GM Paton: ‘We don’t need to reach for players’
Broncos currently hold nine picks
ENGLEWOOD — His team minus an openinground draft pick for the first time since 2012, Broncos general manager George Paton has set a plan for Thursday night.
“We’ll watch Russell Wilson highlights,” Paton semi-quipped Friday morning during the team’s predraft news conference.
Wilson is the centerpiece of the Broncos’ return-torelevancy effort and was acquired from Seattle last month for a package of three players and five picks, including first- and second-rounders next week. But the addition of edge rusher Randy Gregory, defensive lineman D.J. Jones and nickel back K’waun Williams means Paton hasn’t locked himself into a must-draft-a-specificposition situation.
“(In) free agency, we filled a lot of needs so we don’t need to reach for players,” Paton said. “I talk about flexibility all the time. We can take the best player. We can move up. We can move down.”
The Broncos have their latest initial pick (No. 64) since 1995, when they didn’t select until No. 121.
Once they get going, there won’t be much of a let up; the Broncos currently hold Nos. 64, 75 and 96 on Friday and Nos. 115-116, 152, 206, 232 and 234 on Saturday.
“We’re still really excited for the draft,” assistant general manager Darren Mougey said. “We still have nine (picks) and the late second, two thirds and two fourths, so we’re just as enthusiastic for the draft as we’ve ever been.”
The Broncos should be fired up. The entire building has been galvanized by the early-to-arrive, late-tostay Wilson and the scoutby ing and personnel staffs should have momentum after last year’s draft netted cornerback Pat Surtain II, running back Javonte Williams, right guard Quinn Meinerz and linebacker Baron Browning in the first three rounds.
“I feel good about our prep,” Paton said. “The hay’s not quite in the barn. We’re getting close. We still have some clusters (of players) to sort through. We’ll start having some mock drafts next week and make calls and get a pulse for the league and then (it’s) showtime.”
The show will start with a first round in which the Broncos and a whopping seven other teams don’t have picks. As the round develops, things will begin to crystallize for Paton.
Paton admitted it will be “tough” to move into the first round, a leap of at least 32 picks, but didn’t rule out moving up or out of the second round depending on the board.
A major thing for the Broncos to consider is next year’s draft. Paton likes to enter a draft with at least 10 picks and he has only four (rounds 3-5 and 7) in 2023. moving down next week, he can add chips to next year’s cupboard.
“We’ll look into that if it makes sense,” Paton said. “We don’t want to force it, but we would definitely like to add more picks (for ’23).”
Paton jokingly added about his friend, Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead: “Obviously, we do love picks. Unlike the Rams, we like to pick a lot.”
It was Paton’s trade with Snead — edge rusher Von Miller for Nos. 64 and 96 this year — that made the Wilson deal more possible and will allow the Broncos to draft two solid players.
The Broncos have needs at edge rusher (even with Gregory and Bradley Chubb), tight end (only three under contract), cornerback (depth needs to be addressed) and returner (should be a Day 3 priority). But at least they’re not deliberating about what to do at quarterback.
“I think we’re in a really good spot,” Paton said. “I think there will be value in those rounds (2-7) where we can upgrade our team, upgrade our depth, upgrade our speed — everything we need to do.”