Denver Broncos must figure out who actually wants to be a Bronco moving forward

The Denver Broncos are a historic franchise. They’ve won multiple Super Bowls. They’ve had two of the greatest quarterbacks ever to play the game win Super Bowls for them. Being a Denver Bronco used to carry a sense of pride with it, but is it still that way today?

In today's game, it seems that loyalty is only to a degree. With there being an increase in revenue across the league and such a rapid pace, we are seeing players still under contract for multiple years sitting out of mandatory practices and even missing games due to wanting contract extensions. At some point, are you playing for your team and the pride in that or only playing for yourself and the paycheck?

Here in the Mile High, the Denver Broncos need to assess who wants to be a Denver Bronco and who wants to just be paid. Since their last Super Bowl win nearly a decade ago, we’ve seen a multitude of players come in and out of these doors. But how many have stayed because they wanted to and wanted to win here?

We just saw a recent one with Russell Wilson. To keep it brief, he was approached about adjusting his deal. He declined even after publicly stating he wanted to stay here and win here. We see time and time again where the team’s highest-paid players adjust their contracts to free up money that can be used elsewhere to further the team's chance of success. That said, George Paton and Sean Payton need to sit down and figure out who wants to be a Denver Bronco and who wants to win as a Denver Bronco.

Current players on the roster who have raised eyebrows recently are long-tenured household names like Garett Bolles and Courtland Sutton. Both entering contract years, one chose to hold out and one chose to show up. The one that held out got an extension and the one that didn’t is playing out his current deal. I can’t speak for these players themselves but showing up while you’re still under contract, knowing that if you get hurt it could decrease your value going forward, that not only goes a long way with the front office members but your locker room as well.

Choosing to sit out and then put forth questionable effort in games after your new deal is signed is definitely something that needs to be addressed. There are young and hungry playmakers on this roster who need to get their shot sooner rather than later.

With that laid out, what is the path forward? Clearly, the Denver Broncos are moving towards a new era in the Mile High City. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix paired with Head Coach Payton, they need players around them that want to be here and want to succeed here. Newcomer Josh Reynolds has not only been the most productive offensive player but has publicly praised Nix and supported him time and time again. We need more of this and less of the finger-pointing. Being a Denver Broncos used to mean something. We need more players like Reynolds and Nix and less of the paycheck chasers.

The Broncos are in a youth movement and while there will clearly be highs and lows during this stretch, finding players that are willing to contribute everything they have a week in and out for the name on the front of the jersey has to be a priority.