Denver Post Broncos writer Parker Gabriel posts his Broncos Mailbag periodically during the offseason. Click here to submit a question.
Wouldn’t it be wise of the new Broncos organization to temper their position on not providing typical team information that the paying public expects to hear and read in following their team and avoid the developing apathy in a competitive sports market? After all, there are new players and a burgeoning new roster that the fans want to know about and we don’t even have their jersey numbers or recent photos and it’s becoming too easy to not even care about what’s happening. Come on Sean, loosen up some of the information!
— A referee, Greeley
Hey Ref! Yeah, it’s been pretty quiet over in Dove Valley, hasn’t it? We’ll hear from some decision-makers soon in the form of a pre-draft news conference, but there’s been no coaches or players made available since the start of the offseason program and none of Denver’s new free agents have done anything team-arranged beyond speak briefly with their in-house media folks.
From the desk of Capt. Obvious: As a reporter, I’m all for more access. Beyond that, a couple of things can be true at the same time: Sean Payton’s set a course that’s within the guidelines for media access in the NFL (near the minimum, but within the guidelines nonetheless) and also it’s much less than Broncos fans have become accustomed to over the years.
The idea, as Payton put it when he was introduced, is to be “anonymous donors” for the offseason. He clearly doesn’t want much hype or fanfare about the offseason, which is always part of what happens this time of year. But it’s also a chance to get to know new players and coaches and give fans some insight into your process.
Hopefully, there’s more of that to come from Payton and others directly involved, but we’ll keep doing what we can to bring interesting and relevant information regardless.
We know Russell Wilson has been working out under the tutelage of a private coach. Has he publicly commented on the hire of Sean Payton?
— Mark Heckart, Albuquerque, N.M.
Hey Mark, thanks for writing in.
Wilson has worked for the past six offseasons with Jake Heaps and that did not stop this winter. Obviously, it’s been well-documented that the role of Wilson’s performance team around the Broncos facility is going to look different going forward and, in reality, their presence started to decrease late in the 2022 season.
Wilson hasn’t said anything publicly about Payton so far, but we’re pretty confident that he’s on board with the hire. Remember what he said after the final game of the regular season? Here it is:
“I’ve been around Sean at the Pro Bowl, been around him across the league, played against him quite a bit. He’s one of the world’s best. A guy who’s coached a Hall of Fame quarterback in Drew Brees, who is one of my closest friends,” Wilson said then. “… He’s competitive as can be. He’s a winner — obviously, he’s won a Super Bowl — a winner at the highest level. Being around him at the Pro Bowl, the wizardry he’d have on the field was just magnificent.”
Wilson also said he appreciated how Payton knows, “how to push guys at the ultimate level.”
Sounds like a thumb’s up.
Hey Parker, love your coverage! Who do you think on the team is primed for a huge jump in 2023? It seemed like Javonte Williams was going to be that guy for us last year before his injury.
— Shawn S., Aurora
Hey Shawn, thanks for the kind words. And for the opportunity for a quick plug. Our coverage is getting better going forward as we officially have Ryan McFadden on staff as of Monday. You’ll come to enjoy his insights on the Broncos beat over time, so give him a follow on Twitter @ryanmcfadden_ and find him at rmcfadden@denverpost.com.
Great question about potential breakout candidates. So many guys are either bounce-back candidates after down seasons (Wilson) or injury (Tim Patrick, Garett Bolles, Williams etc.) or are new arrivals. Two guys the Broncos and Payton are hoping take big steps forward this fall could well be playing next to each other on the offensive line: Center Lloyd Cushenberry and guard Quinn Meinerz. Payton said in Phoenix last month that he thinks the additions of Ben Powers and Mike McGlinchey will help Cushenberry. It stands to reason they would also help Meinerz. Really, continuity and balance would serve everyone well. I’d put them at the top of the list. The first name that jumped to my mind when I first read the question was tight end Greg Dulcich, but he’s got to stay healthy and show Payton he can be the kind of featured offensive weapon he showed early flashes of as a rookie.
Defensively, the Broncos could certainly do with a break-out season from outside linebacker Baron Browning.
I think with Tim Patrick coming back this year, our passing game will be vastly improved. Who do you think will be our No. 1 option come Week 1? It felt like Courtland Sutton was gonna be that guy before his ACL tear a few years ago. He looks like he’s lost a step — or at least isn’t as effective as he was in the past. Is Jerry Jeudy our No. 1?
— Mike, Denver
Mike, thank you for writing. Good way to wrap this up this week.
First things first, Patrick is tracking toward being fully cleared at some point this offseason and, assuming no setbacks, will be 13 months clear of ACL surgery by the time Denver opens the regular season. But the next part of your question — about Sutton before his ACL injury in 2020 — should give us a bit of pause before we just assume Patrick will go right back to being the same player he was the first time he steps back onto the field. Some guys bounce back fast, others take quite a while to really get back to being fully comfortable, even if they say they feel fine.
As for the No. 1 receiver in 2023, Jeudy’s the current leader in the clubhouse. But let’s not go writing it in Sharpie until after next week’s draft. Deal? Because if a trade were to come together for Jeudy, Sutton or anybody else, it’s most likely to happen during the draft.
We’ve been over this several times since the season ended, but one more table set: Jeudy would bring the richest trade return of the receiving corps, but at what cost? Sutton has value and if he didn’t, several teams would not have called this offseason asking about his availability. Coaches love players like Patrick, who can lead, make plays, is a tough guy and is wiling to do the dirty work. But who really, truly scares defensive coordinators on the Broncos’ offense? Jeudy.
There’s always the chance that Payton gets different production out of different players than past coaches, but if Jeudy’s on the roster come September, he’s the favorite to be the top guy.
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