Sanders isn’t quite ready. The team would like him available for Week 1 of the regular season, and they’ll try to prevent any sort of aggravation.

How Does the Defense Handle an Athletic Quarterback?

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The Broncos are set to have an incredibly fierce pass rush this year. Under new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, we could see the Broncos lead the NFL in sacks this season.

The defense will get a test as 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick comes to town. While Kaepernick struggles as a passer, he’s one of the fastest and most dangerous scrambling quarterbacks in the league. If he’s given just a bit of daylight, Kaepernick can easily make a defense pay with his feet.

The pass-rushers on the Broncos defense are among the best in the game. Von Miller could have 20 sacks in this defense, and DeMarcus Ware should be able to post double-digit sacks as well. Add in reserve players like rookie Shane Ray and second-year pro Shaquil Barrett, and it’s easy to see how the Broncos linebackers could have big days on Sunday.

This team must show discipline up front when playing a quarterback like Kaepernick. He’s not a stationary target in the pocket, and the pass-rushers must be mindful not to get too far upfield when rushing the quarterback.

One thing to help the Broncos edge-rushers are the players up front. Nose tackle Sylvester Williams looks better than ever this preseason. Williams attributes his improved play to the new scheme.

“I don't want to say free me up. I think more so you are just focused more," Williams said. "It's a one-gap scheme versus playing two-gapping. It's more of a one-gap scheme, so you can kind of penetrate a little bit more and play your gap better.”

In addition to having quality players on the defensive line like Williams or defensive end Malik Jackson, the Broncos also have two fantastic inside linebackers in Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan.

Williams appreciates the dynamic duo who play behind him.

“The biggest thing is that those guys are big-time players. I see how Brandon played last game," Williams explained. "The biggest thing is that I think we're going to be all right up front. I really do. I think we're just going to continue to get better every day and make adjustments when needed.”

The secondary may not be tested that much by Kaepernick, as he’s not an accurate or bold passer. However, the front seven is going to have their hands full containing one of the league’s most athletic quarterbacks.

Does Peyton Manning Hand the Ball off More?

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It was a bit surprising to see Peyton Manning come out in his preseason debut against the Houston Texans lined up in the shotgun formation. Kubiak was likely easing Manning into action as he made his preseason debut. In Week 3 of the preseason against the 49ers, we may see Manning play into the third quarter.

This is the game where we should see the team look more like they’re going to in the regular season. That should include a lot of starting running back C.J. Anderson.

The Broncos can use Anderson as the hammer to soften up the 49ers defense. Anderson has more agility than some think, and he should be able to carve up a softer 49ers team than we’re used to. In addition to playing the role of battering ram, Anderson can also be used effectively on screen passes and draw plays to slow down the 49ers pass-rushers.

In addition to Anderson, the Broncos' first-team offense could turn to Ronnie Hillman in certain scenarios as a change-of-pace back. In two preseason games, Hillman has 120 yards rushing on only 16 carries. His speed and explosive playmaking ability have been on full display this preseason, and that should continue this week against the 49ers.

Hillman likes the idea of joint practices.

“I think that you get a lot of good work out of it as long as you have responsible people on both sides."Hillman continued, "A lot of those fights could've been avoided. You really don't want to fight because you're tired the rest of the practice. I just think that if both sides are smart, you get a lot of good work out of it.”

The Broncos want to protect Manning, and that’s where the rushing attack comes in. With the success they’ve had on the ground in practice, we could see them attack the 49ers with guys like Anderson and Hillman.

What Kind of Grit Does This Team Have?

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Things can get heated during joint practices in the NFL. We’ve seen other teams get into big fights already this year in training camp. The Broncos and 49ers will work to prevent that from happening, but things get emotional on the practice field.

The 49ers may not be the same team they used to be, but they still have plenty of toughness forged from playing in arguably the league’s best division—the NFC West.

If the Broncos want to win the Super Bowl, then they have to show improved toughness. This team has been somewhat of a finesse team on both offense and defense over the last three years with Manning at quarterback.

This year, Kubiak wants to be aggressive on both sides of the ball.

The Broncos will have toughness on offense with Anderson being the centerpiece of a rushing attack that could lead the league in yards. The use of fullback James Casey gives the team more intensity on the football field. This team will run early and often, and by doing so they should wear down opponents as games (and the season) roll on.

Defensively, this team will have the swagger of a Seattle Seahawks—and they’ll have the talent and the scheme to prove themselves as the league’s best. The Broncos will be aggressive on defense with a blitzing scheme that makes opponents uncomfortable.

This team doesn’t need to fight in practice to prove their grit. However, they need to show plenty of fight on the football field. With the changes in philosophy on both sides of the ball, that shouldn’t be a problem for the 2015 Denver Broncos.

All quotes and injury/practice observations were obtained firsthand. Record/statistical information was provided via the Broncos' media department unless otherwise noted. Advanced stats were via ESPN's employees-only database.

Contract and salary-cap information was provided by Spotrac. Transaction history was provided by Pro Sports Transactions.