Even 53 weeks later, Sean Payton’s disgust with his first season as the Broncos head coach is palpable.
Even after a 10-7 regular season and return to the playoffs — albeit a brief one after Sunday’s wild-card loss to Buffalo — established a new benchmark for success, the sins of the past lingered in the coach’s mind.
Even as Payton said Wednesday that he was adamant about only looking forward, the extent of his optimism about the future is measured perhaps most colorfully by considering just how cloudy January of 2024 was.
“We’re a lot closer than we were a year ago,” Payton said Wednesday in Denver’s season wrap-up news conference. “That was misery, sorrow, drudgery, give me some other adjectives there.
“Brutal. I’d say that.”
Not anymore.
There’s disappointment, to be sure, about the flameout on the road. And about a chance to avoid Highmark Stadium and the No. 7 seed altogether but for a pair of losses on either side of Christmas that locked them into the AFC’s final spot.
The offseason in the NFL always arrives abruptly. Payton calls it “re-entry” into normal life.
That sensation happens every year, whether it’s after Week 18, the wild-card round or the Super Bowl.
But this offseason will feel markedly different in Denver.
“While we’re incredibly pleased with the progress, we don’t at all feel like we’re satisfied with where we are,” CEO Greg Penner said. “We know this offseason is going to be another critical one for us to build for the future.”
Payton, general manager George Paton and company will set a course of attacking weaknesses rather than slashing and burning past mistakes.
Accentuating strengths rather than trying to convince yourself that you actually have them.
Building around a quarterback rather than searching for one.
This one still requires all of the urgency, but it’s also got a chance to be fun.
“We need to have a really good offseason, have another really good plan,” Paton said. “I know we will. Sean, myself, Greg, coaches, scouts, we’ll all get together. It starts with evaluating your own team and determining your needs — your musts, your wants — and then you’re chasing. You’re trying to fill those all offseason.”
The Broncos not only exceeded external expectations on the field this year, but they answered several key roster questions thanks to a promising 2024 draft class, a shrewd set of free agency and trade acquisitions and the ascendance of several home-grown players drafted since Paton took over as general manager in 2021.
They did it despite a league-high $91 million dead money — $53 million of it attributed to Russell Wilson’s contract — and despite beginning last offseason about $20 million over the projected 2024 salary cap.
This year they’ll take on the final $32 million charge for Wilson, but they head into the offseason with about $52 million in space, Paton said Wednesday.
Despite the increased flexibility, the Broncos will try to take lessons from a free agency and offseason approach driven by necessary frugality.
“It was challenging but I think it forced us to be really sharp in our decision-making,” Penner said.
Paton and Payton found great value in contracts for safety Brandon Jones (three years, $20 million), Malcolm Roach (two years, $7 million) and John Franklin-Myers (two years, $15 million) after acquiring him from the New York Jets.
This year?
“I think we’ll be measured,” Paton said. “It worked out for us — we were very measured, we picked our spots, we were very strategic and it worked out. I just don’t think — you just can’t go crazy every year. (Payton)’s first year here, we wanted to set the tone with the offensive line (signing Mike McGlinchey and Ben Powers) and the Zach Allens of the world. We were measured last year and still got some good players, Brandon Jones, Malcolm Roach, made a few trades that we really liked.
“We’ll see. We could be really aggressive. But I think we’ll have a more measured approach and still upgrade the roster.”
The Broncos aren’t without needs. Their offensive skill position depth is not on par with most of the other postseason teams. A whopping 41 players rushed for more yardage than Denver’s leading man, Javonte Williams (513). The tight end unit combined for 455 yards. There were 25 individual tight ends in the NFL that had more than that. They need to get more athletic in the middle of their defense, too, particularly at inside linebacker and safety.
“We’re always trying to build this thing,” Paton said. “ We’re fortunate we have our guy in Bo and we just keep building, bringing in the right guys with the right makeup. Guys that fit what we’re doing schematically offensively, defensively and on special teams.”
Just a year ago, the Broncos could have felt like they were in a straightjacket. Expensive roster. Historic dead cap hit. No answer at quarterback. Needs up and down the roster.
What a difference a year can make.
“We have a rookie quarterback, we’ve got a lot going our way,” Paton said. “We’ve got $52 million in cap room, we’ve got a great coaching staff and I think the best ownership group in the NFL.
“We’ve got a lot going in our favor.”
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