PHOENIX — Slogans aside, there was no “Free Agency Frenzy” three weeks ago in Denver.

NFL Network dubbed its coverage from the beginning of the negotiating period March 9 to the start of the NFL new league year March 11 as a “Free Agent Frenzy.’’

But there was nothing going on like that with Broncos.

“What is the next word that comes after free agency from the NFL Network and from NFL.com?” Broncos coach Sean Payton asked Tuesday at the NFL owners meetings at the Arizona Biltmore. “(It’s) ‘Frenzy.’ Frenzy is what you don’t want. Frenzy implies that it has to happen, chaos… It’s all marketing. … What’s our plan? Stick with our plan. Tune out the noise. … Patience is important.”

Broncos coach Sean Payton addresses media during the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix, Ariz., on Tuesday, March 31. (Chris Tomasson/The Denver Gazette)

There indeed was no chaos in Denver. The Broncos didn’t do anything after the start of free agency until they agreed March 17 to acquire wide receiver Jaylen Waddle from Miami. Later that week, they landed safety Tycen Anderson, who remains the only outside free agent they have signed.

Payton stressed Tuesday the Broncos have brought in just two new players due to having re-signed 17 of their own unrestricted, restricted and exclusive rights free agents and having signed 10 key players to contract extensions over the past two years. And after coming off a 14-3 season and a berth in the AFC Championship Game, Denver hardly has been a team in desperate need of players.

Still, there has been plenty of angst from Broncos fans, much of it between the start of free agency and when they landed Waddle.

“We tune out the angst,’’ Payton said. “You cannot chase what others outside of the building feel like you should be doing.”

Payton, though, did joke about having left Denver to coach in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic in Los Angeles on March 21.

“I’m sure glad that we had the Waddle trade done before I was coaching that flag football game and our fan base wasn’t going crazy as I’m working on a flag game plan,’’ he said.

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (17) during an NFL game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Sept. 26, 2021, in Las Vegas. (The Associated Press)

One criticism the Broncos have received for not landing more outside free agents now is that they are in good shape with the salary cap before quarterback Bo Nix becomes eligible after next season for a lucrative contract extension.

“We understand exactly where we are at with Bo’s contract, our team.,’’ Payton said. “And yet, the mistake that two-thirds of the teams make is trying to win the day. Win the draft day, win the hiring-cycle day and win the free-agency day. We are interested in winning. That’s why our fanbase is extremely important to us, but we are going to do what we think is best for our team to be better when this puzzle is finished at the end of, call it, June.”

Payton’s ‘humbling’ venture

Payton’s flag football experience did not go well.

Payton coached the Founders, who went 0-2 in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic. The team that included legendary quarterback Tom Brady and Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts was outscored 77-42, which included losing 43-16 to Team USA.

“That was humbling,’’ Payton said.

It was announced in 2023 that flag football will be included in the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. Payton has a different perspective now than he did then.

“It’s an entirely different game (than the NFL),’’ Payton said. “I think when this was first announced, there was this feeling there would be 10 NFL players on that (Olympic) roster, and I’ll be surprised if there’s one. I just think we have plenty of players that can acclimate, but it’s going to take a month or two. Then if you’re one of those players, do you have that month or two?”

Founders FFC’s head coach Sean Payton watches from the sidelines during a game against the U.S. National Flag team during the Fanatics Flag Football Classic, Saturday, March 21, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Caroline Brehman)

Nix to be ready

Payton concurred that Nix, who suffered a broken right ankle in a Jan. 17 divisional playoff win over Buffalo and had surgery three days later, is expected to be fully cleared for the start of offseason drills. Broncos owner Greg Penner made that announcement Monday.

While the Broncos are permitted to hld drills April 20, Payton said players won’t report until May 4 due to coming off their deep playoff run. He said the first month of drills will be just weightlifting and conditioning. Then the Broncos will have sessions of organized team activities during each of the first two weeks of June and then a mandatory minicamp that concludes around June 18.

“We see (Nix) every day at the facility,’’ Payton said. “He’s ahead of schedule with his rehab. He likes being around football.”

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) reacts as he leaves the field after an injury during overtime of an NFL divisional round playoff football game against the Buffalo Bills, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

Nix’s backup last season was Jarrett Stidham, who struggled in Denver’s 10-7 loss to New England in the AFC Championship Game after Nix went down. Payton was asked if there will be competition to be the backup in 2026 between Stidham and Sam Ehlinger, who was the No. 3 quarterback in 2025 and spent most of the season on the practice squad.

“We see competition. … There’s nothing that is etched in stone,’’ Payton said of the quarterback order behind Nix. “There just isn’t, and that’s a good thing.”

Does Payton feel good?

Coming off a season in which the Broncos also won the AFC West for the first time since 2015, Payton was asked if he feels good.

“I never feel good,’’ he said.

Payton stressed that nothing is assured despite Denver’s gaudy record in 2025. That included going 11-2 in one-score games in the regular season.

“I saw the stories and I don’t believe that,’’ Payton said. “So it’s not, ‘Let’s run it back.’ I hate that term. It’s not, ‘Let’s run it back.’ Let’s understand one thing: it is anything but that. When you win 11 of 13 one-score games … it’s (about) how do you improve your team. The better you get, the harder it is to improve your team. … We have a tough schedule.”

Briefly

Payton was thrilled the Broncos re-signed tight end Adam Trautman, who got a three-year, $17 million deal. “You know exactly what you’re getting in the player,’’ Payton said. “If we want to run the ball well, he’s one of the better blocking tight ends. He’s really good in pass protection.” … While the Broncos re-signed plenty of their own free agents, Payton said there was no guarantee of getting some back due to assistants having moved on in recent years to become coordinators. Buffalo’s coordinators are Pete Carmichael on offense and Jim Leonhard on defense and Baltimore has offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. … Payton was pleased with the recent hiring of wide receivers coach Ronald Curry, who once played basketball and football at North Carolina before becoming an NFL receiver. “He was great at basketball. Slam-dunk champion (in high school),’’ said Payton, who had Curry as an assistant from 2016-21 when head coach of New Orleans. “He’s a fantastic coach.” … Payton said the Broncos will have draft meetings starting at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday at Broncos Park and they will continue daily until the April 23-25 event in Pittsburgh.