The Broncos\u2019 offensive line has a new favorite practice drill.<\/p>\n
Friday pat-and-go.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The results? Surprisingly good, actually.<\/p>\n
Maybe not aesthetically pleasing or athletically overwhelming, but pretty good.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had no idea we were going to be doing it today. It was fun,\u201d right guard Quinn Meinerz said. \u201cThey just said, \u2018O-line, pat-and-go,\u2019 and all of a sudden we were running go balls and catching them. I\u2019m sitting there with my thumbs taped having a hard time, but it\u2019s fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe had one, but I\u2019ll take Luke. I\u2019m still going to throw it to him,\u201d Meinerz said.<\/p>\n
Meinerz took the hit when asked who he was least confident in.<\/p>\n
\u201cI couldn\u2019t use my thumbs, so I was pretty nervous,\u201d he said. \u201cObviously I didn\u2019t want to drop any.\u201d<\/p>\n
He caught his first pass from quarterbacks coach Davis Webb and the second from practice squad quarterback Ben DiNucci.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe way DiNucci releases it is a little weird,\u201d Meinerz, an expert, observed. \u201cHe\u2019s got the swaggy side-arm. But I didn\u2019t have to work for it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Said DiNucci, \u201cI just figured put it up there high, let him go get it and make a play. That is for sure the biggest dude I\u2019ve ever seen move that majestically through the air and catch a ball.\u201d<\/p>\n
Red zone tight end work incoming for No. 77?<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019d better not do that anymore or they\u2019re going to get some ideas,\u201d DiNucci said.<\/p>\n
Jeudy questionable<\/strong>. The Broncos listed wide receiver Jerry Jeudy as questionable for Sunday\u2019s game with a hamstring injury sustained Aug. 24.<\/p>\n Jeudy on Thursday said he hoped to be in position to play against Las Vegas, but that he would be \u201c100% smart\u201d about not pushing it too far.<\/p>\n During the portion of practice open to reporters Friday, Jeudy stretched and did individual work, but none of the team walk-through repetitions.<\/p>\n How does Payton consider a player who is close to returning from injury?<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s real simple,\u201d he said. \u201cYou know when there\u2019s lightning in the area and the horns blow? The decision’s made, right? When a player\u2019s injured and he can\u2019t go, it\u2019s not like, \u2018well I\u2019m going to trust my (gut)\u2019 or go by how we feel. We go by what the reports are and I\u2019ve been encouraged (with Jeudy).\u201d<\/p>\n The only other player listed as questionable is rookie corner Riley Moss (core) who, like Jeudy, was a limited participant in practice all week.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n