Broncos’ Sean Payton Issues Warning to Roster Before Preseason Games

Getty Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton.

The Denver Broncos are a team in full-on rebuilding mode under second-year head coach Sean Payton.

That means there will be a lot of moving parts for the time being, and Payton issued a warning to every player along those lines at training camp just four days ahead of Denver’s preseason opener on Aug. 11 at the Indianapolis Colts.

“Broncos coach Sean Payton continues to remind all of the players as the preseason opener approaches that they should not just zero in on the competition they see in front of them every day, but that he and the organization will be searching the waiver wire for options when rosters are trimmed to 53 leaguewide,” ESPN’s Jeff Legwold wrote.

Each NFL roster is allowed a maximum of 90 players on its roster through the summer and must have that number trimmed down to a 53-man roster by Aug. 27.

Broncos Haven’t Made Playoffs Since 2015

The Broncos haven’t made the postseason since winning Super Bowl 50 following the 2015 season and haven’t had a winning season in 8 years — their 8-9 record in 2023 represented the Broncos’ highest win total since going 9-7 in 2016.

Oddsmakers have the Broncos taking a huge step back in 2024, with their over/under total for wins set at between 5.5 wins and 6.5 wins across all the major betting services.

The Broncos are in a position where they can’t operate like they normally would financially for the next two seasons thanks to the disastrous, 5-year, $245 million sign-and-trade contract the franchise gave quarterback Russell Wilson in Sept. 2022 — one that included $160 million in guaranteed money.

Cutting Wilson after two seasons cost the Broncos dearly, with an $85 million dead cap hit spread over 2024 and 2025. It put Denver in a financial bind that’s forced the Broncos to make moves like releasing safety Justin Simmons to clear up $14.5 million in salary cap space after he earned three consecutive NFL All-Pro Team selections.

The biggest question for the Broncos this offseason is at the quarterback position, where veteran Jarrett Stidham and 2024 No. 12 overall pick Bo Nix are competing for the starting spot.

“It’s important they’re focused really on their job and what they’re doing, and if you start to project (on the Broncos’ depth chart) you can drive yourself crazy, and it’s not really a clean or clear indicator as to what might happen,” Payton told ESPN.

Who Do the Broncos Play in the Preseason?

The Broncos open the preseason against the Colts on Aug. 11 at 11 a.m. MST. The Broncos play their final two preseason games at home, facing the Green Bay Packers on Aug. 15 and the Arizona Cardinals on Aug. 25.

The Broncos open the regular season on the road, traveling to play the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 8.

The Broncos’ future, whatever it may be, seems mostly tied to Nix right now. In July, Bleacher Report’s Ryan Fowler listed the rookie out of Oregon as Denver’s biggest reason for optimism in 2024.