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Player Attendance
Did not practice: Physically unable to perform list — OLB Randy Gregory (shoulder), RT Billy Turner (knee) and OL Tom Compton (back). Injuries — WR KJ Hamler (knee), WR Tyrie Cleveland (shoulder), TE Greg Dulcich (hamstring), G Netane Muti (knee), CB Ronald Darby (chest), OL Ben Braden (back) and RB Melvin Gordon (foot).
DL Eyioma Uwazurike and D.J. Jones did work after sitting out during the week.
Coach Nathaniel Hackett said Gordon has a foot contusion.
Asked if Hamler and Dulcich had setbacks this week, Hackett said: “Dulcich a little bit. KJ, we’re trying to move him in the right way. He’s further along than we ever thought.”
Rookie OLB Christopher Allen (foot) was placed on injured reserve Wednesday. Hackett said Allen did not re-injure his foot.
“I would say it was more, ‘not going to be ready (for the season)’ and a combination of things that happened throughout the team; you only get those 90 spots,” Hackett said.
Top play
A play after TE Albert Okwuegbunam made a one-handed catch, QB Russell Wilson completed the drive with a touchdown pass to WR Kendall Hinton, who was open after beating CB Kelvin Joseph.
Thumbs up
S Justin Simmons. During red zone work, Simmons intercepted QB Dak Prescott in the end zone.
The fans. An announced crowd of 6,514 sweated out 98-degree heat to watch the Cowboys and Broncos practice for two hours.
The spirit. Things were quiet on the field with the Broncos offense and Dallas defense. Not so much on the Broncos defense/Dallas offense field. Entertaining back-and-forth.
Thumbs down
CB Michael Ojemudia. Playing against Dallas’ first-team offense, it was tough sledding for Ojemudia, who was filling in for Ronald Darby. On one series, QB Dak Prescott went 4 of 4 when targeting Ojemudia (three different receivers).
Opening play call. Boo on Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett. In front of a packed crowd, he should have made the first play call a downfield pass by QB Russell Wilson. Alas, it was a run by RB Javonte Williams.
Two-minute offense. Another clunky series by the starting offense, which ran five plays before settling for a Brandon McManus field goal.
Odds and ends
*There were plenty of dust-ups and, um, conversations among the Broncos’ defense and Dallas offense.
“Guys come into your backyard and as a kid, they would try to take your ball away and leave with it; that’s just how we are defensively as a unit,” S Kareem Jackson said. “Sometimes, it gets a little chippy. There are 11 guys out there with egos.”
Make that 22 egos.
*OLB Bradley Chubb thudded RB Ezekiel Elliott to the ground and Elliott let him know that wasn’t right.
Chubb said he told Elliott, “My bad. … I have to keep them up (on their feet).”
DL DeShawn Williams tangled with OT Terence Steele, who pushed Williams from behind to the turf. Williams ended up ripping off Steele’s helmet.
DL Marquiss Spencer was spotted throwing several haymakers, but remained in practice.
*Jackson on the Broncos’ defense: “You get used to seeing the same things here and there, but it’s good for us to go against another offense and see where we are and see where we need to tweak things. Overall, I thought it was a good day.”
*Coach Nathaniel Hackett on the Broncos’ offense: “Started off hot and it felt like we had a bunch of good plays.” Hackett said he wanted to focus on the run game “because we want to be able to look at (Dallas’ 4-3) front and how we’re going to run against it (during the season).”
*The teams focused entirely on 11-on-11 work. No Dallas-vs.-Broncos individual drills or 7-on-7.
*QB Russell Wilson highlights (part 1): Started 3 of 3 on first possession, including a catch by WR Courtland Sutton, who got open on a post corner route. … On his second drive, overthrew open WR Jerry Jeudy and his next incompletion was negated by a Dallas penalty. … The last two plays of Wilson’s third drive — sack and interception (pass went through hands of RW Brandon Johnson). … On the next possession, Sutton made a catch (while drawing a penalty) and also made a diving catch. … In a red zone drive, Wilson showed great ability to sell the play-action, leading to open catches by WRs Jerry Jeudy and Kendall Hinton.
*Wilson highlights (part 2): Wilson had two hurry-up drives. The first ended with a field goal when Wilson started with two completions to Jeudy, but later was incomplete on first and third downs. On the second, the Broncos went three-and-out.
*The Broncos’ defense against QB Dak Prescott: Completed first five passes over two drives, including two to WR CeeDee Lamb. … Prescott completed four of his five passes on his third drive, the incompletion was a pass break-up by CB Essang Bassey. … Prescott’s deep middle pass intended for Lamb was broken up by Jackson. … The first red zone drive included three consecutive completions, but ended with S Justin Simmons’ end-zone interception. … Prescott ran two two-minute drills. The first ended with a Lamb touchdown, the second with an incompletion.
*Other Broncos offensive notes: WR Montrell Washington caught a pass in traffic from QB Josh Johnson. … Johnson completed all nine of his passes in a hurry-up drill, capped by a touchdown. … QB Brett Rypien’s last pass was a long completion to WR Jalen Virgil.
*Other Broncos defensive notes: Rookie ILB Kana’i Mauga intercepted QB Cooper Rush over the middle; Rush’s throwing motion may have been impacted by blitzing ILB Barrington Wade.
*Pro Football Hall of Fame RB Terrell Davis attended practice.
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