3 biggest winners from Denver Broncos offseason so far
By Jack Ramsey
The Denver Broncos have had themselves a busy spring: they've revamped the entire coaching staff, let a handful of players walk in free agency, and dropped major money on several key free agents. The overhaul on the roster comes after one of the more disappointing seasons in NFL history, in which the Broncos went 5-12 and dismissed first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett before his first season could even end.
The 2023 off-season has brought new signs of hope and a breath of fresh air for the Broncos, their fans, and all those around the team. Ultimately, some people had a more important off-season than others: Here are the three biggest winners from the Broncos off-season so far.
Denver Broncos biggest offseason winner no. 1: George Paton, GM
George Paton is an obvious answer here, and might be the "most correct". He entered the offseason on the hot seat and with a good chunk of an entire fanbase out for his head. However, just a few months later, Paton is gearing towards wrapping up one of the more important, and successful, winters in team history.
Paton was able to negotiate a deal with Mickey Loomis and the Saints for the rights to new Head Coach Sean Payton's contract, oversaw Payton's contract extension, overhauled much of the roster, and spend major money on the trenches in free agency. However, with the move for such a big-name coach like Payton, who would no doubt want some more say over roster construction than a guy like Hackett would have, came some speculation around the job status of George Paton.
Despite several reports saying otherwise, it felt to Broncos fans like Paton should have been on the hot seat; after all, he is the general manager who signed off on the Russell Wilson trade, new contract, and hired Nate Hackett. However, Sean Payton has been nothing but complimentary of Paton and his role with the team. Payton and ownership have been signing Paton's praises all spring, and if anything, the new desired line straight from the head coach to ownership, as laid out by CEO Greg Penner, would allow Paton more focus on roster construction and year-long scouting, which is the best skill he brings to the table.
George Paton might be the biggest winner of the Broncos' 2023 off-season so far, and it might have given his job security a new lifeline.