Broncos’ Front Office Decision Could Cause Denver Meltdown as Sean Payton Awaits Contract News on 6 Stars

Sure, on paper, this might be the most promising Broncos offseason in a while. Sean Payton’s fully in charge, Bo Nix brings fresh energy to the QB room, and that defence? Still nasty. But even with all that going right, you can’t shake the feeling that something’s just… a little off.

It’s not about the playbook, the locker room vibes, or who’s benching what in the gym. It’s about what’s going on behind those big glass doors. This season is all about decisions. Decisions that are long overdue. And if the front office keeps dragging its feet, it could ripple right through the foundation Payton’s trying to cement in Denver.

And the most important decision? It’s not about a player. It’s about someone inside the front office. General Manager George Paton. Look back at Paton’s decisions in the past, and all you’d think is: the man is a walking contradiction. And in a recent episode of Sports Talk Denver, the host summed it up perfectly.

“George Paton’s kind of a maligned figure in the front office, he has simultaneously helped us make some of the best decisions this franchise has ever made—we got Jonathan Cooper, Nik Bonitto, Quinn Meinerz, Bo Nix. But then he was also responsible for getting Russell Wilson and Nathaniel Hackett. So do we like Paton or is he the biggest villain in Broncos history?”

He could not have said it better. On one hand, the 2021 draft was a home run for Denver. Patrick Surtain II turned into a DPOY-level cornerstone. Quinn Meinerz is mauling people up front. Jonathon Cooper? Quietly becoming a real problem off the edge. That class pretty much set the stage for the defence we are going to see this season.

And let’s not forget: other teams noticed. The Jets poached assistant GM Darren Mougey this offseason, a big nod to how well this front office scouts talent. There’s clearly respect. In and around the league. But flip the coin, and the picture gets a little messier. The bad decisions? You could argue that they outweigh the good ones.

George Paton’s name is tied to two of the biggest disasters in recent Broncos history: the Russell Wilson trade and the Nathaniel Hackett hire. Both moves blew up in 2022, and the ripple effects are still being felt. That Wilson deal alone (over $242 million) left a heap of dead cap money that’s now hindering Denver’s flexibility in 2025. It’s the kind of baggage that’s hard to ignore. It doesn’t matter how well the rest of the roster is shaping up.

George Paton’s heading into the final year of his deal, and the clock’s ticking. His résumé clearly has both hits and misses. What’s missing? A decision. Some fans say, “Lock him in—let’s build this thing slow and steady with Payton.” Others? They’re not so sure. Because when your GM’s future is up in the air, it trickles down. Contract talks, roster confidence, all of it is put on standby.

Right now, the Broncos finally feel like they’re on the right track. But until the front office makes a call on Paton, there’s a question mark hanging over the whole operation. And that hum of uncertainty? It’s only getting louder. But the Paton decision is not the only one to be made.

Add five more decisions to the mix

That other decision? Or, let’s say decisions. Because there are five players (yes, five) who are entering the final year of their contracts with the Broncos. Let’s start with the obvious. Zach Allen is that guy up front for Denver now. The man broke out in 2024. Allen racked up 8.5 sacks (one of the best totals among interior linemen) and was second on the team in tackles for loss. The guy anchors that defence. If you’re building a core for the long haul, he’s on the blueprint for Sean Payton.

And right behind him? Nik Bonitto. Quietly, he turned into Denver’s top-graded edge rusher, per PFF. He accounted for 10.5 sacks, and most importantly, he brought balance next to Allen. On the back end, there’s Courtland Sutton. No big offseason splash. No headline-grabbing quotes. Just 1,081 receiving yards, eight touchdowns, and a clear connection with rookie QB Bo Nix that made a statement in 2024. That was a career year for Sutton, and yet somehow, it’s like everyone forgot he’s still one of Sean Payton’s most reliable weapons.

Inside the trenches? Broncos face the classic balancing act: loyalty vs value. John Franklin-Myers, with 6.0 sacks and 30 pressures, didn’t produce astronomical numbers, but he provided consistency. And that goes a long way. He’s the guy doing the dirty work so others can shine. Then there’s Malcolm Roach. He had some nice flashes in rotation, showing he can hang in key spots, but his stat line hasn’t quite caught up to the potential.

Denver can’t pay too much for depth, but they also cannot take it for granted. The Broncos are working with about $6 million in available salary cap space. That’s after factoring in some likely restructures and bonus payouts. And with six big-time potential extensions? They cannot afford to make a bad decision(s).

Every dollar counts, especially with Russell Wilson’s contract still looming like a storm cloud over the books. One wrong move, and what starts as a smart depth signing could block the door to locking up cornerstone players or adjusting on the fly.