Winners and Losers of NFL Free Agency in the 2023 offseason

2023 NFL Free Agency Winners: Denver Broncos

This is a rare positive moment for the Broncos. Ever since signing Russell Wilson to that five-year, $250 million extension last offseason, Denver’s situation has looked bleak.

There is reason to hope for Broncos’ fans, however. Denver was able to secure Payton as the team’s next head coach by trading a 2023 first-round pick to the Saints. The 59-year-old coach has since shut down any possibilities of Wilson having his PR team in the building.

"“I’m not too familiar with that,” Payton said when asked about Wilson having his ‘team’ in the building. “That’s foreign to me – that’s not going to take place. I’m unfamiliar with it. Our staff will be here, our players will be here and that will be it.” Sean Payton, via ESPN"

In addition to Wilson being put in his place by Payton, the Broncos have actually made some solid football moves in free agency.

Protecting the quarterback was something Denver clearly valued in its free agent acquisitions, and it is a validated assessment as Wilson was sacked 55 times last season. Some of that is on the 34-year-old quarterback, but nonetheless, the Broncos’ offensive line was not good.

It was thought that the Bears were going to land Mike McGlinchey, but Denver was far more aggressive in the pursuit of the former 49ers’ tackle, signing McGlinchey to a five-year, $87.5 million deal with $50 million guaranteed. In addition, Denver also got reinforcements in the interior by signing guard Ben Powers to a four-year, $52 million deal. Both of these acquisitions are examples of overpaying, but getting protection for Wilson is key to Denver’s success in 2023.

Quarterback play was the main culprit of holding the Broncos back from contending last season, and Denver also addressed that by signing Jarrett Stidham to a two-year, $10 million deal. The former Patriots and Raiders quarterback is one of the best backup quarterbacks in the league, and if Wilson is absolutely dreadful again in 2023, the Broncos could turn to Stidham.

Another underrated signing for the Broncos this offseason was bringing in running back Samaje Perine. With Javonte Williams’ injury status heading into the offseason, Perine is someone who can step in and be a major contributor. We saw Perine outperform Joe Mixon in multiple games last season. The 27-year-old running back is more than capable of producing solid rushing numbers while giving Williams more time to get to 100% before taking on a significant role in the offense.

Replacing Bradley Chubb was another order of business for the Broncos. Denver would land Zach Allen, signing the former Cardinals’ pass rusher to a three-year, $45 million deal. The 25-year-old defensive end should be a solid contributor on the defensive line for the Broncos. Allen will not be asked to be a game-breaker as the Broncos’ defensive personnel is loaded, and not to mention that the defense will be coached by Vance Joseph, who has proven to be a defensive savant.

The Broncos are going to look a lot different than last season, mostly because of the acquisition of Sean Payton. Wilson will also be entering a make-or-break season. If the 34-year-old quarterback does not show any signs of improvement, the organization could rip the band-aid off after 2023 and deal with the dead money, rather than deal with poor production. With that being said, Denver is a major contestant to double its win total from last season, as the Broncos went 5-12 in a disastrous season.