Today is the final day of the Denver Broncos’ 2026 minicamp, and Head Coach Sean Payton has laid out exactly what he expects from his players this season. About sixty players are participating in this minicamp, including the Broncos’ seven draft picks.

What left rookies, free agents, and veterans alike in awe was Payton’s vision for the team. According to reports from denverbroncos.com, Payton did not limit his attention to just the new draft class.

He believes that the three-day camp helps all participants get up to speed with each other.

The first thing Payton did during the minicamp’s team meeting was stress that “once you're here, how you got here is really not important.”

He said that the player’s background was irrelevant and all that mattered was their performance. Any time a player caught his eye, he referred to the roster to check who it was.

According to Payton, “Your worst fear is that someone leaves here and then you hear about them later somewhere else. So, they're all going to get evaluated.”

He then explained exactly how the minicamp participants would be evaluated. The players’ effort and talent definitely mattered. But first and foremost, he wanted to check if the player knew the basics of what they had to do. 

The next step was to see whether they could follow instructions and learn from the coaches. Finally, there was their skill level, that is, how good they were at implementing the things they were learning. 

These were qualities that made players stand out. Payton spoke about tight end Caleb Lohner, citing him as one such example. He reminisced about how Lohner had been a draft pick last year who stood out from the rest. 

Fast forward a year, and he has become a different player altogether. Payton had noted his “athleticism” and “learning and growth curve,” and Lohner himself believes that he can make a difference this season.

Meanwhile, star QB Bo Nix’s absence has been noticeable, with Jarrett Stidham taking his place during the camp. But that does not seem to be a permanent placement. 

Sean Payton Provides Update On Bo Nix's Recovery

The minicamp has shed light on more than just the team’s roster prospects. Broncos head coach Sean Payton provided an update on Bo Nix’s health, something that has kept Denver fans on edge for months. 

Per reports from The Athletic, Payton has stated that Nix is doing better following his follow-up procedure two weeks ago. He further revealed that there was a chance the quarterback would be back in time for the team’s June training camp.

"You guys will have a chance to see it here in a few weeks. Clearly, full speed by training camp. We just want to be smart relative to holding him back a little,” stated Payton. 

Bo Nix’s recovery has been a sensitive issue over the past few weeks, even causing friction between him and Coach Payton. Nix himself is yet to release a statement about how he is faring.

But there’s no doubt that Denver fans would be glad to see the QB back on the field soon.

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Written by

Arundhoti Palit

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit