Denver Broncos opened their three-day mandatory minicamp Tuesday at team headquarters, and if there was any doubt about the tone of this offseason under Sean Payton, it was clear early in the session: the standards are rising.
“We’re allowed to be on the field a little bit longer [than in OTAs],” Payton said. “Today it was a lot of red zone work. I liked our energy.”
It wasn’t just the extra time on the field that stood out. The tempo, the mindset, and the sense of expectation reflected a team intent on building on last year’s playoff appearance—and intent on going much further.
Nix Progressing Quickly
At the center of that optimism is second-year quarterback Bo Nix, who continued to draw praise from both his head coach and his veteran teammates.
“I see him much further along right now with what we’re doing, taking a play into the huddle real quick,” Payton said. “I see him making good decisions.”
Veteran left tackle Garett Bolles, now embracing his role as a locker room leader, echoed those observations.
“He came in the league ready to rock and roll,” Bolles said. “The dude is a freak, and he’s so composed and so calm… He knows exactly where the ball’s going to go. He can read defenses. He’s calm and composed in the huddle.”
Nix’s command was especially tested in Tuesday’s red zone session, an area where Payton is demanding growth from both the quarterback and the offense.
“Today was our first red zone day,” Payton said. “He was outstanding last year. The significance of the running game across the 15 [-yard line], you can’t understate. I think his performance in that area will improve as we do as a unit.”
A Veteran Voice in Bolles
Bolles’ presence is becoming increasingly central to the Broncos’ culture. Entering his eighth season, he’s fully embraced his leadership role on and off the field.
“The game has slowed down for me,” Bolles said. “I just have to stay on my ‘A’ game every single day. There are new guys coming into this league that are freaks of nature… I love going against the best of the best.”
He also credits Payton with fostering an environment where players are prepared for late-game pressure moments.
“Coach Payton, I love him dearly,” Bolles said. “Just his coaching experience, his mindset and his culture that he builds is so special. He works the hell out of us, that’s for sure. I think when we get in those moments when it’s crunch time… we can win those close games.”
Bolles also sees an opportunity for this group to string together more wins than in recent seasons.
“Ever since Coach Payton has been here, we’ve gone on win streaks,” he said. “Who knows what we can do this year… We just have to stay calm and composed.”
Defense Building on Foundation
On the defensive side, veteran safety Brandon Jones is stepping into a larger leadership role as he enters his second season in Denver.
“This year, my big goal is kind of to take that leadership role and be more of a vocal guy for the team,” Jones said.
Jones sees strong chemistry developing between himself and new teammate Talanoa Hufanga.
“You would have thought we’ve been friends for all of our lives,” he said. “It’s been really fun… We can do a lot of different things, whatever is asked of us.”
Jones also spoke highly of rookie cornerback Jahdae Barron.
“Super smart,” Jones said. “He’s very eager to learn, super athletic… He’s kind of like a Swiss army knife, he can play anywhere.”
The defensive unit’s mindset is clear: last season’s success is just the beginning.
“You get in trouble as soon as you get complacent,” Jones said. “I think we are going to be as good as we want to be, and the sky is the limit.”
Depth, Development, and Competition
Throughout Tuesday’s practice and in his comments after, Payton emphasized depth and competition across the roster.
He cited edge rusher Nik Bonitto’s growth and noted the importance of managing his workload.
“He’s playing at a high level,” Payton said. “We have to be careful of his snap count.”
Payton also highlighted defensive tackle Malcolm Roach as a key presence.
“One of his great traits is he doesn’t have bad days,” Payton said. “He’s upbeat… I think that’s contagious to his position group.”
Young players are getting plenty of evaluation opportunities, from the tryout players at minicamp to rookies like tight end Caleb Lohner, whose background as a basketball player could be an asset.
“He’s coming around,” Payton said of Lohner. “There are some things that are new to him, and then there are some things that he gravitates to.”
Payton left no doubt that the vision remains clear: build a team capable of winning championships.
“I think they have a high standard of how they see themselves,” he said. “We just have to keep improving. Really all of this is in preparation for training camp.”
Next Steps
The Broncos will continue minicamp sessions Wednesday and Thursday before the team disperses for the summer break. But this minicamp is clearly more than just another offseason checkpoint — it’s a signal of intent.
The leadership is vocal. The expectations are rising. And the belief in what this roster can achieve is unmistakable.
As Bolles summed up: “We just have to focus on getting better every single day, focus on the important things — and when it’s time to rock and roll, we’ll rock and roll.”
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