The Denver Broncos have to upgrade the backup QB position in 2023, and they’ve got the right man in the head coach’s chair to do exactly that. Sean Payton has a history of putting QBs in position to succeed, believe it or not, even though there are many people on the internet who would lead you to believe differently.
But Sean Payton had Drew Brees while he was in New Orleans! That’s not fair! He rode the coattails of a Hall of Fame QB to all his head coaching success!
Broncos HC Sean Payton has made a habit of making QBs money
How quickly fans seem to forget history. When Sean Payton and the Saints struck a deal with Drew Brees, he was a castoff of the San Diego Chargers. He was damaged goods. The Chargers didn’t want him. He hit free agency, for crying out loud.
Under Sean Payton, Brees went on to become a Hall of Fame QB who made over $256 million over the course of his career with the Saints.
How about some others? After going 5-0 in a stint with Payton and the Saints following a gruesome injury he suffered in Minnesota, Teddy Bridgewater hit free agency and signed a three-year deal worth $63 million in Carolina.
Jameis Winston — a former number one overall pick who walked the plank in Tampa Bay — parlayed a seven-game hot streak with the Saints in 2021 into a two-year deal worth $28 million.
Taysom Hill, who isn’t even a quarterback really, has made almost $32 million in his NFL career thanks to Sean Payton putting him in positions to have success.
Needless to say, it wouldn’t be shocking in the slightest if Payton were able to lure a reclamation project to the Denver Broncos in 2023 as Russell Wilson’s backup. Although Wilson didn’t have the highest-profile backups while he was in Seattle, that could end up changing dramatically this year in Denver because Sean Payton has somewhat of a history of bringing in high-profile guys.
Which quarterbacks could be available in 2023 and would fit this “reclamation” label?
1. Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints (cap casualty or trade candidate)
Let’s get this one out of the way first, because it’s arguable whether or not Jameis Winston qualifies for this title of “reclamation project” at this point. I am saying that he does because Sean Payton never really got to see the work he started with Winston finished in their time with the Saints.
In Sean Payton’s final year with New Orleans, Jameis Winston was his QB1. Winston started the first seven games and was on pace for over 50 touchdowns. He had his highest TD percentage ever, but most impressively, he had cut his interception percentage down to the lowest it’s ever been in the pros.
When Sean Payton talks about fitting his offense to what the players do best, he’s not just pumping fluff for the cameras and writers like me. He’s putting it into practice. Remember, Jameis Winston threw 30 interceptions in his final season with the Buccaneers under noted offensive expert Bruce Arians.
It should come as no shock that things changed dramatically two years later for Winston in Sean Payton’s program. But, unfortunately, Winston would tear his ACL in the seventh game of that season, and we wouldn’t get to see how long he could sustain the success he’d come to find in New Orleans.
He played so well, however, that the Saints had really no choice but to give him a new contract in 2022, one they could get out of here in 2023. Winston may not be in the team’s immediate plans as they potentially pursue the likes of Derek Carr when he becomes available. If Winston hits free agency, it stands to reason the Denver Broncos would have interest in him as a backup to Russell Wilson.
2. Zach Wilson, New York Jets (trade candidate)
If the New York Jets are selling Zach Wilson at a bargain price, this could very well be the move. Wilson is not the most well-liked QB in the league right now, for a variety of reasons. So far, the former no. 2 overall pick out of BYU has stunk as an NFL quarterback.
He’s got Jets fans clamoring for Mike White and tattoo-Tebow out there. Nathaniel Hackett might have his work cut out for him.
But for the right price, it might be worth giving Wilson a change of scenery, back to the mountainous areas he’s more accustomed to. What do we know of Wilson at this point? Well, he needs his game to be honed in drastically. The Jets fired Mike LaFleur this offseason in part because of the failure to develop Wilson over these last two seasons.
As it turns out, playing backyard QB like he did oftentimes at BYU doesn’t translate in the NFL. Wilson has a playmaker mentality but he doesn’t do the little things well right now. When the Broncos have played against him, he’s shown an ability to avoid pressure and get outside the pocket, but when the ball is in the air after that, you tend to hold your breath.
I’m not certain the Jets would move on from Wilson this quickly, but if they can land someone like Aaron Rodgers or Derek Carr, maybe they would. If they are willing to put Wilson on the trade block for the cheap, I could see Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos taking an interest there.
3. Sam Darnold, Carolina Panthers (2023 free agent)
The Denver Broncos saw Sam Darnold up-close-and-personal last season when they took a trip to Carolina. Unlike the Drew Lock game against the Panthers in 2020, this particular matchup went in favor of the Panthers with Darnold making some of the best throws we’ve seen from him as a pro.
