Broncos Camp Day 13 report: Mastering pass protection

[Miles]

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- At one end of a practice field Monday, wide receivers faced off with safeties and cornerbacks, catching passes in the red zone. Fifty yards back toward midfield, the Broncos' tight ends, running backs and fullbacks prepared to face their inside and outside linebackers in a pass-protection drill.


With these two options upon which to focus, Head Coach Vic Fangio chose to go where the blocking was happening.


Snap after snap, the backs and tight ends had to contend with linebackers -- usually with the benefit of a running start. It is a drill that tests the persistence of the offensive players, and makes them understand that simply making plays with the football won't be enough to secure playing time.


For the tight ends, working on the edge, the challenge is ramped up by the Broncos' quality at the position. Von Miller and Bradley Chubb pose questions that offensive tackles -- who weigh 40 to 70 pounds more -- struggle to answer.


“Honestly, it helps you know if you set quick off the line especially against guys like Von [Miller] and [Bradley] Chubb that have good get-offs and will kind of game with you a little bit and delay their rush," said tight end Noah Fant, who got the better of some repetitions later in practice by improving his hand placement.


The drill is set up to "be really hard" for tight ends, rookie Austin Fort noted.


"[In games] we're not always going to get a one-on-one against a stand-up guy like Von Miller. So it's making us better, and in that type of drill, you've got to move your feet, you've got to have good hands," Fort said. "It's just very, very technical. So you're just developing that type of skill set."


And sometimes it must be developed through struggle and growth. At one point, Fort hit the ground after losing a duel with Jeff Holland. But when he had another chance to face the second-year outside linebacker, he stayed on his feet, moved well and guided Holland in front of the tackling dummy that represented the quarterback's spot. That allowed Fort to win the repetition.


"You're not going to always win, but if you lose, just learn from it. Come back and get better," Fort said. "I got beat that time, and then I set my feet a little better, and I beat [Holland]. Just gotta keep doing that."


And with Fangio watching closely, improvement is crucial.