On developing a roster that is deep at multiple positions, such as in the secondary, and if they want to capitalize on those areas<\/p>\n
George Paton: \u201cI think when you\u2019re trying to build your roster, you just want the best players. We are deep in the secondary, but you always want to build on a strength if possible. I think you\u2019re asking if [we think], \u2018best player available.\u2019 I think you\u2019re getting there. We\u2019re always going to take the best player available within reason. If there are a couple of defensive backs there and there are other players maybe that are a bigger need, we would go that way. You always want to build on a strength. I think we\u2019ve done that since we\u2019ve arrived, and it\u2019s worked.\u201d<\/p>\n
On if their expectations or goals differ for this year\u2019s draft with only one pick in the Top 100<\/p>\n
GP: \u201cThe good news is we have experience with this. I think our first draft, we had five picks. Our expectations are the same. They\u2019re high. We think there are good players in this draft. We think there are good players where we\u2019re picking at 62. We have two picks up in the top of the fourth [round], and we feel good [about] what\u2019s going to be there. We like it. We don\u2019t mind it, and we know we still have flexibility with the seven picks to move up or move back and get more picks. We have experience with this. We\u2019ve gotten good players with lesser picks, so we feel good.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sean Payton: \u201cI don\u2019t think the preparation changes relative to the picks. The preparation is trying to properly grade each player that\u2019s in the draft. Certainly there are some obvious ones, but nonetheless, you\u2019re trying to do that. Assigning value, and value relative to a first-round player in this draft or any draft. Second-round talent the same way. Then certainly later in the process, you obviously address where you\u2019re selecting. I don\u2019t know that it changes any relative to the preparation for the draft.\u201d<\/p>\n
On how second-round players develop early in their careers<\/p>\n
GP: \u201cI think it\u2019s case-by-case. That\u2019s kind of been\u2026 We typically like to draft high-trait players. Maybe they lack a little bit of polish, and it\u2019s going to take some development. We\u2019ve done a great job with the coaches in developing these types of players. We took [G] Quinn Meinerz. He started his first year, maybe wasn\u2019t quite ready. Sure we\u2019d like somebody to come in and start right away, but that\u2019s not always realistic for first-, second- [round picks], no matter where they\u2019re picked. It\u2019s just hard. With the way our team is built now, it\u2019s going to be hard to come in and start Day 1.\u201d<\/p>\n
On how difficult it is to project who will be available late in the second round and if teams\u2019 draft boards differ at that stage in the draft<\/p>\n
SP: \u201cThe obvious answer is as the draft continues, the trajectory of the spray gets wider. If you\u2019re asking that question with the two picks in the fourth round, the range of the variables is much broader. If you\u2019re picking 17th in the draft overall, you can probably have a good feel between these three players. I just think as the draft continues, the range of that goes out. I do think this, and [General Manager] George [Paton] just mentioned this. When we read these players, and a lot of it is the last line is vision. So some are real good football players, and the initial vision might be, \u2018We see [him] as a situational player, special teams, feel like he\u2019s a starter within Year 2 or 3.\u2019 It can vary depending on what position that player plays, and they might have very similar grades. It\u2019s the vision within this roster.\u201d<\/p>\n
On how much confidence their success in drafting players in the second round gives them this year and if there is more pressure with one pick in the first two days<\/p>\n
GP: \u201cI don\u2019t think there\u2019s any more pressure. We\u2019re going to go through our process. Our process has worked, and it continues to evolve. I think it\u2019s better. I feel more prepared for this draft than I was for last year\u2019s and the prior draft. We\u2019ve done well in that realm. It doesn\u2019t mean anything. We still go through our process. We feel like we have six players we\u2019re kind of focused on that could be there at [pick] 62. We feel good about those players. We\u2019re going to keep working through them. We\u2019ve been down in the dungeons since the Wednesday after the Owners Meeting, just watching tape, had our meetings, now going through all these different scenarios. We feel good about 62. We feel good about the fourth round as well. That\u2019s harder to predict obviously. We like our process, we like how it\u2019s worked, and we feel good with where we\u2019re at.\u201d<\/p>\n
On what premium they put on mid-round offensive linemen\u2019s ability to play multiple positions across the line<\/p>\n
SP: \u201cIt\u2019s a great question. I think versatility is a plus. It would be almost like the asset of other defensive players that can play on special teams. When a player has swing ability, you guys know we\u2019re taking eight [active offensive linemen] to the game. That doesn\u2019t mean he couldn\u2019t be just a real good tackle prospect, and you love him. But when you get into the rounds you\u2019re discussing, if he does have swing flex, it helps when you\u2019re creating the vision, no different than if you\u2019re taking a linebacker, defensive back or defensive player and there\u2019s special teams value. That creates a vision as well. I think when it comes to developmental offensive linemen, certainly it\u2019s a plus. It\u2019s not a mandate, but it helps you especially on gameday.\u201d<\/p>\n
On how projecting the quality of next year\u2019s draft class plays into decisions on trading future picks<\/p>\n
GP: \u201cYou look at that obviously. I think everyone feels like next year is going to be a strong draft, and I think that\u2019s based on the quarterbacks and feels like it\u2019s going to be a strong quarterback draft. We definitely look at that when we\u2019re making trades. It\u2019s not going to dictate\u2026 We feel if we have to make a trade in this draft, we have 10 picks, we think, next year, including the compensatories. So it gives us more flexibility if we need to use one of those to help ourselves now.\u201d<\/p>\n
On if they have any scenarios to trade into the first round<\/p>\n
GP: \u201cYou never say never, but it\u2019s unlikely. It would cost quite a haul for us to get up there. Most of our draft we would have to trade and then something next year. I would say that it\u2019s unlikely, but we could certainly move up in the second [round].\u201d<\/p>\n
