Denver Broncos: OTAs Observations, Notes and Quotes from Day 1

The Denver Broncos kicked off OTAs at Dove Valley on Tuesday. They are set to defend their title after hoisting the Lombardi Trophy with a victory in Super Bowl 50. The team worked through free agency to keep the players they could afford. The team simultaneously worked to craft a draft board that could help them acquire quality talent from the pool of college players coming into the league.

Now it’s time to get back to work.

Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak doesn’t think there’s any Super Bowl hangover based on what he saw at practice on Tuesday.

“No, it was really good. Good energy. Obviously the leadership of our team has changed a little bit without 18 (QB Peyton Manning) around here. Our work habits are really good. Our offseason has been tremendous.” Kubiak smiled with satisfaction, “They worked really well.”

Here are some Day 1 observations, interesting notes and revealing quotes from the first day of camp.

Paxton Lynch Shines

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

There is no question that the star of the day was rookie quarterback Paxton Lynch. All eyes were going to be on the team’s first-round pick as he tried to prove that he’s worthy of starting for the defending Super Bowl champions at some point this year.

Lynch did not disappoint.

In a short amount of time, it’s apparent that Lynch has improved his footwork when operating under center. He’s far from a finished product in that department, but Lynch’s steps seemed crisper than they did in rookie minicamp.

Kubiak talked about Lynch’s progress so far this offseason.

“Footwork, you want it to be where you don’t think about it," Kubiak said. "He’s having to think about it right now because he hasn’t done it. But boy, he’s made a lot of ground up since we got him.”

He did a good job of distributing the football all around the field, but his standout play came on a deep pass to second-year wide receiver Jordan Taylor.

Lynch didn’t often get a chance to show off his deep arm in college at Memphis. He wasn’t taking all deep shots in practice, but he did hit Taylor—aka Sunshine—on a deep, arcing pass that went for a touchdown.

It was his first touchdown pass as a member of the Broncos, so Lynch excitedly sprinted down the field to celebrate with his teammates. That type of energy can be infectious to the players around him, and it’s clear to see that Lynch absolutely loves football.

Veteran cornerback Chris Harris Jr. is one of the best at his position in the entire league. He’s one of the leaders on defense—a unit that will be testing Lynch time and time again during practice.

Harris likes what he’s seen from the rookie so far: “I thought he looked good. I think he still has some things to process a little bit faster. I think for the first day coming out against us, I think he did a great job.”

Kapri Bibbs Looks Better

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

The Broncos have a deep and talented backfield entering the 2016 season. Starter C.J. Anderson looks to be in great shape, and he was making crisp cuts out on the football field. Rookie fourth-round pick Devontae Booker is still recovering from meniscus surgery, so he was limited in practice and should continue to be limited until the start of training camp. Those two players are locks to make the final roster, but behind them it’s wide-open.

A player who may push hard for a roster spot is Kapri Bibbs.

Simply put, Bibbs looks different this year. Physically, he looks stronger in his upper body. Bibbs is one of only three running backs in Division I history to have 30 rushing touchdowns in a single season. His proven nose for the end zone earned him a shot with the Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado State in 2014. However, his lack of pass-protection ability has kept him off the roster during his time in the pros.

Kubiak appreciates the work Bibbs has done.

“I think he’s taken this offseason very seriously," the head coach noted. "He looked like a different guy here. Well, he has been a different guy throughout the course of the offseason in my opinion, and it showed today.”

Bibbs may be a bit of a long shot to make the 53-man roster after spending two seasons on the team’s practice squad. He’s an instinctive runner with good balance and vision. Bibbs has also proved in practice over the last two offseasons that he can be a reliable receiver out of the backfield. If he proves himself in pass protection, then Bibbs could earn a spot on the depth chart behind Anderson and Booker.

Virgil Green Mystery Surgery

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

It was revealing when Kubiak said after practice that tight end Virgil Green is recovering from finger surgery. This is a surgery that nobody in the media knew about. Green had talked to the media earlier this offseason during other OTAs and surgery was never mentioned.

Kubiak revealed Green’s injury when I asked him what Green had to do to earn a larger role as a receiver in 2016.

“We’ve got to get Virgil’s hand well first," Kubiak said. "He’s going to miss probably a good portion of OTAs with his finger surgery.”

Kubiak clarified, “I think it’s just opportunity, really. Virgil is a worker and he’s got a lot of confidence in what he’s doing. He knows what we’re doing now. I think he’ll be very competitive to be on the field a great deal.”

Green is an underrated receiver on this team and had only 12 catches in 2015—but that marks his career high since coming into the league as a seventh-round pick in 2011 for the Broncos.

With Green sidelined, it opened the door for second-year pro Jeff Heuerman to do more. Heuerman missed all of his rookie season in 2015 due to a knee injury that he suffered early in rookie minicamp last year. Now, Heuerman is healthy and looks ready to take advantage of his opportunity.

The team likes Heuerman a lot, and he was able to show why in practice on Tuesday. Heuerman looked fluid running routes and didn’t seem to be favoring the knee he injured as a rookie. He’s always played like a super-sized wide receiver, and if he stays healthy, there’s a chance that Heuerman—and not Green—is the team’s leading receiver at the tight end position.

DeMarcus Ware Out

Arnie Stapleton/Associated Press

It was a bit of a surprise to see that future Hall of Fame pass-rusher DeMarcus Ware was not practicing on Tuesday. The team is already without franchise-tagged Von Miller, and things looked even more unusual without Ware participating in practice too.

Kubiak explained why the team was without Ware—and why they may rest him at various times.

“His back is bothering him a little bit, but I would tell you it’s probably more preventative than anything," Kubiak explained. "He’s going to be a day-to-day participant. We’ll probably make decisions on DeMarcus day to day on how he’s feeling.”

The Broncos have pass-rushers falling out of their pockets, and with Ware out, guys like Shane Ray and Shaquil Barrett will get a chance to do more in practice. As he is in the twilight of his career, Ware should be a part-time player for the Broncos in 2016.

The team will wisely be cautious with the problematic back which caused Ware to miss a handful of games in 2015.

All quotes and injury/practice observations obtained firsthand. Record/statistical information provided via the Broncos' media department unless otherwise noted.

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