SAD NEWS: Denver Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton has agreed to step down because of.
ENGLEWOOD, Colorado: In a month, the NFL draft’s first round will see the names go off one by one as analysis turns into action and rumors into reality. The Denver Broncos, assuming they haven’t moved down or up, will be on the clock at No. 12 when someone selects the 11th pick.
With that selection, they will have to decide whether to select a quarterback in the first round, something that neither the Broncos nor a team managed by Sean Payton have ever done before.
When asked about the top prospects at the position in this draft, Payton stated, “I think we’ll be pretty good at this, and I think to some extent, we’re glad that a lot of others aren’t,” during the scouting combine.
Despite the fact that history is rarely a reliable indicator, Payton’s record as an NFL head coach does not include coaching a rookie quarterback to success.
Remarkably, in 2003 Tony Romo was a rookie and Payton was the quarterbacks coach and assistant head coach for the Dallas Cowboys. Though Romo was an undrafted player who never started or attempted a pass in a regular-season game while Payton was on the team, Payton wasn’t quite as close to a large chair in the decision-making process as he is for the Broncos. Russell Wilson played for the Broncos last season without a first-round pick, while Drew Brees was the quarterback for New Orleans for 15 of his 16 years as the Saints coach.
Since Payton benched Wilson throughout the previous season then terminated him at the beginning of free agency, the Broncos are searching for a long-term quarterback solution. They have a number of the greatest prospects in this draft at the top of their rankings.
At the scouting combine, general manager George Paton stated that the Broncos are aware of how crucial the choice is for all parties concerned and that he is aware of what Payton perceives as being part of the job description.
“Yes,” Paton replied. Although quarterbacking is a little different, I am aware of the qualities Sean is seeking in a quarterback. We’ll see.
In April, everyone will watch if the board goes in the Broncos’ direction or if they become more assertive and pursue a quarterback. Mel Kiper, an ESPN football expert, thinks that J.J. McCarthy of Michigan and Bo Nix of Oregon should be available around Denver’s selection.
When it comes to trading up with players or draft capital, Payton stated, “I think it’s realistic.” “What’s on the receiving end is difficult to predict, though. Even if it’s difficult to estimate the cost, I wouldn’t characterize it as impractical. It will be closely monitored by us.
However, by accident or circumstance, Payton and the Broncos are paired together in a first-round quarterback search that could happen. These two teams are among the league’s least active quarterback quest participants.
During Ian Book’s 16-year Saints career, the organization drafted four quarterbacks in the draft: Garrett Grayson in 2015, Sean Canfield in 2010, Tommy Stevens in the seventh round in 2020, and Book in his final year with the team in 2021. The four have participated in just two NFL games combined, and none of those selections came before the third round.
In the history of the team, the Broncos have drafted four quarterbacks in the first round: Tommy Maddox in 1992, Jay Cutler in 2006, Tim Tebow in 2010, and Paxton Lynch in 2016. Only Cutler stayed in Denver for more than two seasons out of the four.
“With analytics and various tests we are conducting, the process has slightly changed, but at its core, it still involves evaluating the film, spending time with them, and navigating around them. Is it something they can learn?” stated Paton. “What kind of leader do they [are]? the ardor for the game? As we all know, it’s a difficult game, and playing quarterback is the hardest position.
For his part, Payton has outlined a set of criteria that go beyond a quarterback’s physical size, arm strength, or other characteristics that are often evaluated by the eye.
This week, Payton stated, “I’d like to find out how they process and how quickly it comes.” “We send him more information than we anticipate they will have time to review if we send it to him at 5 p.m. the day before. Everyone has been in that situation. Maybe it wasn’t football. However, we have more than enough time to study when we have an exam on Friday and a college Thursday at 5 p.m. How do they deal with that?
Those who have dealt with Payton know that if the Broncos see their preferred quarterback remaining on the board, a few things will tip the scales.
“Look, I’m not talking for him or anything, but he won’t support just taking a man if the guy can’t think it or if Sean doesn’t think the guy can think it and do it, swiftly, see it, throw it,” an NFL assistant coach who has worked with Payton stated. “He doesn’t think like that.”
Ultimately, in the upcoming weeks, the public will be inundated with mock drafts, with the Broncos linked to the next quarterback available. And the Broncos will call from their private meals with the hopes and their second-floor meeting rooms.
“You’ll make better decisions the more knowledge you have,” Paton stated. “… We’ll gather as much data as we can and come to the best conclusion we can.
