Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning has begun working with his receivers and garnered glowing reviews from the players who have caught his passes. And Manning says the work they’ve already put in -- before the start of the team’s offseason program -- will pay dividends when the season starts in five months.
Manning said in an interview on the Broncos’ website that he believes work he’s doing with the Broncos’ receivers now is going to make a difference during the regular season.
“These workouts, they’re so rewarding,” Manning said. “You don’t feel it, necessarily, right now, but you know it’s going to pay dividends in the fall. When there’s a third-and-5 and there’s a pass pattern you complete to Eric Decker, and you say, ‘We worked on that back in April and May, and that time we put in was worth it because it came on a critical third-down conversion or a touchdown pass.’ I’ve seen that first-hand over the course of my career, that offseason work makes a big difference come fall. You can’t just show up in September and expect to be successful, expect to win games. And so this offseason work is critical. I’ve enjoyed the time, getting to know these receivers, they’re kind of getting to know me. It’s a marathon now, no question about it. It’s not a sprint. We do have some time, and the more we can do with it the better off we’re going to be.”
The Broncos’ offseason workout program begins on Monday, and that will be the first time that Manning can, by rule, be coached on the Broncos’ offense. But he’s already spent plenty of time coaching his receivers in the Manning offense.