Is that hyperbole? I don’t think so, he was out there dropping dimes in that game.
Darnold helped the Panthers’ resurgence there at the end of the 2022 season as the team finished 6-6 under interim coach Steve Wilks. The Panthers were 4-2 with Darnold at the helm and he managed to throw seven touchdowns with only three interceptions in those six starts.
It was a smaller sample size, of course, but Darnold’s six games in 2022 included his best touchdown percentage (5.0) and best interception percentage (2.1) as a professional. Darnold is still just 25 years old and the talent is obviously there for him.
Just like Jameis Winston once upon a time, Darnold needs a bit of reining in when it comes to being careless with the ball. He’s been prone to turnovers dating back to his time at USC. Like I said before, Sean Payton took a guy in Jameis Winston who threw 30 interceptions in 2019 to being on pace for 50 touchdowns two years later.
From Darnold’s perspective, the chance to work with a coach like Payton and have him help with his craft has got to be appealing, especially because teams aren’t likely going to be lining up to have him as a starter this offseason. Darnold is going to have to swallow his pride, sign as a backup, and hope for the best.
It’s hard to think of a better situation than Denver now with Sean Payton, and we don’t even yet know the rest of his offensive staff.
4. Baker Mayfield, Los Angeles Rams (2023 free agent)
Many Denver Broncos fans were furious when the team decided not to use its high waiver priority on Baker Mayfield this past year, especially because the team could have used him or gotten a look at him down the stretch of the season. Although, in hindsight, what does it really matter, right?
It’s not like the Broncos kept the offensive staff intact.
At any rate, the Rams made what I believe to be a wise move by claiming Mayfield and he provided some excitement for that franchise down the stretch. I would be shocked if Sean McVay and company didn’t have a leg up on re-signing Mayfield this offseason as the backup to Matthew Stafford, but I could also see a scenario where the former top overall pick could be a great fit in Denver behind Russell Wilson.
You look at the size profile of the two guys and you see the obvious similarities. You also look at the fact that — like all of the players on this list — Mayfield could significantly benefit from playing for a coach like Sean Payton, who builds the offense to his player’s strengths.
In Los Angeles, Mayfield would be running an offense — Sean McVay’s offense — that can be adjusted to Mayfield’s weaknesses but it wouldn’t necessarily be built around his strengths. Although that offense, in particular, seems to suit Baker’s game pretty well.
The difference in Denver is, you’re not molding the player to the scheme, you’re molding the scheme to the player. And Sean Payton has done a good job of that throughout his career, and frankly, that’s what Baker Mayfield needs.
Many Broncos fans have been enamored by Mayfield since the lead-up to the 2018 NFL Draft when it seemed the Broncos might have an actual shot at him. He ended up going 1st overall to the Browns, but this could now be the second chance the Broncos have to grab him and get him into their program. With Sean Payton at the helm, it may make more sense now than ever.
5. Drew Lock, Seattle Seahawks OR Teddy Bridgewater, Miami Dolphins (2023 free agents)
I can already just feel the seething coming from the comments section, the boo birds out in full force.
Who is this “writer” suggesting Drew Lock return to the Denver Broncos? I can’t believe anyone in their right mind would suggest this! It’s amazing what so-called “experts” will put out there these days. Clickbait!
Alright, just hear me out on this. The adults can have a conversation here. As a backup QB option, I wouldn’t hate the return of Drew Lock to Denver. If Brock Osweiler can come back to the Broncos after this…
…then there’s zero doubt in my mind that fences could be mended between the Broncos and Drew Lock. Is this the likeliest scenario? Absolutely not. Drew Lock probably doesn’t want to come back to the organization that just traded him a year ago. But what if playing for Sean Payton is the best thing for his career? Maybe Drew will have more options than meets the eye. Maybe Andy Reid will come calling, or maybe Kyle Shanahan.
Then again, the people who were in charge of the Broncos when Lock was drafted are not around. Vic Fangio, who seemingly hated Drew Lock, is not around. Pat Shurmur is not around. Lock could carve out a nice role for himself if he’s willing to be the backup to Russell Wilson and I think that would be a high-upside play given Payton’s history of putting QBs in positions to succeed.
Speaking of, what about another reunion? How about Teddy “two gloves” Bridgewater back to Denver? Again, it seems unlikely from Teddy’s perspective that he would want to come back to the Broncos, but everyone has their price, don’t they?
3 things we learned from Sean Payton’s introductory presser
The Denver Broncos introduced their 20th head coach in franchise history Monday afternoon as Sean Payton talked for the first time in Dove Valley.
He might not be as high-upside at this point, but he does have history with Sean Payton and he has history with the Broncos. You never know.