After a disappointing 2020 season that saw them end the season with a 5-11 record, the Denver Broncos have a crucial training camp if they want to turn things around in 2021. When does it start, where will it be held, and are fans allowed to attend?
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With phase 3 of the 2021 NFL offseason set to wrap up on June 18th, teams are already looking forward to training camp. It is by far the most grueling and pivotal part of a team’s preparations.
Training camps often include busy days for players and coaches, sometimes with 2 practices a day, weight training, team meetings, and film sessions.
Per the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), no contact is permitted during the first 3 days of camp. Days 4 and 5 will see players at full speed in light equipment called “spiders and shells”, day 6 is a mandatory day off, and finally fully-padded practices start on the 7th day.
Along with the strenuous schedule, full-speed practices mean that both contact and non-contact injuries are very common. Regardless, training camp is mandatory for all players, unlike OTAs which are voluntary. If a player doesn’t show up, they risk getting cut by their team.
When Does Training Camp Start for the Denver Broncos?
For the first time in NFL history, there will be a unified start for training camp. 29 franchises, including the Broncos, will kick off their training camps on Tuesday, July 27th.
But the Cowboys and Steelers, who will play in the preseason Hall of Fame game, are allowed to begin training camp as early as July 21st. The Buccaneers will also be allowed to start training camp 3 days earlier on the 24th, as they play the season opener against Dallas on a Thursday night.
Where is the Broncos Training Camp Being Held?
Normally, NFL teams are permitted to hold training camp at outside facilities to improve accessibility for fans, However last year, due to the uncertainty caused by the COVID pandemic, teams were instructed to conduct camp at their own training facilities.
The Denver Broncos Training Camp will take place at UCHealth Training Center in Englewood, Colo.
Denver Broncos Training Camp Roster: Key Position Battles to Watch
As usual, teams will start camp with 90-man rosters. They must cut down to 85 players by August 17th and to 80 by August 24th, before settling on a final 53-man roster by August 31st.
The Denver Broncos will have the most obvious QB Battle heading into training camp, without a single one having the edge over the other. Teddy Bridgewater will head into the OTA’s on his third roster in as many seasons. Lock will hope to rejuvenate the faith that the Broncos had in him after an impressive rookie season. So the QB Battle in Denver should be one of the headlines ahead of training camp.
Drew Lock started 5 games in his rookie season and impressed many as he went 4-1, throwing 7 touchdowns to only 3 interceptions. But his sophomore slump saw him win only 4 games and lose 9, as he threw 16 scores to 15 interceptions, despite having a loaded receiver core.
After an impressive 2019 season, Teddy Bridgewater signed a 3 year $63M deal with the Carolina Panthers. But was disappointing throughout the season, and eventually got traded to the Broncos after only his first year. With 2 starting caliber QB’s on the roster, it should be very interesting to see who comes out on top.
The wide receiver group is loaded but has certain problems that should be interesting to follow. Pro Bowler Courtland Sutton missed the entirety of the 2020 season due to an ACL tear, but we will not know how well he has recovered until Week 1 comes around. And 2020 2nd round pick K.J. Hamler might be a misfit on the roster.
He is built to be a monster after the catch, but that won’t be effective if Lock’s starting but didn’t improve enough to open up horizontal leading routes.
Jerry Jeudy had a disappointing rookie season, but he is still one of the gifted route runners to come out of college football the last couple of years, and will likely make a jump in his sophomore season. He also received high praise after OTA’s so 2021 looks promising for the 2021 and will thus have the WR1 spot on lock.
Will Fans Be Allowed to Attend Panthers Training Camp?
The NFL is planning to have fans at all training camps, with fan events scheduled to start on July 31st. The NFL and the NFLPA continue to negotiate parameters for fan interactions.
Per the memo of the NFL and NFLPA’s agreement, “Fans will be permitted to attend Training Camp, provided that they are more than 20 feet away from Tier 1 staff, including players, at all times, and adhere to physical distancing requirements. Fans will not be permitted to interact with players at any time.”
Thus this year, fans will be allowed to return to the UCHealth Training Center.
Also Read: Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp 2021: Start Date, Location, Roster Battles, and Fan Policy
