ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (KDVR) — Twenty-nine days to kickoff… 29 days to get a football team ready to play on speed dial, while navigating a pandemic. No problem…right?

“It’s a balance we have to be conscious of the entire time, everything’s squeezed up,” head coach Vic Fangio said.

Right now it’s about forced assimilation, with a new system and new teammates. It’s the kind of stuff you simply can’t do justice to over a series of Zoom meetings.

“The team that gels, that team that catches the hot hand-that’s the team to be afraid of”, new running back Melvin Gordon warned, “we got to come out here and be consistent”.

In the meantime, as in any year, just staying healthy is a key. The challenge is heightened by the very real twist of a still not controlled virus.

“Everyone wants to be prepared in every aspect”, tight end Noah Fant noted, “so when we get to the games we’ll be ready”.

Not like any season isn’t challenging enough this year. Half the battle will just be getting to the season. The Broncos take another step towards that on Monday, when they don pads for the first time.