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Grading George Paton’s first year as Broncos GM

By Travis Wakeman

Oct 31, 2021; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos general manager George Paton before the game against the Washington Football Team at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 31, 2021; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos general manager George Paton before the game against the Washington Football Team at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /
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Denver Broncos, Ronald Darby
Dec 7, 2020; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Football Team cornerback Ronald Darby (23) breaks up a pass intended or Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver James Washington (13) during the first quarter at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

Broncos free agency

When the free-agent signing period began, it was clear that Paton and his staff were intent on upgrading the cornerback position. That was the biggest hole on the roster, so it was the right spot to target.

He signed both Ronald Darby and Kyle Fuller. Both of those moves looked promising at the time, but neither paid off well in 2021. They weren’t the worst moves, but they were far from good ones.

Paton also signed some familiar faces to him from his time with the Minnesota Vikings in Mike Boone and Shamar Stephen, but both of them were fairly quiet in Denver.

The biggest moves he made were to re-sign two of the best defensive players on the roster in Justin Simmons and Shelby Harris. Those were considered to be the biggest moves the team needed to make entering the offseason (outside of the quarterback spot) and Paton accomplished that.

Simmons was given a four-year, $61 million extension while Harris was given a three-year, $27 million extension.

However, and there is a however here, it wasn’t a perfect month of March for Paton, though some Broncos fans may disagree.

The decision to place a right of first refusal restricted free-agent tender on running back Phillip Lindsay only to rescind that two days later, making him a free agent, was utterly horrible.

Perhaps Lindsay wasn’t the biggest back in the league and perhaps he wasn’t a bright spot in Pat Shurmur’s offensive outlook, but I don’t know what more you would want a guy to do. Lindsay was literally one of the best stories the Broncos have had in the last five years and the Broncos just inexplicably washed it away.

It didn’t make sense then and it likely never will. So, the grade down a notch for that reason.

Grade: C+

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