The minicamps are about getting in sync with the roster moves that came over the drafts and free agency. They’re also about doubling down on the team’s vision for the new season. But as far as the Denver Broncos are concerned, they’re not leaving anything up in the air. And HC Sean Payton is raising the heat for the entire roster for the last day of the mandatory minicamp.

Sean Payton is only the eighth coach in NFL history to take on all 32 franchises and come out victorious on the other side. With Payton calling the shots, the Broncos had finally made the playoffs last year since 2015. But is he satisfied with that? As QB Bo Nix enters his second season in the NFL, Payton isn’t letting anyone off the hook easily. 2015 was the season the Broncos won their last Super Bowl. Payton wants to see that fourth shiny Lombardi Trophy in the Broncos building. And with that vision in mind, he has already issued a warning call for the boys about what’s coming.

As per a post on X by Broncos reporter Parker Gabriel, Sean Payton is not going to go easy on the team heading into the new season. As Gabriel wrote, “Broncos are practicing tomorrow, the last day of minicamp. ‘There’s no sugar days,’ Sean Payton said. … ‘Tomorrow is a salt day.’” Sean Payton will do everything he can to push the team to success this year, and the hyperdrive starts right from the minicamps. For him, the “sugar days” haven’t been a part of his process since way back in 2011. And the ‘salt’ days will also include polishing up the new talent Sean Payton has added for Bo Nix’s offence: rookie WR Pat Bryant.

Speaking about Pat Bryant recently, Sean Payton drew a comparison to Mike Thomas, the former Saints wide receiver who shined under Payton during his tenure there. Payton was particularly impressed with the ‘traits’ of Bryant that made him “explosive off the line of scrimmage, he’s very competitive, very tough.” And now Payton has doubled down on Bryant again. Speaking about Bryant on Wednesday, Payton said, “You like what you see? I like what I see. He’s tough.” Payton also doubled down on how invested Bryant is in the game and discussed how he fits the “profile” that Payton looks out for.

With Sean Payton driving the team to greatness and adding strategic pieces for Bo Nix, it looks like things will be good for the Broncos this year. It’s time to flip the script on that 10-7 season, and the signs for that have not gone unnoticed by both the QB and the HC.

Winds of change for Sean Payton’s Broncos?

Despite seven losses, Bo Nix’s rookie season indeed checked all the boxes. Starting all 17 games under center, Nix got 3,775 passing yards and an impressive 29 TDs. But will he let that be the highlight? This is the same guy who scored a whopping 49 touchdowns in his last year of college career, and amassed 4,508 yards to go along with that. So a similar explosion in the NFL won’t be that far-fetched for Bo Nix. As for Sean Payton, he’s already noticing the signs of evolution in Bo Nix’s NFL journey. Sean Payton recently noted, “It’s a lot different… Just the processing [and] understanding of what we’re doing in and out of the huddle. As you’re watching each decision, [the throws are] where you want the ball to go. I think it’s entirely different.”

And it’s not just the HC who’s feeling the changes. Bo Nix himself feels he’s come a long way from last season’s performance already. As he notably said, “I feel like I’m a lot further… Just Spitting out play calls is a lot easier, and processing. – It’s fun to have a little bit more of an understanding of what’s going on so I can be a little bit more beneficial to others and help them out along the way. I feel good. We’re in a good spot.” Bo Nix is getting more comfortable in his role as the team’s leader. Right after the Draft this year, he connected with all the rookies to welcome them into the fray.

Sean Payton is all in, and he’s making the grind harder than ever. With Bo Nix’s marked improvement, there’s the added flair of explosive weapons like Pat Bryant in the mix. Is this the recipe the Broncos need to bring home the trophy they haven’t seen in a decade? As September draws closer, we won’t have to wait long to find out.