ENGLEWOOD — The Denver Broncos’ veterans have officially reported for training camp. While the first practice doesn’t kick off until Friday, the big questions have already started — including whether this team is built to win a championship.
“We haven’t even practiced yet, yeah… but certainly we feel like we could be,” veteran right tackle Mike McGlinchey said. “But we’ve got to put in the work, day in and day out. Everybody feels a little bit more comfortable after what we did last year, but we know it still wasn’t good enough.”
Coming off a 10-win season and a return to the playoffs in Sean Payton’s first year, the Broncos enter camp with renewed confidence. That starts with second-year quarterback Bo Nix, who started every game as a rookie and appears even more comfortable in his role as the team’s leader.
“The way he came back, the energy, the focus — you can tell how confident he is,” McGlinchey said. “And that confidence is going to radiate through the whole team.”
Still, if Denver is going to take the next step in the loaded AFC, its defense will need to set the tone.
And no one embodies that standard more than All-Pro cornerback Pat Surtain II, the NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year.
“Adding that hardware to my resume is pretty cool,” Surtain said. “But I just stay grounded. I enjoy the fruits of my labor, but I know there’s still more work to do.”
Surtain spent part of his offseason in Greece with other Jordan Brand athletes, including Michael Jordan himself.
“Yeah, it was pretty dope, man,” he said. “It’s a very close-knit group. I’m just glad to be a part of it.”
Surtain has also taken on a mentoring role for rookie defensive back Jahdae Barron, a promising prospect out of Texas.
“He’s very smart and savvy,” Surtain said. “Coaches are moving him around a lot, and that’s not easy to pick up as a rookie. But it seems like he’s ahead of schedule.”
The Broncos will spend the next two days ramping up before opening practice to fans Friday morning at Broncos Park. Due to the ongoing construction of a new training facility, only 800 fans will be allowed at each open session during camp.
