Head coach Sean Payton knew that no wideout except Courtland Sutton recorded 1,081 receiving yards last season. So, the Broncos rolled the dice on Illinois receiver Pat Bryant in the third round—a 6-foot-2, 204-pound playmaker built to shake things up. With that kind of size and college production, Bryant looked like a perfect piece to spice up the Broncos’ offense. Naturally, fans were eager to see him make an immediate splash. However, the excitement didn’t translate right away once the regular season kicked off.

Bryant’s first shot came during Sunday’s 20-12 win over the Tennessee Titans, and things didn’t exactly take off. In fact, Bryant didn’t even record a target in that game. But before jumping to conclusions, context matters. He played just four of the Broncos’ 76 offensive snaps—by far the lowest snap count of any offensive player. Clearly, he wasn’t in the mix much, and it wasn’t necessarily Bryant’s fault. So, when reporters asked Payton about the rookie’s minimal role, he didn’t shy away from giving a simple but telling answer.

Zac Stevens shared Payton’s words: “I asked him about Bryant only getting four snaps on Sunday. He said: ‘We can improve that’.” That leaves no doubt that the coach sees Bryant as a big part of the squad. And the hype around Bryant isn’t just empty talk. Back at Illinois, he racked up 984 yards on 54 catches during his senior season, tying the school record with 10 touchdown receptions. Plus, Payton had some high praise when Bryant arrived.

Speaking to ESPN’s Jeff Legwold, Payton said, “We always talk about, who does he remind (you of)? We try to find comps. There were so many things about his game that reminded me of Mike Thomas. With respect to Mike, who became [elite] … I mean, holy cow.” So, what drew Denver to Bryant wasn’t just his numbers, though they were impressive. One drop on 78 targets is as reliable as it gets. Sean Payton made it clear the Broncos saw more than stats.

The head coach praised Bryant’s explosiveness off the line, toughness, and relentless competitiveness. The insight from Jim Leonhard, who coached Bryant at Illinois before joining Denver, only reinforced that belief. What really stood out were the moments that mattered most. Bryant delivered three game-winning touchdowns late in games last season, and nearly 80 percent of his catches moved the chains or found the end zone. Payton compared him to players who thrived under pressure, pointing out that his size, strong hands, and ability to shine when the spotlight is brightest are exactly the traits that make him such a fit for the Broncos.

So, that means the 22-year-old Illini product will look to get more involved in Week 2 against the Indianapolis Colts. Especially since quarterback Bo Nix spread the ball around well in joint practice, targeting different pass catchers. Still, Nix had a tough outing in Week 1, and Payton isn’t shying away from owning that fact.

Sean Payton takes the blame for Bo Nix’s mistakes

After a shaky Week 1 showing, Broncos head coach Sean Payton didn’t waste time passing the buck. Instead, he took full responsibility for the mess that unfolded during Denver’s 20-12 win over the Tennessee Titans. With Bo Nix throwing two interceptions and losing his first fumble since his Auburn days in 2021, Payton admitted, “I don’t know how many games I’ve called, but that’s one of those where I came away like, ‘Man, I’ve got to be a lot better.'” He even added, “… If you’re not careful, the game can be over and you’re on to the next game and you haven’t really … had the debrief properly. We’re really trying to pay attention to that.”

Not only that, Payton spent extra hours dissecting the game plan and his play calls to Nix during critical moments. While Nix ended up completing 25 of 40 passes for 176 yards, the Broncos struggled on the ground, with just seven rushes for 24 yards in the first half. Denver trailed 12-10 early in the third quarter, and the coach knew there was plenty to rethink.

Interestingly, Payton pointed to early-game missteps when discussing the issues. He said, “If you looked at the down-and-distance, the hashmarks, some of the calls, from a timing standpoint, it’s more of some of the early plays, in the first half … And it’s cleaning up some of the details.” Meanwhile, Nix admitted, “You want to go out there and score points … I know I can be a lot better.”

Finally, even with four total turnovers—including a special teams fumble—Payton noted a silver lining. Denver became the only team to win in Week 1 while losing the turnover battle. Still, Nix believes his interceptions came from being too aggressive, trying to “walk the fine line” between taking care of the ball and chasing big plays.