Analyst Questions Validity of Sean Payton’s Surprising Trade Edict

The sudden pivot from the Broncos front office regarding the possibility of trading Jerry Jeudy and/or Courtland Sutton was called “little more than spin and posturing” by the Mile High Report’s Jess Place.

“So, the spin is in full effect,” Place said. “All that sounds nice, but when you step back and look at this statement in the context of what the Broncos have been reported to be doing with their receivers, this is little more than spin and posturing.”

Place was referring to comments made by Sean Payton to the NFL Network on March 26 that declared Denver wouldn’t trade either of its two star wideouts.

“I see and read just like everyone else does,” Payton said. “Then occasionally, when someone really crowds the plate, I throw a fastball right at their chin, and they back up, and they’re like, ‘All right.’ And so, I haven’t thrown any fastballs lately, but we’re not trading those two players,” Payton said.”

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Sean Payton: George Paton’s Job is to Listen to Offers

Payton acknowledged that Broncos general manager George Paton’s job is to listen to trade offers before ultimately rebuffing them because the new head coach likes what he has in his receiver room.

“When people call and the phone rings like it does this time of year, [general manager] George Paton’s job is to pick it up and say, ‘Hey. Tell you what, we’re not,'” Payton said. “And so, we’ve received calls, you bet. Those are two good football players. But we’re in the business of gathering talent right now. Why do people call? Because they know we’re void of draft picks and that we might, because there was some discussions a year ago, I think, regarding Courtland. But we like the current group that we’re working with.”

Place called this the “the phase of low-key gas-lighting relationship repair” for Denver and its receiving duo.

“We have entered the phase of low-key gas-lighting relationship repair,” Place said. “The front office realized that they these guys are eventually going to report and groundwork needs to be put in place so the receiver room isn’t overrun with malcontents.”

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‘Mandate to Win Now’ Real for Broncos

Place noted that the rescinding of Denver’s receiving pair from the trade block means there’s a “mandate to win now” for the Broncos during the 2023 season.

“With no pick until the 3rd round of this year’s draft and coming off one of the worst season’s in recent history, the mandate to win now is very real,” Place wrote. “These players are either going to contribute on the field or as converted draft capital.”

According to Place, the powers that be in the Mile High City are mending fences with a number of their star players partly with an eye on improving their trade value.

“The groundwork is being made to repair any hurt feelings this process may have caused while at the same time broadcasting that Denver won’t just be giving these guys away. Remember, nobody is untradeable,” Place said.

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