ORLANDO, Fla. — Broncos coach Sean Payton outlined key personnel decisions made over the past month, the team’s free agency strategy so far and looked ahead to the 2024 season Monday morning as part of the NFL’s annual spring meeting.
In his first public comments since Denver released quarterback Russell Wilson and safety Justin Simmons and traded receiver Jerry Jeudy to Cleveland, Payton talked about whether it’s realistic to trade up in the draft for a quarterback, Jarrett Stidham’s opportunity and much more.
Here are a few key takeaways from 37 minutes with Payton.
The Broncos coach says trading up is “realistic”
Payton: “I think (trading up) realistic. It’s realistic. What’s hard to predict, though, is what’s on the receiving end. It’s good to be (general manager Monti Ossenfort) today at Arizona. It’s hard to predict what that cost is and yet I certainly wouldn’t say it’s unrealistic. We’ll pay close attention to it.”
Analysis: Payton wasn’t shedding much light on Denver’s draft plans specifically. But he made it clear that moving up from No. 12 is on the table despite the Broncos having less 2024 draft capital than any team in the top 15. Payton talked about quarterbacks at length, including the 2024 draft class. He wasn’t at Michigan’s pro day, for example, but he said they put J.J. McCarthy through a multi-hour private workout the next day and “made him throw all over again.”
Payton also said he thinks there are still candidates in the NFL, too, whether via trade or a free agency signing, that could be part of the solution. And of course Jarrett Stidham, “is going to compete for that position. I know he’s anxious and excited to do that. And I’m sure there will be other candidates that he’ll be competing with.”
The bottom line is this: Denver didn’t go into the offseason planning just on signing a quarterback. Payton remains committed to finding the right one. That means, essentially, by any means necessary. And that means trading up is squarely on the table if there’s a guy Denver decides can be the solution.
Losing Cushenberry and Simmons stung
Payton: “It’s difficult, especially with someone like Justin who’s really been a first-class player for the organization, someone that I know is respected highly in our league and certainly by us as coaches. That was difficult. That’s the hard part of this job sometimes. That wasn’t any fun.”
Analysis: Payton made it clear that releasing safety Justin Simmons and losing center Lloyd Cushenberry to free agency were essentially financially related decisions. That’s the reality of where the Broncos are at this point, especially with the decision to “take the medicine” as Payton said, and put $53 million of Wilson’s dead money on the 2024 books.
Cushenberry, in particular, stung the coach, though he said he was happy to see the center land a four-year deal in Tennessee worth up to $50 million. Payton, though, said Denver would have “stretched” to keep him if the team didn’t feel good about Alex Forsyth and Luke Wattenberg as potential young, cheap replacements.
The Broncos are clearly making a point to get their books in order while they’re dealing with the fallout of Wilson’s contract and that at least played a factor in the decision not to retain a pair of key contributors from the past several years.
What’s a rebuild?
Payton: “I don’t really understand that. In our league, you regroup and you get ready to play. We’re still in the midst of assembling our roster. … We’ve got to get better in a lot of areas and we’re excited to do that.”
Analysis: Payton was asked if he had any issue with people saying the Broncos are rebuilding and he responded by saying he didn’t even know what that meant.
No surprise here from Denver’s head coach. He’s never going to say anything other than Denver is doing everything it can to try to win as many games as possible. He added later that he and general manager George Paton thought they put their own stamp on last year’s roster and that they’re only trying to improve this year. Not make it more of a Payton-style team or make it a younger, cheaper roster. Just a better roster. He’ll never say anything otherwise.
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