Sean Payton came to the Denver Broncos in 2024 and took a roster that had gone 5-12 the year prior with one of the sorriest, most embarrassing offenses in franchise history and improved the team to 8-9. But to think there will be continuity for this Denver Broncos team, at least in terms of roster carryover, would be borderline nonsensical.
We could see the Broncos make wholesale changes to the roster as Sean Payton has alluded to the idea of flipping the proverbial puzzle or chessboard over, and starting from scratch every offseason in the NFL. This is a roster he inherited, and he brought in a fresh set of eyes to the front office in Cody Rager, who will be the VP of Player Personnel in Denver.
What could we see the team do in free agency? Well, we heard from GM George Paton that the Broncos won't likely be involved in the "first wave" of NFL Free Agency, meaning they're probably not going to be the team handing out some of the biggest contracts this year, but the Broncos don't have the type of NFL Draft capital to just sit on their hands during free agency.
They will need to be calculated. They need to take some risks at the right price. They need to make sure this roster can win at least nine games in 2024, as owner/CEO Greg Penner stated his expectation is for the team to be better than its 8-9 mark in 2023. Who could the Broncos look at in free agency? Let's take an expansive look at every position group and players who could be of interest.
1. Jameis Winston, QB
Jameis Winston has played for Sean Payton in the past, and he did well. He was on pace for 50 touchdown passes in the 2021 season before going down with a knee injury. Although at his current age (30) Winston is not a true reclamation project or long-term option, he could very well be someone the Broncos look at bringing in as a bridge type of starter or high-end backup.
2. Sam Darnold, QB
At 26 going on 27, Sam Darnold is someone who might be of interest to Sean Payton this offseason as a reclamation project. Darnold was the third overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft out of USC and he spent this past year with the San Francisco 49ers. He got a hefty endorsement from QBs coach Brian Griese this offseason and I could see Darnold viewing the Broncos' situation as an ideal opportunity to start under a great head coach and QB brain trust.
3. Baker Mayfield, QB
Perhaps you could put Baker Mayfield in the "pipe dream" category of free agents, but I think Sean Payton would love to have him if the price is right. And I'm sure Mayfield would love to play for Payton. It just feels at this point like the Bucs will find a way to keep him, but time will tell. Mayfield played really well this past season, leading the Bucs to an NFC South title as well as a playoff win over the Eagles.
4. Josh Jacobs, RB
Sean Payton did a little flirting with Josh Jacobs at last year's Super Bowl media week. The Raiders running back was franchise tagged at the time, and didn't get to test the market, but perhaps if he becomes available here in 2024, Payton will come calling. The running game wasn't good enough in Denver last year, and Jacobs has proven he can carry a full workload.
5. Austin Ekeler, RB
Austin Ekeler wasn't good as an every-down back in 2023, but that was sort of an anomaly from what we've seen from him in the past. After contract negotiations and even trade demands went nowhere last offseason, Ekeler now hits free agency as an intriguing pass-catching specialist. He played his college ball in Colorado (Western Colorado) and went to high school in Eaton, Colorado, not too far of a drive from Denver.
Perhaps free agency could be a bit of a homecoming for Ekeler in 2024...
6. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB
The Kansas City Chiefs didn't really get their return on investment for the former first-round pick out of LSU, but Clyde Edwards-Helaire would be an interesting name to bring in on the cheap. Edwards-Helaire was known for his ability to create after contact at LSU, but would be be redundant with someone like Samaje Perine on the roster?
7. Laviska Shenault, WR
Denver Broncos fans would love for Sean Payton to get his hands on Laviska Shenault, something of a gadget player at this point in his career in all likelihood. Shenault hasn't developed into a great full-time receiver, but perhaps with the right head coach he could be deployed properly and make an impact. The former Colorado star could return to the state he played his college ball and compete for a spot in this receiver room going forward.
8. Marquise Brown, WR
I'm not sure what kind of wide receiver room Sean Payton envisions for 2024, but a player like Marquise Brown would certainly make you more explosive. The Broncos need a true go-to threat in the offense, and that could end up being someone like Jerry Jeudy. If you want to feature Jeudy, you've got to have players who can take the pressure off and having both Marquise Brown and Marvin Mims Jr. would be intriguing.
