Tag: Sean Payton

Broncos select pass rusher Laiatu Latu in 2024 NFL mock draft

Draft Wire’s recent three-round NFL mock draft has the Broncos selecting UCLA pass rusher Laiatu Latu at No. 12.

With the NFL draft season entering the home stretch, ridiculous takes are flying in to pass the time. Luckily, some draft boards are continuing to remain consistent.

In his recent NFL mock draft, Jeff Risdon of Draft Wire has the Broncos selecting UCLA pass rusher Laiatu Latu. 

“Latu instantly becomes the best pass rusher on the roster with his craftiness and technical savvy, plus his pretty impressive athletic prowess,” Risdon wrote on Draft Wire. 

While Denver’s pass rush does need help, it’s worth noting that this is one of the most talented quarterback draft classes in recent memory. Some quarterbacks who Risdon has teams selecting before Denver’s 12th pick: Caleb Williams to the Chicago Bears at No. 1, Jayden Daniels to the Washington Commanders at No. 2 and J.J. McCarthy to the New England Patriots at No. 3. 

Notable quarterbacks selected after Risdon’s belief that the Broncos will select Latu are Bo Nix to the Las Vegas Raiders (No. 44) and Michael Penix Jr. (No. 47) to the New York Giants in the second round.

Fans in Denver want a QB, but Latu is still a solid pick. At 6-5, 265 pounds, his size enabled him to lead the nation in tackles for loss average (1.8 per game) while also nabbing 13 sacks for the 2023 season. Adding another talented defensive playmaker would only elevate the Broncos’ defense.

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Sean Payton comments on risks of evaluating QBs in the NFL draft

Sean Payton said measuring how quickly a prospect can process information is a big factor when evaluating QBs ahead of the NFL draft.

Speaking at the NFL combine earlier this offseason, Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton was asked about common mistakes teams can make when evaluating quarterbacks entering the NFL draft.

NFL teams can either hit on a top draft pick (C.J. Stroud) hit on a sleeper pick (Patrick Mahomes) or completely miss (Trey Lance). Payton detailed the risks in evaluating and drafting the right quarterback.

“I think there’s risk, obviously,” Payton said on Feb. 27. “There’s no certainty or else we’d be fantastic with the draft. There are certain risks. I think how quickly they can process the information. For some when you get them in rookie minicamp, you realize, ‘Ah, I’ve been with a rookie before and just feel like this is not how I wanted it to go.’ He’s having trouble spitting out the plays and maybe it takes a while. Maybe that’s something that you realize is going to be a hindrance or set him back.

“I think we shouldn’t miss on accuracy because we get to see it. We shouldn’t miss on stature because we get to feel it and look at it and measure it. We shouldn’t miss on athleticism. All of those traits should be easier to be correct on, but the more difficult ones — leadership we shouldn’t miss on because we should feel that and be able to research that. It’s that other element and it’s really the difference of just that. For some, it’s two thumb thick and for others it’s one. You just hope it’s one.”

There are some things that are hard to measure, like a QB’s ability to digest information and get in and out of the huddle quickly. That’s why the Broncos give QBs an overload of information to study for their pre-draft visits to see how the prospects handle it. That can help Denver make an informed evaluation of a QB.

No process is perfect, though, and there’s always risk involved with drafting a QB. Payton will aim to get it right when the Broncos go on the clock later this month. Denver currently holds the 12th overall pick in the first round.

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Rams ‘badly wanted’ Sam Howell before Commanders traded him to the Seahawks

Sean McVay reportedly wanted Sam Howell before he was traded to the Seahawks.

For about 10 weeks last fall, Washington Commanders’ fans believed they’d found a franchise quarterback. Despite the chaos around him, Sam Howell had some impressive moments throughout the first half of last season.

Unfortunately for Howell and Washington, it all came crashing down as the Commanders lost their final eight games.

Some of it was Howell’s fault, some was due to the talent around him, and a lot of it was coaching. When you add it all together, it meant big changes were in store for the Commanders.

After firing Ron Rivera, Washington hired Adam Peters as the new general manager, and the changes began. The Commanders hired Dan Quinn as head coach and were busy during the early stages of free agency upgrading the roster. Washington traded Howell to the Seattle Seahawks during that first week of free agency. In return, the Commanders swapped multiple draft picks, including landing Seattle’s third-round pick (No. 78 overall).

Seattle GM John Schneider was relieved to come away with Howell, admitting multiple teams were in contention for the 2022 fifth-round pick.

We’ve now learned the Los Angeles Rams were one of those teams.

In an appearance on the PuckSports podcast, NFL Network’s Mike Garofolo revealed that the Rams badly wanted Howell behind Matthew Stafford.

“They [Seattle Seahawks] outbid the Rams, who I know that there was a strong feeling from the Rams coaching staff that they wanted Sam Howell badly,” Garofolo said.

