2nd Year Wide Receiver Jerry Jeudy continues to shine in Day 3 of Broncos Training Camp. (Photo: Ben Swanson/Denver Broncos)
Day 3 of Broncos Training Camp saw both QBs play well, but neither was the clear cut winner of the day, so, to speak. Teddy Bridgewater was "Steady Teddy" again, and Drew Lock certainly showed some flashes with some "wow" plays. Neither QB had an interception, or took any really bad sacks for holding onto the ball too long.
Following practice, Head Coach Vic Fangio was asked if those "wow" plays can cancel out bad plays, "Yeah, he said. "To me they’re about equal. I don't know what the intelligent equation would be but one [sh*tty] play that could really affect that game, how many of the ‘wow’ plays do you need to make to wipe that off the books? I don't know the answer to that, but yes.”
There's no question the biggest "Wow" play of the day was a 50-yard bomb from Drew Lock to K.J. Hamler in 7-on-7.
Although it's only been 3 practices, the star of the first 3 days of practices has been 2nd-year Wide Receiver Jerry Jeudy. Unlike a year ago when the No. 15 pick in the 2020 draft was slicing and dicing the 2nd and 3rd team secondary. This year, he's doing similar things but to guys who have $10 Million Dollar annual contracts like Ronald Darby and Kyle Fuller(who also has an All-Pro honor from the last time he was with Fangio) as well as the guy Pro Football Focus rated the best cornerback in football last year in Bryce Callahan and his former college teammate at Alabama, this year's 1st round pick, Pat Surtain Jr.
"Yeah, he's a lot more polished and better and more prepared to play right now then he was last year," Fangio said. "He knows the game better. He's got a feel of what NFL football is like—making the adjustment from college to pro. He had limited time to do that last year—no preseason games. He had an up and down rookie year; some great moments, some bad moments. I think those have really helped shape him. He's had a really great offseason and it's carried over to camp.
If Jeudy has made a big jump from year 1, Tight End Noah Fant seems poised to make a similar jump from year 2 to year 3. He's also caught almost everything thrown his way, and he's certainly showing his speed vertically. The 1st round pick in 2019 said he's certainly more comfortable in year 2 of Pat Shurmur's offense, "100 percent," Fant said. "Last year, everybody was brand new from the offense, coming in and trying to learn a new offense. [Offensive Coordinator] Coach [Pat] Shurmur was trying to incorporate his offense into the players. It’s definitely that. It’s definitely everybody getting used to each other [and] everybody realizing what other people can do really well and taking advantage of those spots."
Certainly the quarterback who wins the starting job will have a direct effect on Fant's success, but he seems to be fine with whichever signal caller ultimately is named starter, "Either one, he said. "I think both of those guys have command of the offense well. I think both of those guys have the ability to take us where we want to go. It’s just a matter of us all getting on the same page and getting there."