Broncos GM Details How Sean Payton Has 'Enhanced' Draft Process
Armed with just five picks in next week's NFL draft, Denver Broncos GM George Paton knows he's got to "make hay."
The trades Paton helped orchestrate to land quarterback Russell Wilson and head coach Sean Payton in back-to-back offseason demand an extra-studious approach to drafting in the mid-to-late rounds.
Paton was master and commander in the Broncos' last two drafts, but this time around, he's locked in a front-office dance with Payton. Reports have indicated that Paton's powerbase has been eroded during the offseason, but the GM likes to think of the new arrangement with Payton as a positive collaborative partnership.
"My first two drafts here, I thought the process was really good," Paton said on Thursday. "With the addition of Sean, we've enhanced it and we've taken the next step. Sean sits in all of our meetings. He sounds like a scout, and he's been around a lot of really good people throughout his career."
Paton learned much from legendary Alabama coach Nick Saban during the time spent together with the Miami Dolphins from 2005-06, and he sees many similarities with how Payton likes to build his roster.
"The two years I was with Coach Saban, they have a similar vision of how they want to build the football team," Paton said of Payton. "They have a clear vision on how they want to build the team. I'm aligned with Sean on that. You can see throughout free agency with some of the players that we signed and some of their makeup. You'll see that moving forward."
Each stop an NFL coach and front office executive makes along the line eventually becomes a piece to a bigger jigsaw puzzle that provides wisdom and experience. A common understanding has developed between Paton and Payton early on, that with only limited draft collateral at their disposal, the Broncos would have to be aggressive in free agency.
The Broncos are obviously delighted with their free-agent haul, which has given the GM/HC tandem a level of confidence heading into the draft.
"We were really aggressive in free agency," Paton said. "We wanted to fill as many holes with as many quality players that fit the prototype and fit our culture as we could. They just so happened to be on offense. We feel like we filled a lot of those holes. Now, we can draft the best player.”
In a draft with only five selections, having the mindset that every pick is crucial, and therefore, must be forensically researched, could hold the key to success for the Broncos. To that end, what Payton is bringing to the table comes as a stark contrast to Nathaniel Hackett's generally rudderless approach of only 12 months ago.
Payton is very much on the same page with his GM. The moves the pair made during free agency have set the Broncos up nicely to attack the draft with some gusto, options, and clear objectives.
"That's the significance of the free agency process," Payton said. "You're hoping that you free yourself up a little bit to give yourself more flexibility in the draft so you're not taking the toaster over the double oven."
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