Sean Payton saved the Broncos in one obvious way that can't be ignored

This Denver strength doesn't exist without George Paton and Sean Payton
Denver Broncos v San Francisco 49ers - NFL Preseason 2025
Denver Broncos v San Francisco 49ers - NFL Preseason 2025 | Thearon W. Henderson/GettyImages

The Denver Broncos are entering the 2025 season as a fairly consensus top-10 team in football. Most of that work should be attributed to the incredible work of head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton. Broncos fans and players had been starved for the playoffs for some time, and the 2024 team made sure to deliver, bringing Denver back to relevance for the first time in almost a decade.

Denver entered the 2024 season with the most dead cap in NFL history after the Russell Wilson debacle, was ranked by PFF as the worst roster in football, and was considered one of the heavy favorites for the first overall draft selection. Despite the season ending in a first-round playoff exit, the changes that occurred have arguably saved the Denver Broncos franchise.

Despite all of the good that has happened in Denver since Payton's arrival, one major change that has occurred in Denver has stood out beyond all of the rest. The culture being built by Paton and coach Payton is undeniable and is a major reason the Broncos have one of the truly elite cores in all of football, headlined by the likes of Garrett Bolles, Pat Surtain, Bo Nix, Zach Allen, and soon-to-be Nik Bonitto.

Denver's new culture is undeniable, and a major upper hand

The new culture in Denver can be best seen in how quickly the team has worked to lock down some of their expiring contracts, and how honest players have been in regards to their own impending free agencies. Let's look at DT Malcom Roach, for example, who is on an expiring contract after a breakout 2024 campaign. When asked about his impending free agency, Roach acknowledged that he might not remain in Denver, but that he will cash in a payday no matter what. Roach then gave a nod to the group of players in Denver, saying that they know they'll all get paid and that he feels this 2025 team could be special.

So many times, we hear impending free agents give half-hearted, PR-driven answers that are ultimately nothing of substance. Looking at how honest Roach has been, that Courtland Sutton did not feel the need to hold out for his next contract due to his trust that Paton and Payton would take care of him, and their willingness to pay key pieces what they deserve, it is crystal clear that the culture in Denver isn't team first or player first, but a perfect balance of players knowing their worth and buying into a system.

This has also been fairly clear in how Denver was able to attract top-shelf free agents, including Evan Engram and Dre Greenlaw. Time will tell, but that combination could lead to a Super Bowl for the Denver Broncos.