ENGLEWOOD — Newcomer safety Brandon Jones missed nearly all of Broncos training camp and preseason with a hamstring injury before his starting debut in Week 1.

Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph didn’t mince words on the challenging path.

“That’s always a concern,” Joseph said last month at Broncos Park. “Because obviously playing football and being in the meeting room is different.”

Jones passed the test in a 26-20 loss to the Seahawks. He made six tackles playing on 46-of-67 total defensive snaps. Coach Sean Payton described Jones as “overall solid” in his first Broncos game since signing a three-year, $20-million contract in March.

“We were kind of pleased with, call it, his re-entry into a game,” Payton said of Jones. “I mentioned during the week, it was a little concerning. The worry is also a recurrence of an injury with someone who maybe hadn’t played as much. He’s really smart mentally, and he’ll be able to clean off some of the rust.”

Jones, after practice Wednesday at Broncos Park, told The Denver Gazette he was “definitely excited” to play after missing all three preseason games.

“My biggest thing was that I knew I was going to be a little rusty when it comes to tackling,” Jones said. “I was worried about my cardio, just because the way I play and running all over the field. But it went pretty well.”

Familiarity aided his transition. The Broncos’ starting safety duo in Week 1 — P.J. Locke and Jones — were college teammates at the University of Texas (2016-18). That’s why Locke was quick to answer when asked if there were any communication gaps against the Seahawks.

“No communication gaps at all,” Locke said. “He was on point with everything.”

Jones added: “We have a good feel, we’ve played with each other before. So, we know strengths weaknesses, what to expect, and where each other are going to be. A lot of that stuff is just understood. Which is pretty amazing.”

Jones played it safe through training camp with limited on-field participation. But his approach in film study and beyond impressed teammates. There are terminology differences between Miami and Denver playbooks. But his understanding of the Broncos’ scheme is now “130 percent,” Jones said.

“He was always paying attention in meetings,” safety Devon Key said. “Always out there for the walkthroughs. Just taking in those mental reps. He’s a vet, so he knows what he’s doing.”

Jones, 26, signals a new era for the Broncos defense with veteran safety Justin Simmons released and signed with the Falcons. Jones embraces lofty expectations to become the new voice of their secondary.

His big-picture goal this season?

“To kind of prove to not only myself, but to my teammates, just how valuable I can be. I’ve really grown from a leadership standpoint. This is the first time in my career that I’ve been put in a situation where I’m one of the old heads. I’m really taking it upon myself to lead by more than just by example. … Be versatile and just show everybody I can do a lot of different things.”