On if Head Coach Sean Payton has given a template for the \u2018Failure Index\u2019 regarding quarterbacks to the rest of the league<\/p>\n
SP: \u201cHere is the thing, I don\u2019t think so. We are always looking at past performances and always analyzing drafts. When it comes to the quarterback position, I think that most importantly is, \u2018What is the vision?\u2019 How do you want to use this player to benefit him the most? I think that can vary around the league. The one thing that won\u2019t ever vary is the significance of the position relative to how our league views it. I think teams in general are in that business of making sure they either have someone they are very confident in or are looking to draft and develop. I think that can vary by team and their appetite and more importantly what they want to do. I don\u2019t know that there has been any\u2026 I think each team has a format on how they arrive at a decision for a position. That position obviously gets discussed a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n
On if Head Coach Sean Payton has softened after becoming a grandfather<\/p>\n
SP: \u201cIt\u2019s a great experience. You appreciate the little things. It comes with experience and aging obviously, tying it to football. I just think it\u2019s really more of a family thing. You are excited for your children, in this case my daughter and her husband. Maybe we all soften a little bit with age. We are glad everyone is home and healthy and appreciate the good wishes. They are doing well.\u201d<\/p>\n
On if either Head Coach Sean Payton or General Manager George Paton have influenced the other more in how they do things during their time working with one another<\/p>\n
SP: \u201cThis is me, but I thought from the very beginning that I\u2019ve enjoyed this process. It\u2019s been clean and we both enjoy being down there and watching tape and kind of throwing darts. Just making sure that\u2026 It\u2019s never really finished. If the draft were in three weeks, we\u2019d still be watching more tape up until that process just to make sure we got it right. I\u2019m speaking for myself, but it\u2019s been\u2026 I don\u2019t say it\u2019s been easy, but it hasn\u2019t been difficult at all. Easy part of it, meaning I think we both enjoy the process of working together.\u201d<\/p>\n
GP: \u201cI haven\u2019t been around a head coach who has been involved as much as [Head Coach] Sean [Payton] in the process. He loves the process and is very good at the process. We\u2019ve really been down there the last two weeks just watching tape and meeting. I think it has blended. There are a lot of things that I\u2019ve added to the process that we had previously when Sean showed up. It keeps evolving with different people that we bring on and things that we learn about. We\u2019re down there in the bunker for about three weeks and then the draft is over and then we get our computers from down in the meeting room. It\u2019s like the end of the season, we\u2019re depressed.\u201d<\/p>\n
SP: \u201cThat day or two, we don\u2019t know what to do with ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
GP: \u201cWe want to stay down there, but they won\u2019t allow us. We\u2019ve enjoyed it.\u201d<\/p>\n
SP: \u201cAnd RIP (rest in peace) to this draft room. This is the last one. Then we will be across in the new facility next year.\u201d<\/p>\n
On if they still view TE Evan Engram as a key piece to the roster<\/p>\n
SP: \u201cWe definitely view him as a key piece. I would say this about this class in my opinion, if you are looking for a blocking \u2018Y\u2019, there are a handful available that would be targeted. If you are looking for a move, maybe a little bit undersized \u2018F\u2019, they are out there. To each his own, the different type of tight ends are available. It\u2019s always a challenge with that position because sometimes you are projecting maybe in an offense that is playing them differently. Relative to [TE] Evan [Engram], he\u2019s someone that gave us a lot of big plays a year ago and we will continue to find ways to keep him and add to his workload.\u201d<\/p>\n
On if LB Jonah Elliss playing more off-ball linebacker changes how they evaluate the linebacker position<\/p>\n
SP: \u201cI think it can. There are probably a little bit more inside backers than what we are used to. There is certainly good video tape on a number of guys. That position has changed over the years where you are finding guys who are moving from safety to that position or from an edge position back. There are certainly some players that are playing that position well at the college level, but that is one option. I mentioned that because he has those traits and it starts with just being a good football player. We are always trying to get our best players on the field. Does that impact how we draft or is it vice versa? That would be the six-million-dollar question. I think it\u2019s a little bit of both.\u201d<\/p>\n
On what they learned from previous drafts where their first selection came late in the second round<\/p>\n
GP: \u201cIt\u2019s very similar to what we have done. We are really homed in let\u2019s say from 45 to 75. Just really homed in on that group of players. Not that we haven\u2019t gone through the process in the first round like we always do, but now this just gives us time to really focus on the players there and go through every scenario possible. If you are left with five of these players or six of these player or none of these players left. Going through every possible scenario so on draft day you aren\u2019t surprised. We haven\u2019t been surprised yet, and we\u2019ve been happy with the results.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"On developing a roster that is deep at multiple positions, such as in the secondary, and if they…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":868884,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[2062],"tags":[232,231,258,1152,6765,2426,7,6],"class_list":{"0":"post-868883","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-denver-broncos","8":"tag-broncos","9":"tag-denver","10":"tag-denver-broncos","11":"tag-denver-broncos-draft","12":"tag-denver-broncos-mock-drafts","13":"tag-denverbroncos","14":"tag-football","15":"tag-nfl"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116423621739576803","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/868883","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=868883"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/868883\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/868884"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=868883"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=868883"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=868883"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}