The Broncos are getting a bold version of J.K. Dobbins, and he’s not shy about what he expects from himself in Denver.
Dobbins said he believes he can stay healthy for a full season and has his eyes on the top of the rushing leaderboard. He brushed off the idea that he’s only built to last part of a year and made it clear he’s thinking bigger than a hot start.
“ I know a lot of people say, ‘Oh, he’s only good for the first 10 weeks of the season,’ I’ll be in the top three (in rushing) for the first 10 weeks, ” Dobbins said, via Broncos Wire. “ Forget about the top three… I’m going to be No.
- I’m going to keep it there for the whole year.”
He also said he feels good about his recovery from last season’s Lisfranc injury and promised Denver it won’t regret bringing him back.
“ I’m not going to let them down, ” Dobbins said. “ I pinky-promise y’all.
I double pinky-promised them you won’t regret bringing me back… Remember this day! ”
Dobbins is dealing with a soft tissue injury, though HC Sean Payton said he will be fine.
In Kansas City, Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy remains away from the team after the shooting involving his 27-year-old son and his wife at their home in Virginia at the end of last month. He is still working as much as he can from a distance while his wife recovers, and there is no timetable for when he’ll return in person.
GM Brett Veach stressed how important Bieniemy’s voice is inside the building.
“Every organization and every team and every player and each position group - everyone needs a kick in the ass,” Veach said of Bieniemy, via Jesse Newell of The Athletic. “And so him being out there and hearing that voice, whether it be ‘Finish’ or ‘Alignment’ or whatever … he demands that you are buttoned up on your details, and that is a mirror image of coach and how he wants things run.”
Andy Reid said simply, “He just needs to take care of business there,” before adding, “And when he gets back here, he gets back here.”
Patrick Mahomes also offered support for Bieniemy and his family.
“Prayers to him and his family… We’ll be excited to get him back. But at the same time, we want him to take as much time as he needs to be with his family. When he gets back, he’ll be the most excited guy.”
Out in Las Vegas, the Raiders aren’t locking themselves into a timetable for first-round QB Fernando Mendoza. ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported that there isn’t a set date for when the team wants him on the field, and the sense from the Raiders is that they’ll know the right moment when they see it. Another piece of the equation is making sure Mendoza has enough support around him before he’s pushed into action, rather than tossing him into the kind of situation recent No. 1 picks have faced.
In Other News...
Bo Nix Has A Clear Preference For Denvers New Offensive Setup
As the Broncos work through the early details of Davis Webbs first season as offensive coordinator, one of the quieter choices is already carrying some weight: where hell actually call plays from. Webb, a former NFL quarterback, is weighing the sideline against the booth, and while he has not locked in a final decision, the lean appears to be toward staying down on the field. It is a small operational call, but one that can shape communication, pace and the feel of Denvers offense on game day.
Sean Payton has backed the sideline setup, and Bo Nix has made clear he prefers it too, which gives that option plenty of internal support as the Broncos settle into a new offensive structure. The discussion fits a familiar Broncos thread, since past coaches have also favored different spots based on how they wanted to manage the game. For now, the question is less about philosophy than finality, and Webbs choice will be one of the first real tells of how this offense wants to function when the games start mattering. [Read more 🡒]
Colin Cowherd Sees A Troubling Sign In The Broncos Outlook
Fox Sports analyst Colin Cowherd is looking at the Broncos future with a wary eye, and his concern starts with how they won last season. Denver was constantly living on the edge, trailing in a bunch of games before finding ways to come out on top, a formula that can look sturdy in the moment and fragile when the wins stop breaking the right way. Cowherd tied that kind of success to the idea that it can be hard to repeat, especially for a team that has spent a lot of time winning tight ones.
The comparison he reached for was the Chiefs, whose own recent slide serves as a warning sign for any contender trying to stay ahead of the curve. From Denvers perspective, the pressure only gets louder because the opening stretch of the schedule leaves little room to ease in, with a run of opponents that could quickly test whether last seasons resilience was a real step forward or just a hard-to-replicate run of good fortune. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Payton Suddenly Has A Broncos Camp Problem Fans Feared
Training camp is only a few days old, but the Broncos are already dealing with the kind of soft-tissue injuries that can make August feel longer than it should. Jaylen Waddle and Marvin Mims Jr. have both been affected, and the wave of issues has forced Denver to manage practices more carefully as Sean Payton tries to keep the roster moving toward the season without losing momentum.
Payton said the early camp grind brings its own challenges, and he has already pointed to the work that happens before players ever step on the field as part of avoiding those strains and groin or hamstring problems. The concern now is how quickly the Broncos can stabilize things, especially with the position groups they are trying to evaluate and the health questions that keep surfacing while camp is still in its early stages. [Read more 🡒]