9. Calvin Ridley, WR
I don't know that we're going to see the Broncos get too deep into this year's receiver market, but if they decide to trade Courtland Sutton and perhaps also say goodbye to Tim Patrick, then someone like Calvin Ridley could make sense even with Jerry Jeudy already on the roster. Ridley is sure-handed, he gets open consistently, and he makes plays at every level of the field. He has proven he can be a high-volume target in the past, and that's what the Broncos need.
10. Hunter Henry, TE
The status of Greg Dulcich within this Denver Broncos offense is very much up in the air at this point. Adam Trautman is slated to hit free agency, and the lack of a consistent pass-catching threat at the tight end position plagued the Broncos last season. Hunter Henry is someone who could come in and raise the floor substantially. He had 42 catches for 419 yards and 6 TDs last year in New England.
11. Noah Fant, TE
The Seattle Seahawks acquired Noah Fant in the Russell Wilson trade back in 2022, but there's a chance the Denver Broncos could get him back in 2024. Fant averaged 12.9 yards per reception last year for the Seahawks, the best mark since his rookie season. I think he would be a fascinating player to add to the mix along with someone like Dulcich to give you loads of athleticism at that position group.
12. Harrison Bryant, TE
The emergence of David Njoku over the last handful of years in Cleveland has pushed Harrison Bryant into the background, but this is a really good all-around player at the position. Despite having only 89 career receptions to this point, Bryant has 10 touchdown grabs, including three last season. He could be an underrated pickup this offseason.
13. Trent Brown, OT
I think it takes a specific type of coach for a team to acquire Trent Brown, and the Denver Broncos may have one in Sean Payton. It might not be worth the off-field headache, but depending on the price, Brown could be an interesting potential replacement for someone like Garett Bolles if the Broncos decide to trade him this offseason.
14. Mekhi Becton, OT
If the Broncos move on from Garett Bolles this offseason, I could see them being interested in a possible reclamation project like Mekhi Becton, the former first-round pick of the Jets. The Jets appear to be moving on this offseason, so Becton will obviously be looking for a spot to rehab his value. Given the way just about everyone played better on the offensive line for Sean Payton and OL coach Zach Strief last year, Denver could be a great landing spot for him.
15. Calais Campbell, DL
Even as he gets older, Calais Campbell is still playing at a very high level. He's a Denver native and nearly signed with the Broncos a handful of years ago in free agency before ultimately signing with the Jaguars. Evan at the age of 37, he had 17 QB hits, 10 TFL, and 6.5 sacks last season. He would be a great one-year addition to a defensive line that desperately needs help.
16. Sheldon Rankins, DL
Once upon a time, Sheldon Rankins was a first-round pick by Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints. I think you have to look at any player available this offseason with ties to the New Orleans Saints as an option for the Broncos, but Rankins would also just make a ton of sense. The Broncos need to revamp their defensive line, and Rankins is coming off of a strong year in Houston where he had 6.0 sacks and 10 QB hits.
17. Shelby Harris, DL
The Broncos had Shelby Harris in for a visit last year before the season began, and I still don't understand why they didn't sign him. Were they really that sure that Jonathan Harris was going to be great? Shelby Harris contributed to arguably the best defensive front in the entire NFL last season with the Cleveland Browns instead. You have to think he's open to coming back to Denver, and you can probably get him for a reasonable price.
18. Adam Butler, DL
At 6-foot-5, 300 pounds, Adam Butler has proven to be productive at a variety of different stops including with the Patriots, Dolphins, and Raiders. Over the course of his entire career, Butler has averaged 4.0 sacks, 6 QB hits, and 5.0 tackles for loss every 17 games. He tied a career-high with 9 QB hits last year in Las Vegas.
19. Javon Kinlaw, DL
For me personally, the idea of getting former first-round picks in free agency who have not yet reached their full potential is a super appealing option. Not that you want to go to free agency and just sign NFL Draft "busts" every year, but I think players like Javon Kinlaw may just need a change of scenery and a string of good luck in terms of health to get to the potential people saw in them as 1st-round players. Kinlaw would be a great pickup for Denver on the defensive line.
20. DJ Reader, DL
The Broncos were in competition to sign DJ Reader a few years back before he signed with the Cincinnati Bengals. You have to think that the interest would still be there in 2024 after Reader spent four productive years in Cincinnati. The question the Broncos would have to ask, based on the price, is whether or not acquiring someone like Reader is redundant with DJ Jones on the roster.
