Broncos' free Invesco practice: Not exactly passing grades

Great idea for the Broncos to stage a free practice session at Invesco Field last night. Problem is, the event gave many more folks than those who visit training camp at Dove Valley -- more than 13,000, reportedly -- an opportunity to see just how unimpressive quarterback Kyle Orton looks...

By Michael Roberts

August 7, 2009

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Great idea for the Broncos to stage a free practice session at Invesco Field last night. Problem is, the event gave many more folks than those who visit training camp at Dove Valley -- more than 13,000, reportedly -- an opportunity to see just how unimpressive quarterback Kyle Orton looks thus far. As seen in the video above, shot by a Broncos fan, the crowd was thrilled to watch the team skip down the turf to the sound of T.I.'s "Live Your Life" and even cheered a successful punt (probably because a previous one got blocked). But Orton had difficulty completing passes, especially downfield, and even his dump offs looked far from crisp. At this point, Orton's getting a decent amount of love from the Broncos faithful, due largely to the fact that Jay Cutler has been such a dick (or a pussy -- take your choice) of late. But that'll all change if he competes during the regular season as he did last night.

Become A Member

BEFORE YOU GO...
Can you help us continue to share our stories? Since the beginning, Westword has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver — and we'd like to keep it that way. Our members allow us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls.

Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

Contact: Michael Roberts

Follow:

Facebook: 111180895657427

Twitter: @mikerobertscolo