Last year, former Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett rested the team’s starters for all three preseason games. Despite having a new quarterback and a new offensive scheme, Hackett decided to go into the regular season without any first-team game reps in preseason.
Hackett made that decision primarily in an effort to reduce injuries. The plan didn’t work as the Broncos were among the most-injured teams in the NFL last season.
Now the club has a new coach in Sean Payton, and he plans to play Denver’s starters during preseason this summer.
“I don’t believe in sitting all our players during three preseason games — we’re going to play them,” Payton said during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show at the Super Bowl. “This whole idea that they’re going to be healthier — we haven’t seen the data, there’s nothing that tells us [resting in preseason prevents injuries].”
Payton also said the Broncos will “have a method” to how they do it, suggesting that not every single starter will play in every single game. But they will get reps before the regular season.
Yet another change under Payton in Denver.
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