Broncos can focus on building around their QB in the NFL draft instead of finding him

Updated Apr. 17, 2025 4:01 p.m. ET

Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — For the first time in a decade the Denver Broncos didn't have to spend their NFL draft preparation poring over quarterback prospects.

Bo Nix's successful rookie season in 2024 allowed coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton to focus their energies elsewhere this offseason.

“It’s nice, but there are always different challenges," Paton said. "There are always different stress points. Free agency, that’s a crazy time, because you really don’t have any control and you don’t know what they’re doing on the other side. You don’t know how many teams are involved.

"So that’s a crazy time and now as we head into the draft, we’re picking a little further back. We’re picking 20. Who’s going to be there? Do we have to move up? Maybe we move back? All those scenarios come into play. The challenges are always ahead, no matter what.”

The Broncos got off to a good start on their roster reshaping in free agency, where, as team owner Greg Penner promised, the team was measured in their approach yet managed to address several of their biggest needs.

The Broncos signed safety Talanoa Hufanga and linebacker Dre Greenlaw from the San Francisco 49ers and added tight end Evan Engram from Jacksonville and special teams ace Trent Sherfield from Detroit.

“I feel like we got better," Paton said. "I feel like we have a better offense, defense and special teams. We brought in some really good players, good people and good leaders, especially the first four that we brought in, all kind of captain material. We feel really good about the haul.”

Yet, there's still plenty of pieces to put in place on both offense and defense after the Broncos snapped their seven-year playoff drought last season with their first winning season since 2016.

For the first time in several years, the Broncos have a full complement of draft picks after spending so much draft capital to acquire Russell Wilson and, later, their head coach.

Sitting pretty

Filling so many holes in free agency means the Broncos can focus on grabbing the best player if they stay at 20 and not worrying about reaching for a player.

“It’s huge, and I’ve talked about the flexibility," Paton said. "You want to fill some places where you need to get better in free agency if you can. You don’t want to force it so in the draft, you can take the best player throughout the draft.”

Fortunate fit

Now that they've addressed their paucity of tight end production with the addition of Engram, the Broncos really need a running back to take some load off Nix's shoulders.

And that's a position of strength in this year's class.

“Everyone’s talking about the running backs, so that’s a good thing, right?" Paton said. "There are a lot of running backs. I think we just need to get depth everywhere.”