Sean Payton pleased with performance of rookies during minicamp

After two days of practices, Head Coach Sean Payton is pleased with what he has seen thus far at rookie minicamp.

The journey in concocting the best roster for the upcoming 2025 season begins now for the Denver Broncos.

After a productive NFL Draft that netted them seven draft selections and 15 undrafted college free agents, the franchise’s youth movement extends for a third year under the leadership of Head Coach Sean Payton. Nearly 60 players are in attendance for this weekend’s festivities.

For many, this will likely be their only shot to make a good first impression to keep their dream of playing under the bright lights in the National Football League alive. For others, it’s the beginning of their journey that will continue throughout the summer—hoping to prove themselves as one of the top 53-players the Broncos can field on the gridiron in ‘25.

After two days of practices, so far so good according to Payton, who took time this afternoon to update the media on this weekend’s festivities.

“We have had two good days. Weather-wise, workout-wise. With the tempo of the drills, it’s always difficult when you bring in a collective this large. A lot of these players are trying out for three days. And then there is a number of players we have signed as rookie free agents. Overall, I’ve been pleased with the two practices. It’s good to see them moving around and trying to do what we are coaching.”

Payton and the Broncos’ brass are hopeful that this year’s class of rookie talent can help them ascend to greater heights this season. Though he did admit it’s far too early in the process to have significant expectations or get a true evaluation for any of these young players. The real difference maker, he noted, would be when the pads actually come on a bit further down the road.

Even so, he did field questions around several of the players in attendance. A lot of those focused on running back RJ Harvey who the Broncos picked in the second round at the end of April. A player whom many believe can make an immediate impact for the offense as a rookie.

“I still think there is a baseline. We really start with the fundamentals. When the growth comes you feel it, sometimes it comes faster than you expect, sometimes slower,” stated Payton.

“He has picked up on what we are doing really quickly. You can tell it’s important to him. This is the first exposure to the training room, weight room, the schedule, the nutrition, the practice. There is a lot more than just, ‘Hey we’re going to run these plays.’ He has looked good though. We are glad he is here.”

Harvey’s ability to accel as a runner, especially with zone concepts, was evident on tape. His explosive playmaking ability cemented him as one of the draft’s most productive runners. It certainly was a reason the team felt so highly of him during the draft process. There’s no doubt an increased output from the Broncos’ running backs this season will be instrumental in their offense taking their efficiency to the next level.

While very few would contest Harvey’s ability to make an immediate impact as a runner, there are some that have concerns over his ability to be a three-down back early on in the NFL. One major reason is pass protection. It’s typically an area where rookie running backs aren’t good at. Moreover, it’s certainly not an area Harvey had much experience within Gus Malzahn’s offense at UFC.

However, Payton discussed that the onboarding process and learning curve in this manner would be ongoing. In their first practice, he mentioned the backs working on choice routes. In today’s practice, they had a different installation for Harvey and company to work on for their responsibilities as protectors and receivers out of the backfield.

For now, keeping it simple is the modus operandi for the team with these rookie players. Getting them to understand basic concepts is the first step to ensuring they will be prepared for the battles ahead on game day. With respect to Harvey, Payton drew upon past experiences and philosophy that will help the second-round pick hit the ground running in his first season.

“When you think about this, Sproles, Kamara, there are a lot of different backs we’ve had that we can create different protections to make sure that the matchup is right. I know the question is [Harvey] a three down back? He is going to play on third down. There is a lot we can do relative to really suit his strengths,” remarked Payton.

“It would happen occasionally with Darren [Sproles] where I’d say to him, ‘Every now and again you might get matched up on Navarro Bowman or Patrick Willis.’ I’m not going to make a habit of doing that with Harvey. But if you watch his stature he is put together pretty well. There is a difference between a small runner and a short runner. We are not interested in the small runners, but we are OK with the short runners.”

From today’s post-practice presser, it certainly seems Payton is high on Harvey’s ability to be a three-down contributor. If he continues to impress throughout the rest of the summer in that regard—the sky is the limit for his potential in the Broncos’ offense this coming season. Quite frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if he becomes a 1,500 all-purpose yard player as a rookie if he stays healthy.