The Denver Broncos wrapped up mandatory minicamp on June 15 after three consecutive days of team practices.
New head coach Sean Payton officially took the helm in February after the Broncos traded a first-round pick to the New Orleans Saints. Since arriving, Payton has made his presence known, pledging to veer Denver in a positive direction after it finished 5-12 in 2022.
Payton said despite working throughout OTAs and minicamp on the practice field, he’s still eager to see the kind of team the Broncos are post-mandatory minicamp.
“I always feel like when the season gets near training camp, a lot of times — and this will be the case this year — I’ll say I’m anxious to see what kind of team we have,” Payton told the media in a June 15 Zoom press conference. “And there are a lot of things that can dictate that, especially in the first four weeks of the season.”
Expectations are high for Payton to bring a winning culture to Denver. Payton’s resume is notable, as he coached future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees for 15 years while also winning the Super Bowl in 2010.
Despite any on-the-field concerns Payton might have during his first off-season with the Broncos, he noted that the players are in a position to be successful in the future.
“To the conditioning level, to the strength to the running to the offseason program, I like where we’re at. I like where we’re at now,” Payton said.
Sean Payton’s Influence on Vance Joseph
Part of Payton’s change in culture was bringing in new coordinators under his regime.
One of those coordinators is a familiar face in the Broncos’ team facilities.
Vance Joseph was hired in February to become the team’s defensive coordinator. He has the opportunity to help the same Broncos defense he managed as the team’s head coach from 2017-2018, when he accumulated an 11-22 overall record.
But according to Joseph, one of the biggest factors in returning to Denver is the opportunity to coach with Payton.
“Obviously, I had some choices after leaving Arizona, but Denver being home, this is a great place – great fan base,” Joseph told the media in a June 14 press conference. “We have a home here still. So for me, it was home and I was looking to work with Sean. It was a perfect spot.”
Joseph moved on from the Arizona Cardinals after serving as the team’s defensive coordinator from 2019-2022. But by returning to Denver, Joseph looks to take control of a defense that ranked 22nd and 13th under his leadership in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
Other Coaches Experience First Off-Season in Denver
Joseph wasn’t the only new coordinator to be hired by the Broncos this off-season. In fact, all three phases were addressed through Joseph, Joe Lombardi (offensive coordinator) and Ben Kotwica (special teams coordinator).
One of the biggest questions of the off-season related to the Broncos was whether or not Payton and Lombardi would be able to help quarterback Russell Wilson’s play in 2023. Wilson led a Denver offense that ranked 32nd in the NFL in points per game (16.9) last year.
Lombardi once served as the Saints’ quarterbacks coach under Payton from 2009-2013 2016-2020, and previously as an assistant from 2006-2007.
The now-former Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator said watching Wilson’s game film has been key in his continued improvement.
“You want to see what a player does — maybe what he struggled with, but also you don’t want to make too many assumptions,” Lombardi said in a June 14 press conference. “It’s a new year and a new coaching staff and a new scheme and so we got a lot of time to figure out exactly the best plan for all these players.”
Kotwica, on the other hand, previously coached the Minnesota Vikings as assistant special teams coach last season before joining the Broncos this off-season.
By moving to Denver, Kotwica is once again working alongside new Broncos assistant head coach Mike Westhoff. The pair initially coached together on the New York Jets from 2007-2013.
Another special teams assistant that was just hired by the Broncos is former 10-year NFL pro Chris Banjo, who played under Payton on the Saints from 2016-2018.
All in all, Kotwica said learning from each coach has been valuable for the growth of the special teams unit so far.
“(Westhoff) has been doing it for 30 plus years, and then he got coach Banjo who’s been doing it for about three weeks,” Kotwica said during a June 14 press conference. “I’m somewhere in the middle and that dynamic has been excellent. So everybody brings a little bit of things that are different to the table and so far, so good.”
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Sean Payton Reveals Status of Broncos Following End of Minicamp