2. Upgrade the defensive line
In order to beat Patrick Mahomes, you have to be elite up front. Your defensive front has to be able to get to Patrick Mahomes without sending extra heat.
Adding a premiere defensive lineman is a great start. Dre’Mont Jones has liked some cryptic tweets, then tweeted he wanted to be a Denver Bronco and said he was “a Bronco for now” in an interview post-Bradley Chubb trade.
So who knows where he is mentally? If I was forced to make a decision right now, I would say he plays elsewhere in 2023.
Signing Da’ Ron Payne would neutralize that loss and could be considered an upgrade. Payne would not be the only addition to the defensive line. Having no weak links along the front is going to be vital if the Denver Broncos want to dethrone Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Sheldon Rankins isn’t as talented as Payne and is a bit more seasoned than Payne, but Rankins was drafted by the Sean Payton-led New Orleans Saints in 2016. If the Denver Broncos were to stay in a 3-4 defensive front, D.J. Jones as the nose and Payne and Rankins out wider as defense ends would create a strong group up front.
It would be an improvement in the Denver Broncos base personnel and would give the unit a higher floor and ceiling immediately.
Payne singing would give the Denver Broncos an elite playmaker on the front with incredible talent. Payne could be the type of free agent who comes in during his prime and the signing team reaps the benefit of said player playing the best ball of their career.