The Broncos’ Magic Has Run Out. Now What?
Photo Credit: Associated Press
In sport, the word meteoric is almost always used to describe a rise of some sort. A rookie, rising to immediate stardom. A team, rising to the upper echelon of the league out of nowhere. A late bloomer, reaching the peak of his or her talents during their veteran years.
The thing is, that’s not what meteors do in real life. They fall. They fall, they hit the ground really hard, and cause widespread devastation. So in a lot of ways, there might not be a better word to describe the 2023 Denver Broncos.
The speed at which things have unraveled in Denver is staggering. This time last month, the Broncos were a team in the middle of a magical run, squarely in the playoff race. They were coming off a loss to the mighty Lions, but looked ready to bounce back in a Christmas Eve matchup against the lowly Patriots. Instead, the Broncos had their worst performance of the season, lost that game, and the vibes in Broncos Country have been on a steady decline since. The Broncos missed the playoffs because of the debacle on Christmas Eve, which is an incredibly unfortunate end to a campaign that once had so much hope. Denver’s season started extremely poorly, with the team giving up 70 points to the Dolphins and a 1-5 record. But the Broncos turned it around, with brilliant defensive play and efficient offensive production. Somehow, the Broncos played their way into the playoff hunt, despite their horrible start. The Broncos sure believed that they could pull it off; They chose not to sell off assets at the deadline out of belief that this group could make a run. If they so choose, many of those same players could still be dealt this offseason, but they likely won’t yield the same value.
Photo Credit: Isaiah Downing-USA Today
The biggest problem facing the Broncos this offseason is the same problem they’ve had for the last eight years: They need a quarterback. After his benching in Week 17, Russell Wilson’s time in Denver is almost certainly finished. It’s an unfathomable end to what was supposed to be an era of prosperity for Denver; The Wilson trade was supposed to mark the end of the Broncos’ quarterback carousel and yield more championships for the team. Instead, they got an 11-19 record and an albatross contract that they will now spend the next few years trying to navigate.
Speaking of which! Said contract has initiated a new circus around Denver. After Wilson was benched, it was reported that during the team’s bye week, the team asked Wilson to void his injury guarantees for the next season to give Denver some financial flexibility in the offseason. Wilson was also reportedly told if he didn’t agree to void the guarantees, he could be benched for the rest of the season. Wilson, obviously, didn’t agree to those terms. The dispute got to the point where the NFL PA got involved. In the end, Wilson remained the starter, continued to play admirably, and wasn’t benched until week 17 when his declining play coincided with the team falling out of the playoff race. The contract dispute between Wilson and the Broncos has a bunch of moving parts, and we will likely never know the whole truth about what happened behind the scenes. Both parties had merit behind their decisions, and there doesn't seem to be any bad blood between either side. That said, threatening to bench your quarterback while he’s playing well and just led your team to a momentous win against a division rival is a bad look, no matter how you slice it. The media attention over that debacle has died down for now, but it’s certain to come back into the public consciousness after Wilson is officially let go in March.
Photo Credit: Andy Cross-Denver Post
That’s where the Broncos stand entering the offseason. After such a painful few weeks, with heartbreak and drama to go around, the question naturally arises: What now?
Your guess is as good as mine. This Broncos offseason can go about a million different ways, and it’s not clear as of yet which direction Denver wants to take. They have an array of problems to address, with the game’s most important position at the top of the list. Nothing Denver does this offseason matters if they don’t get it right under center. Problem is, the Broncos don’t have many great avenues to finding their franchise QB this spring. They sit at 12th in the draft order, which is far too late to draft talents like Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels. They may be in range for players like JJ McCarthy, Bo Nix, and Michael Penix, but they first have to decide if they see franchise-caliber quarterbacks in those players. The biggest ticket in terms of established QB options this Spring is Kirk Cousins, but Denver doesn’t have the financial ability to give him the money other teams will. At this point, it looks very likely that the Broncos will be starting a veteran bridge quarterback again next season. Jimmy Garoppolo, Jameis Winston, and Jarrett Stidham all seem like early fits.
But Denver has more than that to worry about. As their up and down season would indicate, the team has definite holes to fill if they want to make any noise in the AFC anytime soon. They desperately need a boundary corner opposite Patrick Surtain. They do not currently have a franchise pass rusher. Their starting center looks certain to leave in free agency. They only have one dependable receiver. With how far Denver has to go in terms of competing with other teams, one can make a reasonable argument that the Broncos should consider using this season as a “reset year” to gain capital, rebuild the roster, and set themselves up for future success. However, that route likely entails letting go of good players and losing games; Two things that Sean Payton absolutely hates to do.
Photo Credit: Isaiah Downing-USA Today
At the end of the day, there’s only one true constant on the Broncos right now: Their head coach. Sean Payton is the Broncos future, and though recent events have made that fact less assuring, this IS Sean Payton we’re talking about. Despite the disappointments last season brought, Payton has the reputation he does for a reason. He’s universally respected around the league, and almost every football analyst there is thinks he’s a future hall-of-famer. Such is why the organization has placed such faith in him. It’s impossible to know what this offseason has in store for Denver, but one thing is certain: Whatever happens over the four months will happen because Sean Payton wants it to happen. This is his team. They will execute his vision, and they will do it his way. The Denver Broncos lie in the hands of their head coach. Everything that occurs during his tenure will lie squarely on his shoulders, for better or worse.
And I don’t think he’d want it any other way.
