ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — One season’s experience, an offseason of adding strength and the natural maturity that goes along with being a year older has added up to the steady blossoming of second-year Broncos wide receiver Troy Franklin this summer.
Earlier in training camp, Franklin was making plays with an against the second and third units. Late in practice Tuesday in a game-simulation “move-the-ball” period, Franklin came up big with a lunging grab near the sideline from Bo Nix to help spur the first-team offense to a field goal in a tie-game, fourth-quarter, two-minute-drill scenario. This was his second grab of the possession.
It’s a moment. In a practice.
But three days earlier, it was a moment where the ball skipped off Franklin’s hands in the end zone, when he flashed open for a Nix pass. The throw was on the money.
On a Broncos team of resilience and progress, defined as much by what it will become as what it is now, Franklin’s arc fits neatly along with that of the club as a whole.
“You know, guys mature as they get more experience,” Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said. “He’s certainly playing faster and making more plays, so we’re real excited about him. He’s really stood out. He said he put on some weight, so that’s a good combination.”
The “move-the-ball” reception wasn’t all for Nix on Tuesday.
During the seven-on-seven period, Franklin nabbed a pass from Bo Nix in the back left corner of the end zone on a third-and-5 play from the 8-yard line. One could debate whether that catch was a touchdown; the defensive players in the area, including rookie Jahdae Barron, understandably insisted that it wasn’t.
Three snaps later, there was no argument. Jarrett Stidham found Franklin breaking open in the end zone for a score.
The possibilities for Franklin are opening as he masters more of the offense — which now involves some chances in the slot.
“As a rookie, you really want to nail down on one position,” Lombardi said. “Now that he’s got that, he’s working into the slot a little, and that gives him some more flexibility of what we can do with him. And he’s really been doing a great job with all of that.”
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PLAY(S) OF THE DAY
Franklin’s catch at the end of practice in the two-minute drill saw him dive for Nix’s pass, move the chains and help guide the Broncos’ No. 1 offense into field-goal range.
ATTENDANCE REPORT
Broncos inside linebacker Alex Singleton was limited to individual work … Defensive lineman Malcolm Roach, wide receiver Trent Sherfield and running back J.K. Dobbins watched practice … Inside linebacker Drew Sanders (foot) remained sidelined after foot surgery.
BRONCOS CAMP NOTES
The Broncos first-team offense drove to an afore-mentioned field-goal attempt in the move-the-ball period at the end of practice. In addition to a pair of passes to Franklin, Nix also hit Devaughn Vele for an 8-yard gain, giving the offense a “win” in the scenario where it had a tie score and 1:48 on the clock.
If at first you don’t succeed … during a team period in defensive territory, Nix just barely missed finding rookie wide receiver Pat Bryant, leading him just a step too far as he stepped up out of pressure from Nik Bonitto. But two plays later, Nix found Bryant for an 8-yard gain on third-and-4.
Veteran receiver Michael Bandy had perhaps his most productive day, with multiple touchdowns, including one a 20-yarder from Nix on a third-and-3 plays during a team period.
Rookie Sai’Vion Jones forced Jarrett Stidham out of the pocket on one team-period rep with pressure up the middle
Edge rusher Nik Bonitto and inside linebacker Nik Bonitto tag-teamed with pressure on Nix that could have been a sack in game conditions during one team-period repetition.
Rookie tight end Caden Prieskorn capped the seven-on-seven red zone period by getting past a pair of defenders for a touchdown. That play came one snap after Bryant caught a 10-yard touchdown pass crossing through the back of the end zone.
It will be fascinating to watch how Broncos first-round pick Jahdae Barron fares in full-speed tackling mode in the preseason opener Saturday. One play saw him read an Audric Estimé sweep to the right flank; he put himself in perfect position to make the play. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph noted Tuesday that Barron is learning from his mistakes.
Second-year cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine made a touchdown-preventing deflection during a team period, breaking up a potential Stidham-to-Jackson pass.
It took Broncos punter Jeremy Crawshaw a little while to get going during his first punt period; his initial three hang times were below 4.10 seconds before he uncorked a blast that hung in the are 5.25 seconds. Two of the following four punts also hit 5.2 seconds or better; all were at least 4.3 seconds.
WHAT’S NEXT
A travel day to the San Francisco Bay Area before Thursday’s joint practice at the San Francisco 49ers’ complex near Levi’s Stadium.