“They really liked him, so the Seahawks were able to outbid them. So that’s good. You got him. You also kept him away from a team that really could have used him as a potential successor there.”

Rams head coach Sean McVay wanted Howell, which should tell you something. Also, the Denver Broncos were reportedly among the teams interested in Sam Howell. Regardless of what you think of his work in Denver last year, Sean Payton is a future Hall of Fame head coach.

That’s two of the NFL’s premier offensive minds wanting to work with Howell.

There were hot takes from a segment of Washington’s fan base that said Howell couldn’t play. McVay, Payton and Schneider all wanted Howell. He can play. Whether it’s as a long-term starter or a high-end backup, Howell will be in the NFL for a long time.

With Stafford entering his 16th NFL season in 2024, perhaps McVay viewed Howell as the potential heir apparent.

Spencer Rattler says he had to prep the most for meeting with Broncos

“It was a pretty cool thing, but [I] definitely had to study up on that,” Spencer Rattler said of prepping for his visit with the Broncos.

Former University of South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler is gearing up for his NFL future, and press runs are coming along the way.

During an appearance on the Up & Adams show last week, Rattler was asked which pre-draft visit he had to study for the most, and he stated that the Denver Broncos gave him the most homework ahead of their meeting with the QB. 

“Probably Denver, you know, with their QB quiz and what they do for the install,” Rattler told Kay Adams. “It was a pretty cool thing, but [I] definitely had to study up on that, but did a great job with that.”

Could Rattler be an ideal candidate for head coach Sean Payton? Well, he has the pedigree. Before losing his job to Caleb Williams at Oklahoma in 2021, he started for two seasons, playing under current University of Southern California head coach Lincoln Riley, widely regarded as the top quarterback development coach in college football.

Rattler spent the last two seasons at South Carolina, throwing for 6,212 yards and 37 touchdowns. He is now projected to be a third-round pick.

Rattler’s career completion percentage of 68.5% in college might be enticing to Payton and the Broncos. The draft will be held in Detroit from April 25-27. Rattler will be a name to watch. 

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Multiple mock drafts have Broncos drafting quarterback Bo Nix

Draft expects view Bo Nix as the most likely pick for the Broncos at No. 12. Would you be in favor Denver drafting Nix?

Curt Popejoy’s mock last month had the Denver Broncos selecting Oregon quarterback Bo Nix with the 12th overall pick.

Following the departure of Russell Wilson last month, Denver and head coach Sean Payton could look into this year’s draft to find their ideal QB. Popejoy believes Nix could be the one.

“[T]he Broncos cannot afford to pass on a quarterback. This could be a spot for them to trade back but still hope to land Bo Nix,” Popejoy wrote on Draft Wire. 

More recently, ESPN’s Field Yates also released a two-round mock with Denver landing on Nix at No. 12. 

“Nix’s accuracy and processing speed would appeal to coach Sean Payton, as he finished his college career by completing 77.4% of his passes in 2023 — an FBS single-season record,” Yates wrote on ESPN.com. “His tape was impressive to watch.”

The NFL draft will be held in Detroit from April 25th through the 27th. If Nix is the Broncos’ pick, then he may be the quarterback needed to run Payton’s offense and propel the team back to playoff contention.

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Oregon QB Bo Nix would love to play for Sean Payton’s Broncos

Bo Nix told RGIII that the timing elements of Sean Payton’s offense fit him well. “That’s what we did so great here at Oregon,” the QB said.

Bo Nix has projections to go from the first-round to a mid-second-round pick. However, according to Draft Wire, Nix would be the best pick for the Denver Broncos at the 12th spot.

Luckily, someone else believes Nix would be a great fit in Denver: Bo Nix himself.

Nix recently appeared on Robert Griffin III’s podcast RG3 and The Ones to discuss his preparation for the upcoming NFL draft. When asked how cool it would be to play for Denver’s head coach, Sean Payton, Nix elaborated that playing for someone who brought so much to the game could be a great match. Nix also believes he would be a good scheme fit.

“He’s known a lot for what he and Drew Brees did together,” Nix told RGIII. “It was quick game, get the ball out, timing stuff that I love to do. That’s what we did so great here at Oregon.”

Nix completed 77.8 percent of his passes in his senior season, an NCAA record. With Nix coming from a precision-based pass attack, that would fit in perfectly with Payton and how he grew New Orleans and Drew Brees to one of the NFL’s most significant pass attacks. Perhaps Payton and the front office brass will see what Nix sees.

If you want to check out the entire interview, click here.

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Yet another former Saints player joins Sean Payton’s Broncos

Yet another former Saints player is teaming up with Sean Payton on the Broncos. Calvin Throckmorton has landed in a good place to compete:

Sean Payton might be building the whole plane out of former New Orleans Saints players, or at least his entire Denver Broncos roster. The ex-Saints head coach brought in yet another ex-Saints player to compete for a roster spot — the Broncos announced on Monday that Calvin Throckmorton had signed a one-year deal with the team.

