Tag: Paton

Oct 1, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton talks with quarterback Russell Wilson (3) before a game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

Broncos’ Sean Payton: Russell Wilson decision coming soon

Posted on | by Field Level Media

INDIANAPOLIS — The Russell Wilson drama continues to percolate but Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton said Tuesday that a decision is on the horizon.

Payton said the team will meet with ownership next week regarding the future of Wilson and he expects a decision to be reached within two weeks.

“I expect that we’re going to know fairly quickly,” Payton said at the NFL Scouting Combine. “… There’s a couple of factors here, obviously the cap projections ($255.4 million) came out, we’re further down the road with the draft class, so I would anticipate it being within the next two weeks.”

Wilson has been much-maligned during his two seasons in Denver and was benched for the final two games of last season in favor of Jarrett Stidham.

If Wilson isn’t traded or released by March 17, then $37 million in salary guarantees for the 2025 season will be locked in.

Making a trade by then doesn’t seem likely based on Tuesday’s comments from Broncos general manager George Paton.

“I haven’t heard anything from any teams so we’ll see,” Paton said.

On Sunday on the “I Am Athlete” podcast with former Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall, Wilson indicated he would prefer to remain with the Broncos.

“I’ve got more fire than ever, honestly, especially over the past two years and what I’ve gone through,” Wilson said. “Whether it’s in Denver or somewhere else. I hope it’s Denver. I hope I get to finish there. I committed there. I wanted to be there. I want to be there.”

Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowl pick, was acquired from the Seattle Seahawks prior to the 2022 season for three players and five draft choices. The Broncos then gave him a five-year, $242.5 million contract extension before he even played for the club.

There hasn’t been much bang for the buck with Wilson compiling an 11-19 record in 30 starts. Wilson had 16 touchdown passes against 11 interceptions in 2022 and improved the marks to 26 and eight, respectively, last season.

The issue of bad blood can’t be overlooked after the Broncos approached Wilson’s representation in October and asked for the quarterback to push back the injury guarantee date on his contract and included a threat to bench him if he didn’t comply.

“We moved forward, we addressed that,” Paton said. “Everything we did was above board. I appreciate Russ but we moved forward. We have a lot of work to do. We’re here at the combine. We have free agency around the corner. We’re working on bettering our team and winning football games.”

Paton and Payton are both dissecting the available quarterbacks in the 2024 draft class. Denver owns the No. 12 pick and Paton said the club is open to all possibilities, while admitting there’s not enough draft capital to move up to No. 1 where Southern California’s Caleb Williams is expected to be selected.

“It’s the most important position in sports,” Paton said. “So it’s important — whether it’s from within. That’s why this is taking a long time, this decision is very important. If you’re going to draft one, that’s obviously very difficult. … There’s more mistakes it seems at quarterback, especially in the first round.”

Payton is looking forward to evaluating the draft-hopeful quarterbacks.

“I think we’ll be really good at this and to some degree we’re glad that a lot of people aren’t,” Payton said.

The Broncos (8-9) missed the playoffs for the eighth straight season in 2023.

–Field Level Media

Dec 19, 2020; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock (3) throws against Buffalo Bills during the first quarter at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports

Drew Lock in limbo as new GM gets keys to Broncos

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Denver Broncos general manager George Paton takes over personnel decisions from John Elway effective immediately and it’s no grand surprise the quarterback position is the first order of business.

“Quarterback is the most important position in sports,” Paton said Tuesday. “If you don’t have stability at quarterback, you’re going to have a hard time sustaining and winning. Very important. We all want the franchise quarterback. That’s the No. 1 goal.”

Paton said he was attracted to the job because of the “core pieces” in place and mentioned quarterback Drew Lock as one of them.

“I liked Drew coming out of the draft,” Paton said. “He’s talented. He can develop.”

Elway will remain with the organization in a management role but forfeits the day-to-day management of the personnel department to Paton. Paton, introduced Tuesday, was hired away from the Minnesota Vikings where he served as the right-hand man to Rick Spielman.

Paton is not planning to change coaches with Vic Fangio — a former division rival in the NFC North with the Chicago Bears — remaining in place.

“I had to prepare for Vic twice a year … and that was no fun,” Paton said.

With the Vikings, quarterback was a chronic concern, but Minnesota reached the playoffs with six different quarterbacks, Paton recalled. The Broncos are still determining whether Lock is the best fit in Denver.

Minnesota selected quarterback Christian Ponder 12th overall in 2011, the same draft in which the Broncos selected Von Miller No. 2. There have been rumblings that Denver might part with Miller via trade.

“All of those tough decisions start when I can meet with the coaches and the scouting staff,” Paton said. “Until you have your meetings, get your plan for the offseason and develop your needs — that’s when it all starts.”

Paton said all evaluations, and developing players from within, will be part of a meticulous plan. Elway made his position known on Lock, but won’t block Paton from making a change.

“I’m still high on Drew,” Elway said of the team’s 2019 second-round draft pick. “I think he’s got the physical abilities to do it. I think this year was essentially his rookie year. I think he was put behind the 8-ball with everything that went on with COVID, with offseason, especially with a young offense and new offensive coordinator. It was not by any means an ideal situation for Drew.

“Drew is a young guy, obviously,” Elway said. “He showed flashes this year. He made mistakes. I made a million mistakes my first two, three years. … Georgie is going to continue to look to fill that spot if we don’t think that Drew is that guy.”

Lock, 24, is 8-10 as a starter through two seasons, completing 59.1 percent of his passes for 3,953 yards with 23 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.

–Field Level Media