#BroncosCamp Observations: Lock-to-Sutton connection highlights Day 5

[Miles]

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Midway through the Broncos' Wednesday training camp practice, the first-team offense took the field against the first-team defense for a move-the-ball period.


And move the ball, they did.


Drew Lock started the period by finding a streaking Courtland Sutton down the right sideline. With Bryce Callahan in tight coverage, Sutton made an over-the-shoulder grab and may have scored a touchdown. Shortly thereafter, Lock went back to Sutton. This time, Sutton made a leaping grab by the goal line to beat a converging Callahan and Kareem Jackson.


Denver's defense responded well during their next opportunity during a move-the-ball period, as Todd Davis made a would-be stop in the backfield on a run play, Isaac Yiadom broke up a pass intended for Sutton, Callahan defended a throw for Jerry Jeudy and Davis added another would-be tackle after a short gain by Jake Butt.


In the red zone, the two units appeared similarly matched. During the first red-zone snaps, Lock found Troy Fumagalli for a toe-tapping touchdown against Yiadom, but Justin Simmons and A.J. Bouye provided back-to-back pass breakups in the end zone on throws intended for Jeudy and Sutton, respectively.


During the final red-zone period, Lock was forced to scramble out of the pocket on one play and then couldn't connect with Albert Okwuegbunam on a touch pass to the back corner of the end zone. Melvin Gordon took one carry off right tackle toward the right pylon, but Alexander Johnson was in position to potentially make a play. The only turnover from the first-team offense came when Lock looked for Jeudy streaking across the end zone, and Bouye snagged the pass.


ALONG THE LINE


For the first time in training camp, rookie third-round pick Lloyd Cushenberry III took reps with the first-team offense as the competition at center continues. He held up well against the rush at times and helped seal off a run lane for Lindsay during an earlier rep with the second-team. After practice, Fangio seemed impressed with the young player.


"I think Cushenberry is doing fine," Fangio said. "One thing that he's got going for him that a lot of rookies don't have going for them is that he is smart. He's picking things up very well. He's calm at the line of scrimmage, as you know the center has to make a lot of calls. He excels at that. He's not a totally honed up machine on it right now, but we expect that he will be. He's got that going for him. He's also got going for him that he played a lot of big games at LSU, especially last year where they won it all on the big stage. I think that helped him too. We're encouraged by him. It's a good battle between him and [G/C] Austin [Schlottmann] and [C] Pat [Morris]."


Jake Rodgers, who has worked at both left and right tackle during training camp, also took first-team reps at right tackle in place of Elijah Wilkinson on Wednesday as the Broncos tested out a new lineup.


"As far as Jake, Elijah's not getting his full share of the reps yet," Fangio said. "... We're happy with where Elijah is coming off the ankle injury that he had in the offseason. Some of [today's reps are] a product of Elijah's status and some of it's a product of we just want to work guys in there. One of the things that you always have to be cognizant of as a coach is to work guys in not just always as the first team or second team because guys on the second team are going to have to work with guys on the first team when an injury happens during the season. We like to mix that in during practice."