... It was a strong day for the Broncos' three rookie running backs, all of whom had explosive plays throughout the practice.

Seventh-round pick Dave Williams had perhaps the strongest run of the day, sweeping left and waiting for the hole to develop before bursting through it and galloping down the left sideline for a long gain. Williams and Freeman's vision, patience and decisive cuts have led to a slew of lengthy carries over the last few weeks.

Lindsay was active in the passing game, serving as a crucial outlet for all three quarterbacks under pressure. He frequently turned his receptions into lengthy gallops.

"He'll be a good scatback," inside linebacker Marshall said. "I think he'll be a great third-down back. He's quick. I think he can create some matchup problems."

"The running backs, all of them are doing a great job," Stewart added. "They're going to help us win a lot of games."

... Second-team defensive backs Dymonte Thomas and C.J. Smith each broke up passes from Lynch during a practice period. Thomas dove to swat away a pass from tight end Jake Butt, while Moore lunged to deflect a pass before Cracraft could nab it.

Thomas, who played in three games late last season, has caught Stewart's eye.

"He's been doing some great stuff [and] he's going to be doing some great stuff for us," Stewart said.

... Diarse was active once again. During one period, he caught consecutive passes from Kelly, first making a tip-toe grab near the right sideline, then hauling in a pass on a slant route despite blanket coverage from first-year safety Jordan Moore.

... On May 24, Marshall said at a press conference that he wanted to lose weight so he could do a better job covering tight ends, noting his goal was to be at 227 pounds.

Tuesday morning, Marshall said he weighed in at two pounds below his goal, checking in at a lean 225 pounds. It has shown in his play, as he looks faster in coverage than in previous years.

"At OTAs, I lost 11 pounds," he said. "I want to be able to more efficiently. I want to feel better on the field. I want to have less body fat. I think that's important.