Payton Reacts Strongly to Broncos TE Albert Okwuegbunam's Big Night

Holy cow.

Sean Payton signaled to the Denver Broncos faithful that there's a new sheriff in town, decimating the Los Angeles Rams in the preseason finale 41-0. It's not an apples-to-apples comparison, but after the Rams got the Broncos' Christmas Day turkey by dropping a 50-burger on them and hammering Nathaniel Hackett's death knell, it was poetic that Payton's first victory as head coach was not only at Empower Field at Mile High, but a total shutout against Sean McVay's team. 

One of the players who helped pour gasoline on the bonfire for Payton was fourth-year tight end Albert Okwuegbunam, whom many local analysts predicted wouldn't make the Broncos' 53-man roster out of camp. But on the heels of his seven-catch, 109-yard display on Saturday night, which included an impressive touchdown catch, it seems even Payton was impressed. 

"He's one of those guys—he had a big night," Payton said post-game. "Holy cow."

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Time will tell how much it helps Okwuegbunam's outlook, but it's hard to imagine him not making Denver's roster. If the Broncos keep four tight ends, as expected, he definitely put Nate Adkins in the rear-view mirror. 

Entering a contract year, it was a timely display for 'Albert O.' Drafted in the fourth round out of Missouri back in 2020, he's found himself in the doghouse of two previous coaching regimes, to go along with a checkered injury jacket, so the doubts surrounding his outlook with Payton were understandable. 

However, the Broncos definitely realized the asset Okwuegbunam is, and that should translate to not only a roster spot, but also a role on the offense with the first-teamers. At worst, he just made himself a modestly valuable trade piece, if the Broncos were of the mind to deal him. 

I doubt that happens, though. Holy cow. Okwuegbunam was impressive in his last-ditch effort to make this roster. 

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