Broncos, Payton Chasing ‘Redemption’ After Falling Flat in 2023

Every now and then, a head coach in the NFL is so sought-after (and technically unavailable) that another team is willing to go on the transactions wire and give up some of their own resources in terms of draft capital for them.

One of those rare moves occurred in Jan. 2023, when the Denver Broncos traded a 2023 first-round pick and 2024 second-round pick to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for head coach Sean Payton.

Payton’s first season with the Broncos was an improvement in terms of record — the Broncos went from 5-12 in 2022 to 8-9 in 2023 — but the result was the same in the end as the franchise missed the playoffs for the eighth straight season. There was also turmoil off the field, as Payton and quarterback Russell Wilson turned out to not be a match, with Wilson ultimately released following the season with an accompanying $85 million dead cap hit over the next two seasons.

All of that — and more — is why The Athletic’s Mike Jones has Payton’s “redemption quest” among the biggest NFL storylines headed into the 2024 season.

“Sean Payton was supposed to turn the Broncos around after Nathaniel Hackett’s disappointing stint as head coach,” Jones wrote. “Instead, Denver’s struggles continued and by season’s end Payton had benched Russell Wilson — it was evident that the Broncos were far from the quick-fix project the coach thought he had inherited. Now, Denver is in rebuild mode after releasing Wilson, trading Jerry Jeudy drafting Bo Nix 12th overall, and spending the offseason working to upgrade depth. Catching the AFC West-leading Chiefs this season is probably a long-shot, but Payton needs to position the Broncos to gain ground on the Raiders while holding off the revamped Chargers.”

Oddsmakers Don’t Like Broncos Chances in 2024

Oddsmakers have the Broncos tagged as being one of the NFL’s worst teams in 2024 — thanks in no small part to a large amount of talent going out the door, including Jeudy, losing center Lloyd Cushenberry to free agency and releasing three-time NFL All-Pro safety Justin Simmons in a salary cap move.

According to Vegas Insider, the over/under win total is set at 5.5 wins almost across the board at the major betting services for the Broncos, with only DraftKings at 6.5 wins. Only the Carolina Panthers are below the Broncos with a projected 4.5 wins.

Payton One of NFL’s Best Coaches Over Last Decade

Payton spent almost 20 years as an assistant coach in college and the NFL before he was hired as the head coach of the Saints in 2006.

He led the Saints to a Super Bowl win following the 2009 season, was suspended for the entire 2012 season because of Bountygate and was one of the NFL’s best coaches throughout the entire run.

Payton was never more consistent — and better — than he was at the end of his run with the Saints. After missing the playoffs with three consecutive 7-9 seasons from 2014 to 2016, Payton reeled off four consecutive NFC South Division titles from 2017 to 2020. He left New Orleans with a 152-89 career record and spent 2022 as part of the Fox NFL Sunday team.

In Jan. 2023, the Broncos made Payton the second-highest paid coach in not just the NFL, but in all of professional sports with a 5-year, $90 million contract that pays him a reported $18 million per season.