Broncos’ first day of OTAs put emphasis on red zone work

Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett is all about the ‘tugalicious’ plays in the red zone.

The Denver Broncos began their first day of OTA’s on Monday. Head coach Nathaniel Hackett put a bigger emphasis on red zone work for the team right out of the gates.

“We had the veteran minicamp, so we stayed more on the field with some third down stuff. Because it’s the first day of OTA’s, we wanted to save their legs but practice a very important situation,” Hackett explained. “I thought the guys did a really good job. It was our first time going live—not live, but against each other—in the redzone. I thought they all did a really good job. We had a couple of touchdowns [and] the defense had a couple of really great plays. There was one down here that [P.J.] Locke made that was great. It was fun to see them compete.”

The team made sure to highlight one of those touchdowns. Russell Wilson with a perfectly accurate toss to Courtland Sutton to the sidelines.

Hackett went on to note that rookie tight end Greg Dulcich had himself a ‘tugalicious’ as well.

“Good,” Hackett said of the rookie performances in OTAs. “I think they’ve picked it up pretty quick. We saw [TE Greg] Dulcich have a ‘Tugalicious’ (touchdown) down there, which was great. I think for them, it’s baby steps. There’s so much. It’s practice, but they have a long way to go—all of them.”

Given that last bit, be patient and don’t go drafting Dulcich in the first round of your fantasy drafts in August. It may be a bit before he’s game ready in the NFL.

A few key veterans were missing from the first day of voluntary workouts, but it is important to note that it is voluntary at this point.

“This is all voluntary, Hackett said. “It’s one of those things and the great thing is that a lot of those guys communicated and talk with me. That’s all I can ask. Whoever is out here, we’re going to coach them and have some fun. Those guys reached out to me, and it is voluntary.”

Horse Tracks

Broncos OTA report: It’s much different with Russell Wilson around – Andrew Mason
By pushing the tempo and escaping pressure, Russell Wilson makes things more difficult for the defense … which is what it wants.

‘It definitely adds a whole other threat’: Russell Wilson’s mobility, ability to extend plays on display
“All you need is this much separation, and with a guy like Russ that can extend plays like that, we’ve seen [that] time and time again throughout his tenure,” Justin Simmons said.

‘It’s got to be non-emotional’: Russell Wilson reflects on upcoming return to Seattle
“For me, it’s about going in there and trying to play the best football for our football team here and going to try to go win,” Wilson said.

Photos: An inside look at Day 1 of the Broncos’ 2022 OTA practices
Take an inside look at the Broncos’ first practice of the 2022 OTA slate.

Ex-NFL Player Beats Up United Airlines Employee in Bloody Brawl at Newark Airport
Ex-NFL player Brendan Langley and a United Airlines employee were in an all-out brawl at Newark Liberty International Airport, and the worker ended up flat on his ass.

Paul Hackett checks in on son Nathaniel at Denver Broncos OTAs
Paul Hackett was a 23-year NFL offensive assistant coach for the likes of Tom Landry, Bill Walsh and Marty Schottenheimer.

Watson to Browns or Wilson to Broncos — which trade is more impactful?
Two monster quarterback acquisitions took place this offseason. Which will impact the league most this upcoming season?