Broncos GM George Paton: 'This Roster Gives Us the Best Chance to Win'

This is what Denver Broncos fans want to hear.

Feb 27, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Denver Broncos general manager George Paton speaks during a press conference at the NFL Scouting Combine at Indiana Convention Center. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton and GM George Paton have whittled the roster down to its initial 53 players, but that doesn't mean they're finished making adjustments. Just how quickly Tim Patrick caught on with the Detroit Lions serves as a reminder that every team is watching the wire like hawks, including the Broncos.

"I think there are 1,400 players, if I'm not mistaken, on the wire tonight," Paton pointed out on Tuesday following the cuts deadline. "So we'll sift through that. It will take us half the night, then we'll watch those players. Any way we can upgrade our team, we'll do that. We feel like we're stronger in certain areas on our team, maybe a little weaker [in others]."

Despite the depth during training camp, especially at the wide receiver position, the Broncos have condensed that room down to only five options. Adding another body to any position group would entail subtracting elsewhere, but that's how the chips fall this time of year.

The Broncos' clear, collective vision of where they must go is crucial. It's given rise to a consensus that nothing will get in the way of the team's burgeoning youth movement.

That might be the feeling of the media and fans alike, but Paton emphasized that there's always room to add another veteran to this roster if the stars happen to align.

"No, our expectations have not changed," Paton shot down the notion that they only want to get younger and younger. "It's day-to-day and we're just trying to get better each and every day. We are really encouraged by what we saw during training camp and the preseason. [This team] is young and it is hungry, but we do have experience in a lot of areas... We're trying to win. This 53-man roster gives us the best chance to win."

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Paton isn't ruling out some further tinkering by adding a veteran or two, but that's simply standard GM procedure. What's much more apparent is how the success of the Broncos' 2024 draft class has played its part, adding six new faces to the mix.

Paton stopped short of patting his own back, but the Broncos' front office diligence has set the table for a rapid roster makeover this summer.

"We're encouraged by the rookie class, both the draft picks and the free agents," Paton said. "It's credit to our personnel department and our sports performance with the development of these players. Obviously, time will tell as we get to the regular season, but we like the class so far." 

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