PHOENIX — If there are any Denver Broncos players who thought they had a good season despite the team’s struggles in 2022, they may want to check their assessment.
It’s not whether a Bronco played well. It’s about whether Sean Payton said you played well.
During his Super Bowl Radio Row interview rounds last Friday, the freshly hired Broncos’ head coach was asked about what he saw from the team that finished a disappointing 5-12 in 2022. Is this a team that should have been better than 5-12? Or a team that deserved its 5-12 record?
“I haven’t seen enough tape yet but typically when a team is 5-12 there’s probably a lot of dirty hands,’’ Payton said. “It falls on the head coach and the quarterback a lot of times. I thought they played pretty good defense early for a stretch. I thought the last two weeks of the season looked a little bit better. I thought Jerry (Rosburg) did a pretty good job from afar. Injuries hurt that team. I thought it was a young (coaching) staff, having spent time with them and visiting with them.’’
Payton then talked about masking the side mirrors and rearview mirror in a car.
“All the mirrors are off. And we’re looking forward. We understand what happened. But in ’06 I didn’t dive into the 3-13 Saints. I think there’s a number of people in that building that want to win and be successful with players that want to be a part of where we’re going.’’
And then Payton made his strongest statement yet.
“We go by what we see and if there’s not the right fit then we’ll find the right fit,’’ he said. “It’s not really a threat. It’s just what has to happen. And yet you want to make sure you’re not prejudging anyone because you want to keep talent. But you’re in a race to get that corrected.”
Even in limbo, Risner applauds Payton hire
Given the state of the Broncos the past six or seven years, a case can be made Sean Payton was the only logical choice. Jim Harbaugh and DeMeco Ryans might have been just as good head coaches overall, but Payton more than any of the other seven candidates Broncos owner Greg Penner interviewed will work directly with quarterback Russell Wilson and the Denver offense.
Did you notice all the misdirection, creative play designs from Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense during Super Bowl 57? It’s not just about Patrick Mahomes II. Did you marvel at how the Philadelphia Eagles employed a college-style offensive attack for their athletic quarterback Jalen Hurts, who hardly has the strongest of arms (but is impressively accurate)?
The offensive execution of those two teams was simply on a different level from what Broncos Country had been witnessing in recent years. In Payton, the Broncos have an innovative and aggressive play caller who can give Denver’s offense a fighting chance in their two games a year against Reid’s Chiefs.
“It’s no secret. The defense has done a tremendous job the past two or three years, as long as I can remember,’’ Broncos left guard Dalton Risner said prior to the NFL Honors show last week. “They’ve done a great job. They’ve helped us stay in games, they’ve helped us win football games. We’ve had our times as an offense in the last two or three years but we have not been consistent and that starts with myself.’’
Risner’s enthusiasm for Payton is somewhat checked by the fact he will essentially become a free agent on Monday, March 13 – less than four weeks from now. Will Payton become Risner’s coach? A four-year starting left guard for the Broncos, Risner’s first choice is to stay with his hometown (Wiggins’) team. But all signs indicate the Broncos will allow Risner to hit the open market and see what other teams offer.
“It’s hard,’’ Risner said about the Payton hire. “You don’t really know what’s going on contract wise. I’m just letting God direct me and whatever God has in store for me is already written. But for me and being from Colorado and being a Broncos fan and Elway drafting me, Broncos Country taking me in and believing in me – I’m always a Broncos guy. I’m going to be a Broncos fan for life.
“I’m super grateful for the opportunities they gave and when it comes to Sean Payton, I grew up watching him and Drew Brees do their thing in New Orleans. For him to come to Broncos Country my take is that’s exactly who we needed at the right time.”
Coaching update
Ramon Chinyoung, who served as the Broncos’ offensive quality control coach last season, is moving up to assistant offensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys.
Zach Azzanni, the Broncos’ receivers coach since 2018, interviewed with the Buffalo Bills on Monday and New York Jets on Tuesday. Azzanni still has a chance to stay on Payton’s staff.
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