The Denver Broncos head-scratching season has only become more curious since the firing of head coach Nathaniel Hackett.
As the Broncos have been coming to the defense of Russell Wilson, a move that many feel is only to make the team look good, interim head coach Jerry Rosburg decided the team should have a padded practice on Thursday.
Under the NFL’s current labor deal, the Broncos had one more padded practice for the year, a practice that isn’t required to be used. With the Broncos already eliminated from playoff contention at 4-11, Rosburg used it anyway.
Broncos players were unhappy with the decision to suit them up for meaningless practicem, according to NFL insider Mike Florio. There are only two weeks left in the season and Denver has nothing to play for. A padded practice could put players at greater risk for an unnecessary injury. Rosburg, who wasn’t even the first choice for the role after it was declined by defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, told reporter he addressed it why he chose to do it with the team. One of them was for him to get a closer look at the players than he would have in his previous role dealing with time management.
“As you know, I haven’t been doing that as my previous position in this organization,” Rosburg told reporters. “So, I need to see this, I need to see these guys. I’m paying a lot closer attention to these things this week than I have been. That’s as much for me as anyone, and our young men in that room have bought into that. They’re going to go out there today with the express purpose of getting better.”
The Broncos, who visit the Chiefs on Sunday, have lost six of their last seven games. The end of the season for the Broncos should be about ensuring players finish as healthy as possible and without crushing any more morale. Rosburg appears to be having the opposite effect.