For the first time in a long time, the Denver Broncos will enter the off-season with a good deal of confidence and optimism going forward. The Broncos won 10 games, reached the playoffs, seem to have their franchise quarterback, and set the franchise record for team sacks in a single season. Beyond that, Pat Surtain is one of the leading candidates for Defensive Player of the Year, and Courtland Sutton posted his best season since his knee injury some time ago.
Not to mention, the team had five players named NFL All-Pro, one of the best marks in recent years.
The Broncos' to-do list will be extensive, but the first item on their list is an absolute no-brainer. The first order of business for the Denver Broncos should be extending the contract of general manager George Paton, who has become something of a visionary for the Broncos.
Denver Broncos must extend GM George Paton in 2025 offseason
His drafts have aged like fine wine, thanks in large part to the patience the Broncos have shown with him, and Paton's tenure in Denver should be nowhere near coming to an end in Denver. The first order of business in Denver once the team is done with the playoffs should be extending the contract of George Paton.
After a rough first four years, many wondered if Paton would even get to this point in his Broncos tenure. His first three years were rough, and he was entering what figured to be his last year in Denver. All of a sudden, everything Paton ever touched turned to gold, and his fingerprints are all over this Broncos team that broke the second-longest playoff drought in the NFL.
The success of Paton's drafting has been amplified by the announcement of five Broncos being selected as members of the first or second team 2024 All-Pro teams. Four of the five Broncos to receive this honor were drafted by Paton during his time as general manager: cornerback Pat Surtain, guard Quinn Meinerz, pass rusher Nik Bonitto, and wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr, who made the team as a punt returner. Maybe more incredibly, three of Paton's All-Pros are day-two draft picks, with only Surtain being a first-round selection.
He does deserve some level of credit for the signing of Zach Allen as well, who he brought over from Arizona to continue playing with defensive coordinator Vance Joseph when he took over the reins before the 2023 season. reins
Ultimately, a general manager with an extensive college scouting background has been able to hit on so many of his draft selections, with several more of his draft selections being contributors to this playoff team than just the ones named in this article. Allowing him out the door would be a grave mistake, and would almost certainly result in him becoming the lead man for a different team. The Broncos need to keep George Paton in Denver, and it should be the first thing they do this spring.