It’s joint practice season. Which means it’s joint practice fight season.
As the Broncos prepare for a couple of sessions with a team known for extracurricular skirmishes, coach Sean Payton isn’t concerned that fights will happen.
“I think Sean [McVay] will do a great job with his team,” Payton said. “My experience—it’s been with the Chargers over the years. It’s been with the Patriots. We’ve had a lot of good work take place without any fighting, so I don’t expect that to be an issue at all.”
Payton once pulled the plug on joint practices with the Texans, after the Texans agreed to be that year’s Hard Knocks team. He was concerned players would be tempted to get chippy for the cameras.
For the coming practices between the Broncos and Rams, it helps that L.A. defensive tackle Aaron Donald — who swung a helmet last year during a joint practice with the Bengals — won’t participate. Still, Rams running back Cam Akers fought last week with Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby.
It’s fair to ask whether McVay can control his guys, and whether he wants to. Some coaches want to outwardly frown on such brouhahas, while inwardly smiling at the fire their players are demonstrating.
So it will be interesting to see what happens, and even more interesting to see what Payton will have to say if/when fights break out this week.