21. A'Shawn Robinson, DL
A'Shawn Robinson isn't going to lead the NFL in sacks, but he can give your run defense a serious boost. The Denver Broncos ranked 30th in the NFL last year against the run overall, and 32nd in yards per carry allowed. They need some stud run defenders coming in through NFL free agency.
22. Chase Young, EDGE
I don't know what the Denver Broncos are going to be planning off the edge this coming season. With Baron Browning and Jonathon Cooper both in contract years as well as Nik Bonitto and Drew Sanders also factoring into the equation, I don't know if the team is going to dive into the deep end of this year's free agent edge crop.
But former second overall pick Chase Young would be an appealing option to me. If he's not already getting massive offers from teams in free agency (and his value at the trade deadline doesn't indicate that will be the case), then he might be worth the risk on a one-year deal as the Broncos seek a true game-changer off the edge.
23. DJ Wonnum, EDGE
A fourth-round pick in George Paton's final NFL Draft class with the Minnesota Vikings, DJ Wonnum has quietly racked up 49 QB hits in his career so far, as well as 23.0 sacks. He proved this past season with 823 snaps that he can play a full-time role off the edge and be consistently productive vs. both the run and pass.
24. Marcus Davenport, EDGE
Marcus Davenport has struggled the last two years with health and/or inconsistent play. But the former first-round pick of the Saints -- someone they traded a future first-round pick to get -- could be of interest to Sean Payton once again. If nothing else, Davenport could have a great opportunity in Denver to reclaim his overall value.
25. Mike Danna, EDGE
The Kansas City Chiefs are bound to start losing players at some point, and Mike Danna has quietly been an important rotational piece for them off the edge. He's had at least 10 QB hits in each of the last three seasons and had a career-high 21 total pressures in 2023.
26. Danielle Hunter, EDGE
I think you can include Danielle Hunter among the "pipe dream" candidates for the Denver Broncos in free agency. He should command a value way too high for where the Broncos will likely be spending, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't pick up the phone and call his agent. Hunter was drafted by the Vikings while George Paton was there, so you never know.
27. Markus Golden, EDGE
Markus Golden has a history of working with Vance Joseph, and he's an extremely valuable veteran to have around. His coaches love him, his teammates love him, and he's maintained a very high level of productivity over the course of his career. He has averaged 19 QB hits, 9 tackles for loss, and 7 sacks per 17 games since 2015.
28. Zack Baun, OLB
There are a couple of reasons you might want to keep an eye on Zack Baun as an option for the Denver Broncos. First of all, their need at linebacker. Second, he's connected to Sean Payton from his time in New Orleans. Third, Baun also played for Jim Leonhard -- Denver's new defensive backs coach -- at Wisconsin. The former third-round pick hasn't lived up to his NFL Draft billing just yet but could get a great chance with the Broncos.
29. Josh Uche, EDGE
Although he had just 3.5 sacks this past season, a down year statistically could be a stroke of good fortune for a team like the Denver Broncos, who might be able to get Josh Uche for a reasonable deal. The former 2nd-round pick somehow managed to rack up 11.5 sacks in 2022 despite playing only 374 snaps. There might be a diamond in the rough here.
30. Isaiah Simmons, LB/S
Another player who has some connections to Denver Broncos DC Vance Joseph, it's hard to know at this point whether that connection could help or hurt Denver's chances of landing the former first-round pick. The versatile Simmons could be an intriguing pickup with his playmaking ability and connection to Joseph. The Cardinals traded Simmons to the Giants as soon as Vance Joseph left.
31. Jeremy Chinn, LB/S
If the legendary Steve Atwater has anything to say about it, Jeremy Chinn will be a target for the Broncos this offseason. Chinn is the nephew of Atwater and plays a similarly physical brand of football. The hybrid linebacker/safety works well in Vance Joseph's defense historically. Chinn is another former high draft pick (second-round pick) who could be an intriguing fit.
32. Bryce Huff, EDGE
Bryce Huff is another name that might price himself out of Denver's range. He has gotten a lot more fanfare this offseason than anticipated, and there's no hiding his 10 sacks and 21 QB hits last season despite the fact that he was only a part-time player for Robert Saleh. Teams are going to believe he's capable of exploding with a full-time role, but the Broncos should draw a line in the sand in terms of the price. There's big risk involved here.
