The Broncos’ offensive line has a new favorite practice drill.
Friday pat-and-go.
The big fellas each got a couple of turns defeating press coverage off the line of scrimmage and catching passes from the quarterbacks Friday during the portion of practice open to reporters.
The results? Surprisingly good, actually.
Maybe not aesthetically pleasing or athletically overwhelming, but pretty good.
“We had no idea we were going to be doing it today. It was fun,” right guard Quinn Meinerz said. “They just said, ‘O-line, pat-and-go,’ and all of a sudden we were running go balls and catching them. I’m sitting there with my thumbs taped having a hard time, but it’s fine.”
Policies governing what reporters can convey from practice prohibit detailed stat-keeping, but the only drop one reporter witnessed was off the hands of reserve center Luke Wattenberg.
“He had one, but I’ll take Luke. I’m still going to throw it to him,” Meinerz said.
Meinerz took the hit when asked who he was least confident in.
“I couldn’t use my thumbs, so I was pretty nervous,” he said. “Obviously I didn’t want to drop any.”
He caught his first pass from quarterbacks coach Davis Webb and the second from practice squad quarterback Ben DiNucci.
“The way DiNucci releases it is a little weird,” Meinerz, an expert, observed. “He’s got the swaggy side-arm. But I didn’t have to work for it.”
Said DiNucci, “I just figured put it up there high, let him go get it and make a play. That is for sure the biggest dude I’ve ever seen move that majestically through the air and catch a ball.”
Red zone tight end work incoming for No. 77?
“He’d better not do that anymore or they’re going to get some ideas,” DiNucci said.
Jeudy questionable. The Broncos listed wide receiver Jerry Jeudy as questionable for Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury sustained Aug. 24.
Jeudy on Thursday said he hoped to be in position to play against Las Vegas, but that he would be “100% smart” about not pushing it too far.
During the portion of practice open to reporters Friday, Jeudy stretched and did individual work, but none of the team walk-through repetitions.
How does Payton consider a player who is close to returning from injury?
“It’s real simple,” he said. “You know when there’s lightning in the area and the horns blow? The decision’s made, right? When a player’s injured and he can’t go, it’s not like, ‘well I’m going to trust my (gut)’ or go by how we feel. We go by what the reports are and I’ve been encouraged (with Jeudy).”
The only other player listed as questionable is rookie corner Riley Moss (core) who, like Jeudy, was a limited participant in practice all week.
Tight ends Chris Manhertz (chest) and Greg Dulcich (personal) were taken off the injury report. All-Pro corner Pat Surtain II was added because he was limited in practice due to an ankle injury, but he is cleared to play.
Chance of rain. The National Weather Service says downtown Denver is likely to receive rain and possibly a thunderstorm after noon Sunday and pegs the chance of rain at 70%, meaning the Broncos and Raiders may well be impacted.
The Sean Payton Weather Service had even more detail Friday afternoon.
“Chance of rain. Good chance of rain later,” Payton said. “The later in the game, the higher the chance rain comes up. The sun’s coming up over our tunnel. It’s a problem with the shadows. All of that.”
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