D.J. Jones has seen just about everything in the NFL.<\/p>\n
In his ninth season, he\u2019ll make at least one addition to the list.<\/p>\n
The veteran defensive tackle will see a \u201cC\u201d on his jersey each week when he puts it on.<\/p>\n
Jones was voted captain by his teammates, head coach Sean Payton announced Wednesday, making him one of eight for the Broncos in 2025.\u00a0He highlights a set that also includes quarterback Bo Nix, who earned the nod for a second straight year.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an honor and it\u2019s something that I\u2019ll never take for granted,\u201d Nix said. \u201c\u2026 It means a lot that teammates expect me and want to put me in that position. I want to be as good as I can be in that spot and make it worth the pick.\u201d<\/p>\n
Receiver Courtland Sutton earned the title for the fifth straight year, safety Talanoa Hufanga became the only Denver newcomer to make captain, and the group is rounded out by a pair of 2024 first-team All-Pros (right guard Quinn Meinerz and cornerback Pat Surtain II), inside linebacker Alex Singleton and kicker Wil Lutz. They are all multiple-time selections in Denver.<\/p>\n
Jones is perhaps the most interesting of the group because he\u2019s been a respected player and a leader for Denver\u2019s defense since arriving here in the spring of 2022, but this is his first time being voted captain.<\/p>\n
\u201cD.J. brings an infectious personality to the locker room, and he brings a lot of energy, and he\u2019s always a guy that\u2019s willing to do anything to serve his teammates,\u201d Surtain said. \u201cWhen he got voted a captain, I was very happy for him. He deserves it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Captain Court. Sutton\u2019s inclusion is old hat now, but neither he nor his teammates take the nod for granted.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s something I don\u2019t carry lightly,\u201d Sutton said. \u201cI understand the weight that it carries, and I don\u2019t take it for granted.\u201d<\/p>\n
The receiver\u2019s been a captain every year since Surtain\u2019s been in the NFL.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just think his leadership resonates throughout the whole locker room,\u201d Surtain said. \u201cHe\u2019s a selfless leader. He always puts his teammates first. He has his teammates\u2019 back at the end of the day, and when you come out here on the gridiron and practice, you see a guy who does the little things the right way. \u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you\u2019ve got a leader and captain like that, you have no choice but to follow.\u201d<\/p>\n
One newcomer. Hufanga is the only newcomer of the eight to get a captain nod. The 25-year-old safety has fit in seamlessly and will be a staple player for the Broncos.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s new, so he\u2019s going to be a little more quiet, but it\u2019s the work he puts in on the field and what he does off the field, too,\u201d Surtain said. \u201c\u2026 It wasn\u2019t no surprise to me he\u2019d be voted as captain.\u201d<\/p>\n
Second time\u2019s the charm. Most players dream of getting a big contract extension and being named captain. Meinerz, though, said those two happenings for him in the summer of 2024 caused him to start the season in \u201cmental turmoil.\u201d<\/p>\n
The All-Pro\u2019s been open about the pressure he put on himself and the way it negatively impacted his game a year ago. Now a captain again, Meinerz has no such choppy water to deal with.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was battling a lot of things mentally regarding that,\u201d he said. \u201cBut I figured it out, worked through it, found advice from some of the veterans in our room. Finding my own path has been a big thing for me. \u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve found out what works for me, and I feel like I\u2019m in a way better spot than I was a year ago at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n
Injury report. The first injury report of the season featured little in the way of surprise but one big concern.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw not practicing due to the quad injury he\u2019s dealt with on and off since April. Tight end Nate Adkins (ankle) was also a DNP.<\/p>\n
OLB Nik Bonitto (foot), WR Marvin Mims Jr. (thigh) and ILB Alex Singleton (thumb) were all full participants.<\/p>\n