ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – A daily review of the hot topics coming out of Denver Broncos training camp:
Linebacker Von Miller, who tore his ACL in the Broncos’ Week 16 win over the Houston Texans last December, continues to progress toward his full return. When training camp opened Miller was essentially limited to individual drills to go with some additional work in seven-on-seven drills. But he has steadily added more in team drills with each passing practice, including Monday when the Broncos were in full pads. It means Miller is likely on track to participate in team drills when the Broncos have the Houston Texans in town next week for three days of practices before the two teams play Aug. 23 in Sports Authority Field at Mile High. It also means that Texans game should be the first look at what the defense looks like with Miller and DeMarcus Ware in the same formation.A seven-on-seven drill is routinely built to favor the offense with no pass rush and plenty of space for the receivers to work, but backup quarterback Brock Osweiler still had a particularly fruitful session worth noting in the practice, tossing two touchdown passes to Nathan Palmer, who spent some time on the Broncos' practice squad last season, as well as a scoring pass to undrafted rookie Bennie Fowler -- all three came in red zone work. On Osweiler’s first scoring pass to Palmer, he dropped it into the right back corner of the end zone over the outstretched arm of cornerback Tony Carter. Again those drills are usually tipped toward the offense, but the throws were accurate and on time.
The Broncos’ pass-catchers also had some bobbles on the day as Palmer fumbled in one drill while Isaiah Burse and Fowler dropped catchable passes in one-on-one drills. Pro Bowl tight end Julius Thomas and Pro Bowl wide receiver Demaryius Thomas also dropped passes on plays they usually make. Demaryius Thomas' drop came after a spectacular release to shake cornerback Jerome Murphy at the line of scrimmage, but he couldn't hang on to Peyton Manning's pass.
Running back Montee Ball said it would be “about a week’’ before he could do some light running as he returns from an appendectomy. And his prediction was right on as a week to the day from Ball’s surgery, he was allowed to do some light running Monday. While there is still a chance he would play in the team’s third preseason game -- against the Texans -- it still appears the schedule will be to hold him out of the preseason games and he would start the Sept. 7 opener against the Indianapolis Colts.
Odds and ends: With wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders getting the day off because of a thigh injury -- he played 20 snaps in the preseason opener last Thursday night -- Demaryius Thomas and Andre Caldwell lined up as the two outside receivers with the starters. … Rookie wide receiver Cody Latimer once again showed the size-speed combination the Broncos wanted when they picked him in the second round of May’s draft. Manning hit him down the seam in one-on-ones as Latimer outran rookie cornerback Bradley Roby. … Defensive end Malik Jackson first deflected a pass and then intercepted it in team drills, … Former Broncos Brian Dawkins and Jason Elam were at Monday’s practice.