Broncos GM George Paton encouraged about the direction of the franchise

Despite their playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills, George Paton knows the future is bright for the Denver Broncos and is ready to have another successful offseason.

Good morning, Broncos Country.

Some say the Denver Broncos might have overachieved this year. Though if you ask the coaches and players, they believed in their ability to be a playoff team from day one. Despite a historic dead cap hit and youthful roster lacking experience, the Broncos were able to accomplish a lot by earning a Wild Card spot and winning 10 games.

The blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills shows they still have work to do. Nevertheless, they are in a much better place than they were several seasons ago. During yesterday’s season ending press conference, General Manager George Paton reflected on the year and offered optimism on the ability to improve the team greatly this offseason.

“Just the finality of the season ending is always tough, but we’re all really encouraged by the progress we made this year. The results weren’t what we wanted, but just getting to the playoffs is a big step for the organization,” stated Paton.

“It was a big step for this football team and for our fans. We have a young team. It was good for them to see what it’s like when you get to the playoffs. The playoffs are a lot different.”

And they certainly were for the Broncos. In their first taste of the playoffs in eight years, the Bills handled Denver in the trenches soundly this past Sunday. Undoubtedly, the team will need to figure out a way to get better at running the ball and stopping the run. Paton remarked about how the additions of Malcom Roach and John Franklin-Myers really helped them improve. Though I’d expect adding size and toughness up front will be a priority once the new league year begins.

When asked about evaluating the backs on the roster moving forward, Paton deflected saying he would feel better addressing once all the coaches come together. But we all know the Broncos are going to get better there. They have to. It’s the best way to take pressure off their franchise quarterback.

What could be even a greater asset for them this offseason is what they don’t have to do. The Broncos no longer have quarterback on their offseason wish list. After Bo Nix’s historic rookie campaign, Paton, the coaches, and players all know they have their guy to build around and that their future is bright with him leading the team into battle.

“Really that’s our goal this whole offseason—try to find that secret sauce. We need to have another really good offseason, another really good plan. I know we will,” added Paton.

So, what’s the secret sauce? That remains to be seen, but we know the franchise is in prime position to make big splashes in free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft. Paton talked about the team having nearly $52 million dollars in cap space. Not only that, but they are also operating with a full slate of premium Day 1 and 2 picks—the first time since 2021 in Paton’s initial draft where he was able to draft All-Pro players Patrick Surtain II and Quinn Meinerz.

Count me in as someone excited to see how things play out. Under Paton’s watch, the Broncos have made big splashes every offseason. What’s in store this year? Your guess is as good as any. Let your imagination run wild with the possibilities.

As always—thank you for reading. Here is today’s slate of articles for Horse Tracks.

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Broncos owner Greg Penner: Pleased with progress but not satisfied
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Broncos finally found their quarterback and ended their playoff drought. Now comes the hard part
The Denver Broncos ended their eight-year playoff drought in 2024 behind rookie quarterback Bo Nix, the sixth QB selected in last April’s NFL draft.

NFL News & Tidbits

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How the Commanders engineered their stunning turnaround – ESPN
New owners, new culture and a game-changing quarterback have breathed new life into a once-listless franchise.