Throckmorton, a former guard the Saints signed as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon, was waived during roster cuts last summer and initially landed with the Carolina Panthers. They later waived him, too, and he ended the 2023 season with the Tennessee Titans. Throckmorton started most of the 2021 season at right guard (five games) or left guard (10 games) under Payton before being demoted to a backup role in 2022.

It’s possible Throckmorton could compete at center in Denver, but he’s likeliest to back up Quinn Meinerz and Ben Powers at guard. He also played a lot of snaps at tackle in college, so he has options. We’ll see if he’s in the lineup when Payton and the Broncos visit New Orleans for a game at the Caesars Superdome in the fall.

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Former Panthers OL reuniting with Sean Payton in Denver

Former Panthers G Calvin Throckmorton is rejoining a familiar coach for 2024.

Some of Calvin Throckmorton’s best playing days in the NFL came under head coach Sean Payton. So, he’s looking to run it back with his old pal.

As announced on Monday, Payton and the Denver Broncos have added Throckmorton on a one-year deal. In addition to the Saints, the 27-year-old offensive lineman was also a member of the Carolina Panthers in 2023.

The Bellevue, Wash. native attended the University of Oregon from 2015 to 2019, where he earned AP Third-team All-American honors in his final season. He’d then be signed by New Orleans as an undrafted free agent in 2020.

Throckmorton appeared in 31 games for the Saints between 2021 and 2022. He recorded 12 starts over that time—with 12 coming at left guard, seven at right guard and one at left tackle.

Carolina kept Throckmorton in the NFC South at the beginning of the 2023 campaign, claiming him off waivers from the Saints on Aug. 30. He went on to start four games at right guard and three at left guard before his release on Nov. 15.

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Dan Patrick hints Broncos could trade up for QB J.J. McCarthy

“I’ve felt all along Sean Payton wants J.J. McCarthy,” Dan Patrick said on his radio show. Patrick thinks the Broncos could trade up.

The Denver Broncos desperately need to address the quarterback position, but they are not scheduled to pick until 12th overall in the first round of the NFL draft. That has led to much speculation that the Broncos could trade up for a quarterback next month.

During a segment on “Dan Patrick Show” last week, Patrick hinted that he could see Denver moving up to select Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy.

“Sean Payton’s the one that I would keep an eye on,” Patrick said on March 26. “I know Minnesota is expected to go up, and maybe they get Drake Maye, but I’ve felt all along Sean Payton wants J.J. McCarthy. Well, he’s not going to fall to them at [No. 12] — you’re going to have to go get him.”

Patrick’s hunch that Payton is targeting McCarthy echoes what KFAN’s Paul Allen reported last month (Allen indicated Payton is “quite enamored” with McCarthy).

The Broncos met with McCarthy at the NFL combine, attended his pro day and had a private workout with the QB prospect. Meanwhile, Payton has said trading up is a “realistic” option for Denver in the draft.

Jeff Duncan, who closely covered Payton for The Times-Picayune in New Orleans, responded to Patrick’s prediction by tweeting “Dan knows…” That caption was accompanied by an on-target bullseye emoji.

Duncan also tweeted this last week: “If Sean Payton falls in love with a QB, he will go get him. Or die trying. Trust that.”

So Patrick, Duncan and Allen seem to be in agreement that the Broncos are a team to watch as the draft draws closer. It’s possible that this buzz is an elaborate smokescreen from Denver, but if the rumblings are accurate, the Broncos might be preparing to move up for a QB in April’s draft.

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Sean Payton excited for Jerry Jeudy’s new opportunity with Browns

“I’m excited for him and his opportunity,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said of Jerry Jeudy getting a fresh start with the Browns.

Jerry Jeudy never quite lived up to the hype after the Denver Broncos picked him in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.

Limited by injuries and hindered by inconsistent quarterback play, Jeudy failed to post a single 1,000-yard season during his four years in Denver. So the Broncos traded him to the Cleveland Browns earlier this month in exchange for a pair of late-round draft picks.

Speaking at the NFL’s annual meeting in Orlando on Monday, Denver coach Sean Payton wished the receiver well in Cleveland.

“I’m excited for him and his opportunity,” Payton said, via KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. “He and I, I think had a pretty close relationship. Obviously, he was able to get a new contract, so as coaches you want to see that for your players.”

Jeudy signed a three-year extension with the Browns worth up to $58 million. The Broncos could not afford that kind of contract, but Payton was happy to see his former receiver get paid.

Back in Denver, Marvin Mims is now poised to fill Jeudy’s old role.

“Marvin certainly will be a candidate to play more snaps because of that and there will be some competition, I’m sure,” Payton said.

And with that, the Jeudy era has come to an end for the Broncos.

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