Call it cautious optimism. The 2023 Denver Broncos look much more different than prior seasons, and any excitement felt by the fanbase is perfectly OK. I think besides the beginning of the 2020 NFL season, which was effectively the beginning of the Drew Lock era, 2022 was the other season where I think people genuinely felt excited about the Denver Broncos.
In both instances, we were all let down, so I think many in the fanbase are rightfully a bit hesitant to put too much stock into a Broncos' team until they show their worth as a competent football club. Well, 2023 looks to be much different than prior years, a much different in a good way. The biggest change is that Denver appears to finally have a competent head coach.
Not only is Sean Payton a competent head coach, but he's arguably the best offensive coach of this generation. He's been uber successful on offense, and his ability to adapt his offenses to his players' strengths is a huge reason why. Now, to be fair, working with Drew Brees was also a nice bonus, but Payton has proven to be an effective offensive mind and head coach when Brees was not in the lineup.
Not only that, but the Broncos invested heavily along their offensive line, signing both Ben Powers and Mike McGlinchey to deals that worth more than $100 million combined. The Broncos have very talented players on offense in Javonte Williams, Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, and others, and the defense features studs like Justin Simmons, Patrick Surtain II, DJ Jones, and other solid players like Alex Singleton and Josey Jewell.
The truth is, the Denver Broncos are in one of the better situations in the NFL when you consider coach and roster. If you feel a little bit excited, that's OK, and you're not alone. Denver does appear to have a somewhat easier schedule to begin the season. They face teams like the Las Vegas Raiders, Washington Commanders, Chicago Bears, and the Aaron Rodgers-less Green Bay Packers.
The Denver Broncos, in reality, shouldn't be taken seriously until they win games, but man, when you look at this coaching staff, roster, and schedule, how could you not be a little bit excited? It's a new era for the Denver Broncos. The organization has a proactive ownership group, a future Hall of Fame, Super Bowl winning head coach AND quarterback, and rumblings of both new jerseys and a new stadium.
Change has come and more change is on the horizon. The 2023 NFL season would be a great year for the Denver Broncos to change the course of their franchise for the better. You can be a little bit excited; it's OK.