5 takeaways from Broncos' penultimate training camp practice

The Denver Broncos had a fight break out on Day 13 of training camp practice.

The dust-up happened a few players after quarterback Bo Nix was taken to the ground. Defenders aren’t supposed to touch quarterbacks during practice, which defensive coordinator Vance Joseph reiterated after practice.

“Bo’s our quarterback, and we don’t want anyone near Bo,” Joseph said.

Nix was fiery on the field, but he brushed off the fight after practice.

“I love it,” the QB said. “It’s football. It’s getting me ready for the games coming up. It’s a physical practice out there, played by physical people. It got intense and we were just really enjoying it. Sometimes in the dog days of summer, practice gets long, and the intensity runs high.”

Thankfully, Nix wasn’t injured. With the quarterback returning from a broken ankle, though, Denver’s coaching staff can’t allow tempers to boil over like that again. Here are five other quick takeaways from Tuesday’s practice.

training camp

1. Broncos injury report: Denver center Alex Forsyth (unknown), linebacker Drew Sanders (unknown), wide receiver Michael Bandy (unknown), tight end Caleb Lohner (knee), linebacker Levelle Bailey (broken leg) and offensive lineman Nick Gargiulo (PUP) remain sidelined. Broncos Luke Wattenberg (unknown) and wide receiver Marvin Mims (unknown) both participated in the walk-through portion of practice before later moving to a side field.

2. Welcome to the NFL, Justin Joly: The rookie tight end was at the center of a dust-up during practice. Not long after that, Joly caught a pass and was “de-cleated” by rookie linebacker Taurean York, much to the delight of Denver’s defense. Joly later had an opportunity to catch a deep pass from quarterback Sam Ehlinger but dropped it as he went to the ground. It’s still early, but Joly’s having some growing pains. He’ll get an opportunity to bounce back tomorrow, and in Friday’s preseason game.

3. Broncos’ battle for ILB3 role continues: Denver lost Levelle Bailey to a broken leg in last week’s preseason opener, and coach Sean Payton said it’s too soon to know if the inside linebacker will be able to return later this season. The list of remaining candidates for the third- and fourth-string linebacker spots includes Karene Reid, seventh-round draft pick Red Murdock and undrafted rookie Taurean York. “They got good snaps, valuable snaps, both on defense [and special teams],” Payton said on Tuesday when asked about those young ILBs. “So it was good. It was good exposure for them, part of the process. We did a lot of things we wanted to accomplish, so it was good to see those guys get the work.” It wouldn’t be surprising if the Broncos watch the waiver wire for a veteran linebacker after roster cuts, because while the young LBs are showing some promise, none of them appear ready to serve as a fill-in starter if called upon.

4. Don’t forget about Courtland Sutton: Jaylen Waddle is the exciting new wide receiver in Denver, but Sutton remains the club’s “X” receiver going into the 2026 campaign. Sutton impressed with a small sample size last week, hauling in all three targets for 60 yards, including a 40-yard grab that set up the team’s first touchdown. “When you’re his size, there are going to be traffic catches, and one of the things that he does well is position himself in areas where it’s a nice target for the QB,” Payton said of Sutton. “I prefer bigger receivers like that for that reason. I think it’s a game that’s played in close quarters, and so the catch radius for the QB throwing it to him is larger.”

5. Jonah Coleman continues to be a camp winner: The rookie running back rushed four times for 24 yards last week, and he continues to impress Denver’s coaching staff. “Look, he’s had a good camp, and I liked his balance coming out of some of the tackles,” Payton said of Coleman’s NFL debut. The rookie played just 14 snaps before resting on the sideline with the team’s starters. Broncos offensive coordinator Davis Webb said after Tuesday’s practice that the coaches collectively said “we’re good” after one of Coleman’s impressive runs. “He did what he needed we needed to do. He’s been great the last three weeks … he’s been consistent.”

“We’re good.”

One run from Jonah Coleman vs the Falcons was all the Broncos staff needed to see from the rookie runningback; No further questions, your honor. #BroncosCamp#BroncosCountrypic.twitter.com/fFwUZmUFL8

— 92.5 FM – Denver’s Altitude Sports Radio (@AltitudeSR) August 18, 2026

Denver’s players will return to the field for the 14th and final day of training camp practice tomorrow. The Broncos still have another week of preseason practice, but the sessions won’t be considered training camp after Wednesday. Football season is right around the corner.

Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.

This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: 5 takeaways from Broncos’ penultimate training camp practice