3 biggest improvements in the Broncos' Sean Payton era thus far

Sean Payton has brought forth a lot of change in his stint with the Denver Broncos thus far. What three improvements have been the biggest? There have been many changes during the Sean Payton era. And it was long overdue for the Broncos to finally have some stability at the head coach position.

In a weird way, it's great that Nathaniel Hackett was a disaster, as it did pave the way for Denver to make a bold move to get Payton. We're now about halfway through his second season already, and it's clear that these three changes are the biggest improvements during his era with the team.

3 biggest improvements in the Broncos' Sean Payton era thus far
Special Teams consistency

The Denver Broncos' special teams unit has been among the best in football since Sean Payton took over. Wil Lutz has made 47/52 field goals, which is good for 90.4%. The team is really excelling with their punt coverage this year as well, as a whopping 47.4% of Riley Dixon's punts land inside the opponents' 20-yard line.

Denver's special teams unit is turning into a legitimate weapon, and I have not even mentioned stud returner Marvin Mims Jr, who seems to always have a big play in his back pocket on his punt and kick returns. The ST unit turning into a position of strength after years of ineptitude is a massive improvement during the Sean Payton era.

Trench Play

According to ESPN's rankings, the Broncos are 1st in pass rush win rate, 10th in run stop win rate, 1st in pass block win rate, and 7th in run block win rate. They are, very arguably, the best team in the trenches in the NFL.

No team in the NFL is going to sustain long-term success without being stout in the trenches. Just take a look at the recent Super Bowl champions; every single one of them were reliable in the trenches on both sides of the ball.

The OL play seems to have improved in 2024 due to Bo Nix being able to avoid sacks, but it's also just a darn good unit, and the DL is on another planet this year. The trench play as a whole may be what Denver does best, and it is a breath of fresh air.

Establishing a clear long-term plan

For years before Sean Payton arrived, it did feel like the Broncos were trying to throw crap at the wall and hoped it stuck, and also just never really went all-in on fixing the QB position. The years of veteran retreads just did not work, and while the decision to cut Russell Wilson was major, it was the right path for this team to take, as no team in the NFL will sustain long-term success without drafting and developing a QB.

Denver took a chance on Bo Nix with pick 12 in the 2024 NFL Draft, so they've at least laid the groundwork for the plan. If you couple that with one of the youngest rosters in the NFL and their great trench plan, you can clearly see the long-term plan come into view for the Denver Broncos.