3 moves the Denver Broncos got right and 2 they will regret in 2023
The Denver Broncos have had yet another eventful offseason as the team attempts to do whatever it can to keep up with Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West and, really, the NFL in general. That’s certainly not an easy task.
The Broncos have been looking for every edge possible in recent years, making a change at general manager in 2021 by hiring George Paton (formerly of the Vikings), trading for Russell Wilson in 2022, and making another blockbuster move to acquire head coach Sean Payton from the Saints in 2023.
More on that in a bit.
What moves did the Denver Broncos make in 2023 to get closer to potentially beating the Chiefs, maybe even making it happen in 2023 (for the first time since 2015)? Which moves did they get right and which ones might they regret?
Denver Broncos got it right by hiring HC Sean Payton
The Denver Broncos hired Sean Payton as their new head coach this offseason, but unlike the traditional hiring process every year in the NFL, this one came at a unique cost. The Broncos had to go through proper channels with the NFL and the New Orleans Saints just to be able to speak with Payton, at which point they would have to not only gauge Payton’s interest but also come to an agreement with the Saints in a trade.
Ultimately, the Broncos and Payton found each other to be a match, and a deal was worked out with the Saints to send a 1st (2023) and 2nd-round pick (2024) New Orleans’ direction in exchange for Payton and a 3rd (2024). The details of Payton’s financial compensation haven’t been officially revealed, but it’s expected that he’s among the top-five highest-paid coaches in the league.
And understandably so.
This is a guy who, in all his years with the Saints, only once had an offense worse than 12th in the league in points per game. That was the 2021 season when Jameis Winston was on pace in the first six weeks for 50 touchdown passes before tearing his ACL, paving the way for Taysom Hill to take the lion’s share of snaps at QB the rest of the way.
That team still finished 9-8, by the way…
Payton is one of the best coaches in league history in terms of winning percentage. His Saints teams were good besides just Drew Brees and Payton is known for his offensive genius. I don’t know that you can really put a price on that given how desperate the Denver Broncos are/were to have someone like him in the head coach’s chair, especially to try and revive Russell Wilson coming off of a career-worst year.