Denver Gazette38%
D.J. Jones offers another Broncos boast about breaking Bears’ sack mark 18%
By Chris Tomasson27%
8/5/2026, 4:38:37 PM
BS Summary: This article contains 24 faulty reasoning types, including Status Quo Bias, Halo Effect, and Anecdotal, with Optimism Bias as the most egregious example at 9.7% saturation with 104 hits. Analysis detected 749 faulty-reasoning hits from 1,074 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 26.6% and a BS Rank of 18% (23,543 of 28,475 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 82.70% of the article peer group.
ENGLEWOOD — The Broncos are continuing to sound off about breaking Chicago’s NFL sack record.
Defensive lineman Zach Allen said in June the Broncos “fully expect” to top the Bears’ 1984 mark of 72 after having 68 last season.
And nose tackle D.J.
Jones chimed in Wednesday after a training camp practice at Broncos Park.
“We can break the record,” Jones said.
Jones was asked about his confidence level in doing that.
“We got what it takes,” Jones said.
“We’ve tasted it.
Now it’s time to cook the meal, eat it and take a break.
You know how you eat a good meal and you lay down after taking a good nap and you wake up and go eat again?
We’re about to eat again.
It’s time.
We got the numbers.
We got the men.
We got the willpower.
We got free will to go do it.
So it’s up to us and we’re going to do it.”
The 1984 Bears featured Hall of Fame linemen Richard Dent and Dan Hampton , who had 17.5 and 11.5 sacks, respectively.
The Denver Gazette reached out Wednesday to Hampton about the Broncos’ boasts.
“Every golfer thinks they can shoot 59,” Hampton said.
“It’s certainly possible to break our record.
Lots has to go right.
We will see.”
The 1984 Bears, who set the record the year before winning Super Bowl XX, played a 16-game season.
Hampton said if Denver doesn’t break the mark in 16 games but does in the 17 th and final game, it should require an asterisk.
“Heck, yeah,” Hampton said.
“Do the math.”
Denver’s top sackers last season were outside linebacker Nik Bonitto with 14, outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper with eight, defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers with 7.5 and Allen with seven.
Franklin-Myers left to sign with Tennessee as a free agent.
“It didn’t matter who we lost,” Jones said.
“We still have our core group.”
Eyioma Uwazurike, who had 3.5 sacks last season in a reserve role, is a leading candidate to replace Franklin-Myers.
“He can’t be blocked,” Jones said.
“He’s a man, he’s a grown man.
… He’s scary.”
One sack Broncos coach Sean Payton didn’t want to see Wednesday was defensive lineman Malcolm Roach dropping Bo Nix during the third padded practice of camp.
With quarterbacks not supposed to be hit in practices, it was unintentional.
“You just have to be smart,” Payton said.
Waddle ‘fine’ after leaving practice
For the third time in three days, Payton said a player was “fine” after leaving practice and not returning.
On Wednesday, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle left practice after suffering what Payton called “muscle tightness.”
“We’ll evaluate him,” Payton said.
“I think he’ll be fine.”
Payton used the “fine” description after center Luke Wattenberg left practice Monday and outside linebacker Nik Bonitto departed Tuesday.
Wattenberg has not participated the past two days and Bonitto was out Wednesday.
Also missing the past two days of practice has been wide receiver Courtland Sutton, whom Payton on Tuesday said sat out due to “load management” issues.
Payton said Sutton will be back practicing Thursday.
Others sitting out Wednesday were cornerback Jaden Robinson, outside linebacker Dasan McCullough and tight end Caleb Lohner, who has yet to practice in training camp due to left knee surgery.
For the third straight day, outside linebacker Dondrea Tillman didn’t do team drills.
Denver Broncos quarterbacks Jarrett Stidham (8), Sam Ehlinger (4), and Bo Nix (10) warm up near the stands during the first day fans were allowed at Broncos training camp on Friday, July 31, 2026.
(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)
Payton claims ‘no official battle’
Although the Broncos are rotating Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger with the second team in practices, Payton claimed “there’s been no official battle” for the backup job.
Stidham was the backup last season and Ehlinger was third string.
Payton said the Broncos have a rotation in training camp, which featured Stidham with the third team Wednesday.
When asked March 31 at the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix about if Ehlinger could push Stidham, Payton said that “we see competition” and “there’s nothing that is etched in stone” for the backup job.
And last Friday, Payton said there’s “competition” at the “quarterback position.”
Payton did compliment Ehlinger’s play so far in camp.
“He gets in and out of some plays maybe,” Payton said.
“He can move.
I like how he’s looked.
… I think he’s done a lot of good things.
… He’s fitting right in.”
With Wattenberg out, Alex Forsyth was the center for the first team, Calvin Throckmorton for the second team and rookie Gavin Ortega for the third team.
Payton lauds rookie Coleman
Asked about players who have pleasantly surprised him in the first week of camp, Payton first named fourth-round pick Jonah Coleman.
“You don’t feel a rookie with Jonah,” Payton said of the running back.
“He’s playing.”
Payton also lauded “young linebackers” on the team but didn’t name any.
The Broncos have second-year man Karene Reid and rookies Red Murdock and Taurean York at inside linebacker.
As for rookie tight end Justin Joly, a fifth-round pick, Payton said he’s “coming” along.
“There’s a lot of development still for his game,” said Payton, adding he’s “anxious” to see hopeful progression by Joly as camp continues.
Payton said seven total coaches will miss Saturday’s practice to go to Canton, Ohio, for the Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement of Drew Brees.
Payton, who coached the quarterback in New Orleans and will be his presenter, said the Broncos still will have a normal practice with defensive coordinator Vance Joseph in charge.
… Wednesday’s two-hour, 15-minute workout featured cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine intercepting Nix in a pass intended for Marvin Mims Jr. near the sideline.
“He’s strong, he’s big and he’s having a real good start to camp,” Payton said of Abrams-Draine.
… Wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey, 28, had several catches in the workout.
Payton said the eight-year veteran has lost weight and is faster, which he called “unusual for someone his age.”
… NFL officials worked the practice and met with the Broncos.
Asked about areas of emphasis for officials this season, Payton said “there aren’t a ton” and there’s “nothing remarkable.”
… Payton signed a bunch of autographs after the practice.
He joked he was going to sign one for a “kid that had a birthday” but then “100 others had a birthday.”
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5speakers50%attributed speech535writer words
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100%flagged-word coverageZach Allen
24 attributed words4.5% of attributed speech16% writer coverage
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