Was it a good idea for Vic Fangio to cancel the Broncos' last minicamp practice?
Vic Fangio had the Denver Broncos players show up to their last minicamp practice expecting them to work hard for a few hours and go off to enjoy their break. However, when they showed up, they were in for a surprise.
The practice session was canceled and the players had a field day instead. Was it a bad idea for head coach Vic Fangio to sacrifice a practice heading into a busy season?
Pros and cons for Vic Fangio's Denver Broncos
Pros
By canceling practice, Vic Fangio bought some goodwill with his players. That goodwill will likely ensure a better buy-in in the future.
At the same time, since it was one day before summer break, the players will likely be in a better headspace while heading back for the season.
Additionally, by canceling practice, the Denver Broncos have minimized the risk of preseason injuries. Lastly, by changing practice to a field day, the Denver Broncos fashioned another opportunity to build chemistry which could help communication come gameday.
Cons
While canceling practice on the last day of minicamp will make players like Vic Fangio more, there's an argument to be made that they will be more tempted to slack off since he was a little soft on the decision. In addition, while the Denver Broncos took the day off, other teams did not. Those teams will be a little ahead of Vic Fangio's Denver Broncos in preseason prep.
The Denver Broncos, led by Vic Fangio, finished with one of the top ten draft picks in 2020. Did they really earn an extra day off? Rumors have been swirling around the NFL that Vic Fangio might be on the hot seat if the Denver Broncos have another down season. Can he afford to take days off like this during already limited practice times?
Another negative effect is that this could make some players hopeful for more surprise days off. If they do not get them, they could end up getting frustrated with Fangio. Such issues have a way of festering in a franchise.
This is also not the first time Vic Fangio has canceled a final practice session in his time with the Denver Broncos. He canceled the last practice of minicamp in the same way in 2019, according to The Denver Post.