No team in football has done more this year to keep its core intact than the Denver Broncos. Several extensions were handed out to key pieces, ranging from current franchise pillars such as Garret Bolles, Courtland Sutton, and Nik Bonitto, while key role players like Malcolm Roach were also rewarded for their recent performances. The Broncos extended their championship window and have maxed their time with Bo Nix on a rookie deal.
Denver has handed out an absurd amount of money this year, and most of it already seems to be aging well. There's a strong case that the likes of Garret Bolles and Zach Allen are underpaid, while Nik Bonitto cemented himself as one of the NFL's premier pass rushers. All of Denver's deals seem to be solid investments, and these pieces have helped deliver the franchise the top seed in the AFC and a second consecutive playoff appearance.
With seemingly every Bronco that the team wants to keep locked into a new deal, it feels as though George Paton's work is done for now. Paton is in the final year of the six-year contract he signed when he initially became the team's head executive, and has helped revive this historic franchise, all while also overseeing the worst player investment in NFL history. Paton has earned all that is coming his way, and it's in Denver's best interest that it is with them.
The Broncos need to keep George Paton in Denver and extend his contract
George Paton's contract will expire following the 2026 season, and the Broncos must make sure that he doesn't leave the building. Paton has been working hard to extend the Broncos' core for almost two years now, and his turn for an extension is now up. A new contract for Denver's head executive would be much deserved, and could help guarantee the long-term health and stability of the franchise.
Specifically on the defensive side of the ball, Paton's fingerprints are all over the unit. His free agent gamble on Zach Allen over bringing back fan-favorite Dre'Mont Jones is appearing to be one of the better decisions in team history; his free agent finds, such as Malcolm Roach and Alex Singleton, have paid great dividends, while also finishing the deal on top-of-the-market pieces such as Brandon Jones, Talanoa Hufanga, and Dre Greenlaw.
Not to mention, the Broncos took Jonathon Cooper in the seventh round and Bonitto in the second, two incredible value moves. The free agent signings have all hit, the draft selections have panned out great, and even the rare trade from Paton, such as John Franklin-Myers, has turned out to be a stroke of genius.
Maybe Paton's most important moment came in April of 2021, when Paton's Broncos were on the clock in the draft and needed to make a decision. Without having a franchise quarterback, Paton passed over Justin Fields, who many considered to be a future franchise quarterback, and took corner Pat Surtain out of Alabama. Five years later, Surtain has already won Defensive Player of the Year and is considered the best corner in football, while Fields was benched by the Jets mid-season.
Sean Payton deserves a ton of credit for his revival of the Denver offense and his work with Bo Nix, but Paton has resurrected this franchise from unthinkable lows and now has the inside track to Super Bowl 60 in Santa Clara. As the architect of the best defense in the league, the Broncos need to make sure Paton doesn't leave the building after next year.