After their appearance in the AFC Championship Game, the Denver Broncos are preparing for the upcoming NFL season with a focus on urgency and discipline, according to statements made by team leadership at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
General Manager George Paton described the organization’s approach as consistently urgent, emphasizing that each offseason brings changes to the roster. “I think we are always urgent,” Paton said. “After the season, you reset because our team is not going to be the same. We have to be urgent. We don’t control a lot in free agency. Guys can leave. I think I said in January that we are going to be urgent and aggressive in our approach [with] no stone unturned. We are looking at everything.”
Paton also noted that despite coming close to reaching the Super Bowl, it is important for the Broncos to remain measured when making personnel decisions. “You have to be measured and selective and make the right decisions,” he said. “You can’t just go crazy just because you came three points from the Super Bowl. We’ll be aggressive in that approach but really measured and try to make sound decisions.”
Head Coach Sean Payton echoed these sentiments, pointing out that last year’s success does not guarantee future results. “You do have to know that you really have to go back,” Payton said. “It’s painful, but you have to start from the beginning. You really do.” He added that although Denver tied a franchise record for regular-season wins, there were areas for improvement: “From my lens, we won a lot of games by one score or less,” Payton said. “I’m not naive enough to think those games couldn’t have swung… The meat on the bone exists with our takeaways. That has to improve. Our run game … consistency… I think that’s the only way to look at it, relative to this team writing its own chapter and getting us to where we want to go, which is obviously a game and a half further than where we went.”
Addressing roster priorities for 2026, Payton identified linebacker and running back as key positions needing attention due to potential departures of inside linebackers Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad as well as running back J.K. Dobbins becoming unrestricted free agents. “Well, if we look at our roster and we start doing ‘the musts’, you would say you have to take the free agents out of the equation,” Payton said. “So, running back would have to be one. Linebacker, there are two of them… So, those are positions certainly that would stand out.”
Paton expressed interest in retaining Singleton and Strnad: “We see those guys as Broncos,” he stated. “If we let those guys leave, what are we doing? Those are good dudes, and that doesn’t mean we can get them.” At running back, Paton praised rookie RJ Harvey’s performance last season after Dobbins’ injury: “I thought he had a really good year for a rookie and everything that was thrown to him… He’s dynamic with the ball in his hands… I couldn’t be more happy about RJ.”
The Broncos’ recent contract extensions for several key players — including Pat Surtain II, Nik Bonitto, Courtland Sutton and Quinn Meinerz — were cited by Paton as steps toward easing offseason pressures by ensuring continuity among core contributors: “Just think if we didn’t get those guys wrapped up, what we’d be facing… There are a lot of All-Pros and Pro Bowlers… We are identifying the right players, the right makeup and the right people.”
Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph will return for his fourth season leading Denver’s defense despite being considered for multiple head-coaching jobs elsewhere during this hiring cycle — something both Payton and Paton acknowledged was surprising given Joseph’s performance last season.
“I love that he’s back,” Payton said regarding Joseph’s return as defensive coordinator. “I am a little surprised with the season we had… He has a presence about him… I think one of his superpowers is his calming presence. He pulls the best out of his players that play for him.”
