Denver Broncos Training Camp, Day 2: Hillis, Stokley Look Sharp

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for BroncosZone.com

Published: August 1, 2009

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Day 2 observations from Denver Broncos training camp at Dove Valley:

— RB/FB Peyton Hillis flattened DL Tim Crowder in a 1-on-1 drill that left Crowder being attended to. He was able to get up and walk off on his own power and later returned to practice.

— One fan was overheard saying “That’s what you’re supposed to do” in the direction of WR Brandon Marshall after he caught a Kyle Orton pass. Marshall was ragged for dropping passes last year.

— Speaking of Marshall, he was back running after taking Friday night’s practice off.
— Champ Bailey was also back on the field and was taken off the team’s PUP list.

— Ryan Torain continued to run strong, including some carries with the first team. He’s doing this despite the protection on his left leg, which he tore the ACL last season at Cleveland.

— One kid sitting in the crowd had a Jay Cutler jersey on, however, Cutler’s name was crossed out with black tape.

— Chris Simms looks to have a stronger arm than Kyle Orton, but Orton has a better touch. That said, there’s no question that Orton is the first-string QB. Coach Josh McDaniels directed Orton to run one set of offensive plays, though Simms was in line to run the plays.

— Brandon Marshall received the largest applause from the crowd on hand. He was also jeered during one dropped pass.

— Brandon Stokley looked good in his quest to be Denver’s No. 3 WR. He’s battling Jabar Gaffney and Brandon Lloyd for that honor.

— Good chance that Chad Jackson and Kenny McKinley are battling for the last WR spot on the roster, assuming the team keeps six. Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal, Brandon Stokley, Jabar Gaffney and Brandon Lloyd would appear to be locks. Jackson may be the odd man out, but he has experience with McDaniels from New England.

— A few plays after Peyton Hillis ran over Tim Crowder, he was taken down by Elvis Dumervil.

— Starting secondary should be no surprise—Champ Bailey, Brian Dawkins, Andre Goodman and Renaldo Hill. Second-round draft pick Alphonso Smith will play the nickle corner and likely be on kick returns with Eddie Royal and Kenny McKinley, if he makes the team.

— The offensive line opened up some nice holes early on for Correll Buckhalter and Peyton Hillis, but the D-line was able to stop Denver’s 2nd-string offense on runs by Buckhalter and Ryan Torain.

— Offense ran a number of five-wide setups with TE Tony Scheffler flushed wide left and using RB out of the backfield as the fifth guy.

— First-team offense ran a number of underneath throws to Eddie Royal, Daniel Graham and Jabar Gaffney, but struggled to go deep on the No. 1 defense, in particular the starting secondary.

— Brian Dawkins should’ve had a pick of Kyle Orton on a overthrow. Immediately after Dawkins punished himself with 10 push-ups prior to the next play.

— CB Joshua Bell knocked the ball away from Brandon Lloyd on a fade pass from Kyle Orton.

— Chris Simms hit Jabar Gaffney on an offensive drill down the right sideline past Darcel McBath, but McBath, making up for getting beat, was able to knock the ball out of Gaffney’s hand and through the end zone for what would’ve been a touchback.

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