Denver Broncos GM George Paton way too low on yet another list
Denver Broncos general manager George Paton was listed way too low on yet another subjective GM ranking list. When will he get due respect?
George Paton is one of the best general managers in the NFL.
Sure, he’s got just 18 months on the job.
Sure, the Denver Broncos were just 7-10 as a team last season.
The NFL offseason is the time for arbitrary and subjective ranking lists, and thank goodness we’re almost to the point where actual football is being played.
One list I found highly intriguing was a recent list ranking every NFL general manager with at least one year on the job.
Is it fair to say the jury is out regarding the Denver Broncos’ on-field performance since George Paton became a general manager? Of course, Paton’s work as a GM is not limited to what we saw on the field in 2021.
Some purists might argue against that, but them’s the facts.
On this particular list, Paton ranked 18th out of 27. That means that this particular analyst believes out of all non-rookie general managers in the NFL, Paton is in the bottom 10 at this particular point in time?
Pardon?
There’s nothing wrong with waiting to see how things work out, but when evaluating a general manager, I think you have to evaluate the “general manager-like” things they actually do for their job.
Let’s take a quick gander at some of the highlights for George Paton in his first 18 months on the job:
- Re-signed safety Justin Simmons to a long-term deal
- Was recognized as having the best 2021 NFL Draft class in the league
- Re-signed WRs Courtland Sutton and Tim Patrick significantly below current market value
- Acquired QB Russell Wilson in a blockbuster trade
At this point, those are merely the highlights.
Paton has made a multitude of other moves — big and small — that have led to the Denver Broncos being Super Bowl contenders in 2022.
Paton is being ranked 18th on this list for a variety of reasons. He’s only been a GM for a short time compared to others, and his team didn’t have immediate on-field success.
Interestingly enough, Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots is ranked second on this list. That’s a highly debatable take in itself, but it’s fascinating to consider the jobs Belichick and Paton have done over the last two years by comparison.
Both teams had a need for a long-term QB solution. Both teams maybe didn’t need to rebuild the roster but certainly reload.
Both teams have MVP-caliber QBs to contend with in their own division.
What have the Patriots done over the last 18 months?
Well, they:
- Spent more money in 2021 free agency than any year in franchise history
- Drafted Mac Jones with their top pick in 2021
- Made the playoffs last year
So, has Belichick done a better job as a GM over the last year than George Paton? Or would you rather take the situation the Denver Broncos are currently in?
It’s a fascinating debate, and you could do it with a variety of names on the list, but it’s hard to argue that many GMs have been better or more aggressive than Paton since he got the job.
Other than Les Snead, of course.
I think George Paton is already easily a top 5 GM in the NFL, and maybe top three. That’s going to come across as extremely hyperbolic but how many GMs have pulled off trades for Russell Wilson or similar caliber quarterbacks?
Yes, a healthy amount of judgment should be reserved for what we actually see on the field, but as far as building a roster, Paton deserves a ton of credit for doing things the right way at this point in time.