Broncos’ offseason plan comes into focus at 2025 NFL Combine

Yesterday at the 2025 NFL Combine, Head Coach Sean Payton and General Manager George Paton addressed the media and gave insight on how the team is planning to get better this offseason.

Coming off a ten-win season and their first playoff berth in nearly a decade, the outlook of the Denver Broncos looks brighter than it has in a long time.

The state of the franchise is strong. They have their quarterback in Bo Nix, Patrick Surtain II is the NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year, and the team showed demonstrable improvement on both sides of the ball in 2024. That’s especially true with respect to their offensive and defensive fronts. With ample cap space and a full slate of early round picks in the 2025, it’s easy to see why fans are bullish on the team’s future.

However, the Broncos’ brass knows that success in the National Football League is fleeting. One day you are the best thing since sliced bread, the next day you could be toast. And while the franchise certainly has a lot to be proud of from last season’s gridiron endeavors—complacency isn’t an option. They know there is a lot more work to do to get to a championship level.

And that’s what the Broncos are striving for this offseason. Coming up with a plan in free agency and the draft to boost them closer to legitimate Lombardi Trophy competitor status. Yesterday at the NFL Combine, both Head Coach Sean Payton and General George Paton spoke with the media at length about those aspirations and how the team is preparing in that regard.

“It’s only a team on the rise if we take advantage of this offseason. Like Head Coach Sean Payton said, nothing’s guaranteed moving forward. We made the playoffs. We lost in the AFC Wild Card Round,” stated General Manager George Paton.

“You start over, and that’s what we’re doing. We’re starting over. Our sole focus is just upgrading this team each and every day.”

Both free agency and the draft will provide the Broncos with avenues to upgrade the team. And don’t worry friends, Denver is going to get a whole lot better over the course of the next two months from those areas. But sustainable success isn’t just about adding new players into the mix, it’s keeping the productive, long-time veteran leaders in the fold.

Retaining key players from last year’s roster is also a key part of the Broncos’ offseason puzzle. While he is under contract for ‘25, Courtland Sutton’s future is less certain. Both Payton and Paton remarked how crucial he was to the team’s success and their desire for him to be here long-term. Additionally, Paton noted defensive tackle D.J. Jones as a player he would like to see come back for the team’s 2025 campaign.

With the draft being the focal point of the NFL Combine; ample questions were asked regarding the team’s draft plans and what they’re looking for in that respect. Many fans hope the Broncos use their first selection on a tight end or running back to give Bo Nix more firepower to work with. That would be the elusive ‘joker’ — the proverbial Loch Ness monster that Paton stated the Broncos are chasing this offseason.

However, Coach Payton mentioned the team can’t be linear in their focus when it comes to who they consider with their first-round pick. He noted it isn’t just offensive players that will help Nix’s development. That player could also come from the defensive side of the ball as well—so long as they are the best player to elevate the team to greater heights.

“A tight end could obviously help in his development, and then I would also say a really good elite pass rusher would help in his development and a really good cover corner. I’m only saying that, meaning the best player that helps the team get better is going to help in his development,” stated Payton.

Holding the 20th pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Denver still feels confident they will be able to find a difference maker in the first round. Paton mentioned that though the evaluation process was far from over, he doesn’t believe there will be much of a difference between the talent available at 10th overall versus where they’re slated to pick. And in an ideal world, if everything goes as hoped, he hopes the Broncos will have a handful of guys they love to choose from.

And that’s why the team is in Indianapolis. From the on the field workouts, to the medical reports, and the formal interviews with prospects—everything matters in the information gathering process for the Broncos to make the best choices to improve the team in April. Who will that be? I can’t wait to see.