The Denver's 'No Fly Zone' beat up the Broncos' offense in Sunday's practice, the first in pads this season at Dove Valley.
The Broncos defense created turnovers including a couple of pick-sixes. The defensive advantage is making the evaluations of Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch difficult for coach Vance Joseph and his staff. The first-year head coach said Sunday neither quarterback stood out.
"Did I like what I saw? Not really. Both guys had issues today," Joseph said of his offense "I didn't like what I saw today. Honest. They both struggled today."
Joseph was particularly down on how the quarterbacks handled the red zone, telling NFL Network's Terrell Davis on Inside Training Camp Live "offensively we have to get better."
"It was a rough day for the offense today," Joseph said. "The defense came out with great intensity and made some big plays in the red zone, which is huge. On game days that's a 10-point swing. We don't want that for our offense, but defensively it was a good day."
Broncos corner Chris Harris said the goal for the defense was making life hard on the young quarterbacks.
"We want to take them out into the deep water and drown them. We had our minds ready today," Harris said, via Tony Renck of ABC Denver.
The good day for the defense didn't help Siemian or Lynch sneak ahead in the quarterback duel. Joseph intimated he's no further along in the QB evaluation process after both passers struggled to open camp.
"We've got two good young quarterbacks. We can win with both guys," Joseph told Davis on NFL Network. "Who is the best for us? I'm not sure yet. That's why time is so important. Now, time is coming to an end, the next three or four weeks here. So, both guys are putting in work. Both guys want the job. I'm not sure who is best for us right now. Whoever is best for us that is who we are going to play."
Time for either Lynch or Siemian to grab the lead in the quarterback battle is quickly shrinking.
What else we learned from Sunday's training camps:
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin received positive reviews during training camp, but GM Jason Licht said there is a chance the running back won't have a starting gig when he returns after serving the final three games of his suspension to open the season.
- Adrian Peterson sat out Saints practice on Sunday. Don't fret. It was just a rest day for All Day. We expect the running back to earn veteran days off throughout the season.
Likewise, Broncos running back Jamaal Charles also enjoyed a vet day off in Denver.
Elsewhere, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was not at Sunday's practice. It was an excused absence, per NFL Network's Aditi Kinkhabwala.
- The Carolina Panthers are easing Cam Newton into training camp. Coming off offseason shoulder surgery, Newton sat out the final three periods of Sunday's team workouts.
"That's part of the maintenance," head coach Ron Rivera said of Newton, via the team's official website. "Don't be surprised. It could happen at any practice. It's all just part of the process of him getting back to shape. Five straight days of work, and we saw it, and he went out reluctantly.
"But he still was doing the other stuff he's supposed to be doing, so I'm not concerned at all."
- Jared Goff is bubbling with confidence in his first year with new coach Sean McVay. The second-year quarterback said his comfort level with the offense is "night and day" compared to where it was last year. We can take that as a subconscious shot at the Rams coaching staff last season.
- Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky continues to struggle with snaps. The rookie has fumbled four snaps the past two days, via Zach Zaidman of the Bears Radio Network. Rookie struggles aren't new in the NFL. Trubisky's problems taking snaps under center, however, underscore just how far away the quarterback is in his transition to the pros.
- Sunday's edition of 'Glowing Comments about Panthers rookie Christian McCaffrey':
TRANSACTIONS:
- New England Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich retired after 11 NFL seasons. One of the unsung heroes of the Pats' past two Super Bowl wins, Ninkovich retires ranking fifth in the team's all-time sack standings.
- The Minnesota Vikings signed Pro Bowl corner Xavier Rhodesto a five-year, $70 million extension.
- The Detroit Lionssigned safety Glover Quin to a two-year contract extension through 2019. The 31-year-old rangy safety has earned 16 interceptions in four seasons with the Lions.
- The Baltimore Ravens signed tight end Larry Donnell after suffering a slew of tight end injuries this offseason.
- Undrafted rookie safety Jadar Johnson left New York Giants training camp and plans to retire.
INJURIES:
- Los Angeles Chargers first-round pick Mike Williams (back) is not expected to participate in training camp, the team announced.
- Seattle Seahawks second-round pick Malik McDowell was involved in an ATV accident, suffering a concussion and facial injuries, sources told NFL Network's Mike Garafolo and James Palmer. Coach Pete Carroll told reporters it's possible the rookie could miss the season.
- NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Baltimore Ravens tight end Crockett Gilmore is undergoing surgery to fix his meniscus, per a source informed of the situation. The length of his absence will be known after the operation.
- Washington RB Keith Marshall will miss his second consecutive season after tearing his right patellar tendon, per ESPN's John Keim. The speedy seventh-round pick in 2016 missed last season with an elbow injury.
- Let the battle for the starting left tackle job in Detroit commence. The Lions announced Greg Robinson was taken off Active/Non-Football Injury list Sunday and will return to practice. Robinson is expected to compete for the starting duty with Cyrus Kouandjio, and others, to open the season on Matthew Stafford's blind side.
Injured left tackle Taylor Decker (shoulder) is out of his sling, per the Detroit Free Press. Decker is expected to miss the start of the regular season.
- The Cardinals cornerback depth chart is taking a beating. Arizona corner Ronald Zamort suffered a torn ACL and is out for the season, according to the Arizona Republic. The news comes a day after Zamort leaped into first-team duties over Brandon Williams following a hyperextended knee to corner Justin Bethel. Bethel is expected to be out just a few days.
- Chicago Bears receiver Marcus Wheaton missed practice Sunday after undergoing an appendectomy, coach John Fox told reporters.
