5 key takeaways from Broncos GM George Paton’s pre-Draft presser
Broncos pre-draft presser takeaway no. 5: Paton’s philosophy on early impact
Many mock draft scenarios floating around Twitter these days involve a clear attack on perceived needs.
The Broncos aren’t going to pressure themselves into doing that, at least not according to what George Paton said about being in a “window” with Russell Wilson as the QB.
"I don’t look at it as a window. ‘Russ’ is a young 33, he wants to play until he’s 40. We want to take the best player. Now if he’s not quite ready Week 1, that’s fine. We want a guy to be here long-term and be the best player. So, we’re not going to take a player just because he’s ready Week 1. We want a player who’s going to be here four or five years. Russell will probably outlast them all. George Paton"
There are certainly some areas of the team that many fans would prefer the front office address early on.
The reality is, the team is under no pressure to address those particular needs because the board may fall a completely different way.
Like I said before, there may be a wide receiver sitting there at 64 the Broncos can’t pass on. There may end up being a tackle they like for the future that falls into round two they move up to get.
Draft success is not directly related to instant impact. That’s part of the pie, but it’s important to keep in mind that none of the players in Denver’s 2022 NFL Draft class were Week 1 starters last year, including cornerback Pat Surtain II.
It all turned out great anyway, as the Broncos now have three projected starters among their top four picks heading into the 2022 offseason with Baron Browning a potential fourth.
Focusing on the specific player, scheme fit, and positional value are much more important than looking at your roster and trying to address immediate needs.
There are still enough good free agents out there, that shouldn’t be necessary anyway.
Even though these pre-draft press conferences are not tell-all addresses, they bring valuable information and insight into what could happen during the Draft. It’s also fun to look back on the comments and how they line up with what the team actually ends up doing.