Did Broncos CEO Greg Penner give George Paton an ultimatum?
Denver Broncos‘ CEO seems to be extremely active early in his stint running the team. Did he give George Paton a clear ultimatum?
ul·ti·ma·tum
/ˌəltəˈmādəm/
noun
a final demand or statement of terms, the rejection of which will result in retaliation or a breakdown in relations.
Did Greg Penner already put his mark on the Denver Broncos? We know that the $400,000 grass turf replacement was quite the move and proof that the new people in charge of the team will do whatever it takes to field the best possible team and create the best possible experience for the team.
We also know that Empower Field at Mile High will undergo a pricey upgrade this offseason as well. It’s clear that on the operations and experience side, the Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group is doing whatever it takes.
And as it pertains to the on-field product, that statement also seems to hold true.
The Broncos were the first team to ask the New Orleans Saints permission to speak to and interview Sean Payton for their vacant head coach opening. Part of that deal, according to reports, is that the Saints will not allow a team to speak to Payton unless the two sides are on the same page as it pertains to compensation going back to New Orleans.
Other credible reports have suggested that the asking price for Payton could be a first-round pick AND more.
Think for a second; would George Paton really be the one to trade more valuable draft capital? He’s spoken extensively about how much he values draft capital, so it would not be like him to further deplete the Broncos’ draft cupboard.
I think that Greg Penner gave George Paton an ultimatum, and basically said, “Go get a top head coach (Payton or Harbaugh) or we’ll have to look elsewhere for our GM duties.”
Perhaps it’s more complicated than this, but I do believe that it’s very possible.