33. CJ Henderson, CB
For the right price, I would love to see the Broncos bring CJ Henderson into the mix. He was an option back in the 2020 NFL Draft for Dener, but he hasn't been able to fully put things together at the NFL level. I think with his combination of size, speed, ball skills, and age (26 this season), this would be a player who is a risk worth taking.
34. Jeff Okudah, CB
Jeff Okudah was the third overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The talent is there. He's only 25 years old. Although Wisconsin wasn't really in the running for him, you can bet that Jim Leonhard is familiar with Okudah's game and with the Broncos' current situation at corner, he could look at that situation as one he could step into immediately and rehab his value.
35. Andrew Van Ginkel, LB/EDGE
Another player with connections to Jim Leonhard for the Denver Broncos to consider is Andrew Van Ginkel. Leonhard was his coordinator at Wisconsin for two years before Van Ginkel got to the NFL and he's been a really effective, versatile player in the NFL so far. He had 6.0 sacks and 19 QB hits last season for the Dolphins playing under Vic Fangio.
36. Darnell Mooney, WR
It's tough to see the Denver Broncos being major players at wide receiver in free agency, but Darnell Mooney is an intriguing dart throw kind of player. He's got a 1,000-yard season to his name, he's got big time speed, and he's got the talent to be a consistent threat in Sean Payton's offense.
37. Jordan Fuller, safety
The Denver Broncos have a number of Ohio State players on their roster right now defensively, and perhaps those guys could step up and recruit Jordan Fuller to be the starter next to Justin Simmons in 2024. Fuller had three interceptions for the Rams this past season and has been super productive since coming into the league as a sixth-round pick. With Kareem Jackson done in Denver and PJ Locke possibly leaving for other opportunities, a player like Fuller could make some sense.
38. Gerald Everett, TE
The Broncos need to raise the floor in the receiving department at the tight end position, and Gerald Everett is a veteran who could do exactly that. Joe Lombardi was in Los Angeles for the 2022 season and that's a connection that could ultimately help the Broncos if they want to bring in Everett on a short-term deal.
39. Tyler Biadasz, C
With the potential of Lloyd Cushenberry III leaving in free agency, I think you have to at least consider the option of Tyler Biadasz to Denver. He'll be 27 this coming season, and Jim Leonhard will be familiar with him from their days at Wisconsin, even though Leonhard was coaching the defense. Biadasz has been a solid starter for Dallas and if Denver's not completely comfortable with Alex Forsyth taking Cushenberry's spot, they could perhaps look into this.
40. CJ Gardner-Johnson, safety
Another former Saints player that the Denver Broncos could target is CJ Gardner-Johnson, who spent this past year in Detroit with the Lions. He want for familiarity in that situation with Aaron Glenn and Dan Campbell, former Saints assistants. Could we see him look for familiarity again in 2024 with Sean Payton in Denver? He might come at a super reasonable price after dealing with injuries in 2023.
41. Darnell Savage, safety
The former first-round pick of the Green Bay Packers has ball skills and instincts in coverage, but was not known for his ability to come down and make plays against the run. The Packers might be giving up on Savage, but I think a change of scenery could be really good for him. He's athletic and he knows how to make plays on the ball.
42. Andrus Peat, OL
Familiarity with Sean Payton could once again help the Denver Broncos in free agency with Andrus Peat, a former college tackle who has played primarily guard in the NFL. The Broncos might only be interested in him for depth at this point, but you never know what kind of reshuffling could happen on the offensive line. Peat could be a valuable replacement for someone like Cam Fleming.
43. Joshua Dobbs, QB
The Denver Broncos were really impressed by Joshua Dobbs in their game against the Vikings last year. The hype train went off the rails a little bit as Dobbs was eventually benched for Nick Mullens, but I think he's earned himself an opportunity by showing off his playmaking ability, pocket presence, and ability to adapt quickly. He played well for the Titans, Cardinals, and Vikings with virtually no time to learn their offenses.
44. Chase McLaughlin, K
The Broncos could potentially lose Wil Lutz in NFL free agency, so I guess you could look at a variety of free agent kickers as options. I think it's more likely than not that Lutz will be back in Denver, but if the Broncos move on, Chase McLaughlin was lights out for the Buccaneers last season.
45. Charlie Woerner, TE
The Denver Broncos brought in a blocking specialist at the tight end position last offseason in Chris Manhertz, but was his impact significant enough to bring him back at his current price? Maybe the Broncos will offer the former 49ers tight end -- a blocking expert -- an opportunity at a more expanded role in the passing game.