Tag: Sean Payton

Bo Nix and Sean Payton can help Courtland Sutton hit some big incentives

Courtland Sutton needs 219 receiving yards and the Broncos to finish the year averaging more than 21 points per game to get an extra $1.5M.

After skipping the voluntary portion of the Denver Broncos‘ offseason program in protest of his contract this spring, wide receiver Courtland Sutton was given an extra $1.5 million worth of incentives.

That veteran receiver is now close to cashing in.

Sutton’s contract includes a $500,000 incentive for 500 receiving yards + Denver scoring more points than in 2023, according to KUSA-TV’s Mike Klis. He’s already passed 500 yards — now the offense needs to average more than 21.0 points per game (they’re currently at 23.5).

There’s another $500,000 incentive for 750 receiving yards and the team’s points improving. Sutton’s already at 846 yards this fall. The final $500,000 will be paid if Sutton hits 1,065 receiving yards.

Sutton is currently on pace for a 1,106-yard season. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix can help the receiver out by continuing to feed him down the stretch. Denver coach Sean Payton also needs his offense to continue averaging more than 21 points per game in order for Sutton to max out his incentives.

The Broncos, of course, will prioritize winning. Fortunately for Sutton, the receiver’s success has overlapped with the team’s success. If the offense continues at its current pace, Sutton will earn an extra $1.5 million this fall.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Broncos’ depth chart going into the bye week

Here’s a look at the Broncos’ depth chart going into the bye week.

After beating the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football, the Denver Broncos now have a bye this week before hosting the Indianapolis Colts in Week 15.

The Broncos have not yet updated their depth chart to reflect the additions of linebackers Drew Sanders and Zach Cunningham, so their inclusions below are projections.

Here’s a look at the team’s depth chart going into the break.

Broncos offensive depth chart

WR Marvin Mims Troy Franklin
LT Garett Bolles Matt Peart
LG Ben Powers
C Luke Wattenberg Alex Forsyth
RG Quinn Meinerz Alex Palczewski
RT Mike McGlinchey Frank Crum
TE Adam Trautman Lucas Krull
WR Courtland Sutton Lil’Jordan Humphrey Devaughn Vele
RB Javonte Williams Jaleel McLaughlin Audric Estime
FB Michael Burton Nate Adkins
QB Bo Nix Jarrett Stidham Zach Wilson

Broncos defensive depth chart

Note that cornerback Riley Moss (knee) has been ruled out.

DE Zach Allen Jordan Jackson
NT D.J. Jones Malcolm Roach
DE John Franklin-Myers Eyioma Uwazurike
SLB Jonathon Cooper Jonah Elliss
WLB Nik Bonitto Dondrea Tillman Drew Sanders
ILB Justin Strnad Zach Cunningham
ILB Cody Barton Levelle Bailey
LCB Pat Surtain Levi Wallace Tremon Smith
RCB Riley Moss Damarri Mathis Kris Abrams-Draine
NCB Ja’Quan McMillian
S P.J. Locke JL Skinner
S Brandon Jones Devon Key

Broncos special teams depth chart

PK Wil Lutz
KO Wil Lutz
P Riley Dixon
H Riley Dixon
LS Mitchell Fraboni
KR Marvin Mims Tremon Smith Jaleel McLaughlin
PR Marvin Mims Tremon Smith

The Colts are also on a bye, so they will also be fresh when they take on the Broncos in Week 15.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Commanders’ Dan Quinn: From ‘underwhelming’ hire to NFL Coach of the Year candidate

Dan Quinn went from an underwhelming hire to a Coach of the Year contender.

ESPN’s Joe Buck showed a lack of respect for Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn during Monday night’s game between the Broncos and Browns.

Late in the game, Buck, sounding like he was the agent for Denver head coach Sean Payton, laid out the veteran coach’s case for being the NFL Coach of the Year. According to Buck, Payton had the Broncos in contention with a rookie quarterback — and he was the only coach doing so. Troy Aikman played along until a producer clearly reminded Buck about Quinn, Jayden Daniels, and the Commanders.

Buck then mentioned Quinn, only to repeat what he said earlier. It was strange.

Both the Broncos and Commanders are 8-5. Washington was the story of the first half of the season, with Daniels playing at an MVP level and the Commanders sitting at 7-2. While a three-game losing streak cooled Washington a bit, a 42-19 win over Tennessee got them back on the right track.

Let’s go back to Buck for a second. The coaches he named are all doing an outstanding job. Dan Campbell (Lions), Jim Harbaugh (Chargers), Payton, Mike Tomlin (Steelers), and Kevin O’Connell (Vikings) all have a case, but has any coach turned around his team more than Quinn in less than 12 months?

Washington was a dumpster fire before owner Josh Harris fired Ron Rivera. The roster was in terrible shape; there was no quarterback and an overmatched coaching staff. Harris got to work in January, hiring Adam Peters as GM and Quinn as head coach. Quinn put together an All-Star staff, while Peters flipped the roster. The ultimate piece came in April when the Commanders chose Daniels at No. 2 overall in the NFL draft.

Washington won four games last season. The Commanders have won eight already this year — with four games remaining. Payton, who was Denver’s coach last season, won eight games in 2023.

No coach had a bigger job in front of them than Quinn. And remember the outrage from some of Washington’s fan base about Quinn’s hiring? They wanted Ben Johnson. Adam Peters wanted Quinn. Media from around the country called the hire underwhelming, including CBS recently.

There’s a long way to go, but Quinn and Washington got the last laugh. Quinn proved to be exactly what the Commanders needed. He is a true culture changer, not a coach like Rivera, who talked about culture but was too busy reading what was said about him. Quinn has accomplished in 13 weeks what Rivera couldn’t do in four years. And no thanks to Rivera, as all four of his first-round picks are gone from Washington’s roster.

Campbell is having a terrific season, but the Lions were expected to be a Super Bowl contender. Harbaugh, as usual, is phenomenal but inherited a franchise quarterback. O’Connell is truly Quinn’s primary competition for the Coach of the Year award. What he’s doing in Minnesota with a journeyman quarterback is impressive.

Still, Quinn is not only winning but has also cleansed the organization. Players love coming to work—every player on the roster bought into Quinn’s messaging. Imagine if the Commanders get to 12 wins. Heck, even 11 wins. That would mean they tripled, or almost tripled their win total from one year.

Case closed.

So, while Quinn may have been an “underwhelming” hire, and Joe Buck prefers Sean Payton, Quinn’s case is as strong as anyone’s to be the 2024 NFL Coach of the Year.

Broncos have found a perfect role for WR/RB/PR Marvin Mims

One and a half seasons into his pro career, Marvin Mims has settled into a perfect role with the Broncos.

The Denver Broncos appear to have finally unlocked the potential of Marvin Mims.

Broncos coach Sean Payton started giving Mims reps as a running back in Week 10, but the speedster still plays primarily as a receiver and he hauled in a 93-yard touchdown catch on Monday.

That score was a gutsy call from Payton. Facing 3rd-and-11, Payton had Nix stand in the end zone and launch a deep pass to Mims. It worked.

“I think it says a lot about our offense,” wide receiver Courtland Sutton said after a 41-32 win. “For Coach to have the trust that Bo is going to see what we’ve seen all week, and then have the faith to give Marvin a chance to go make that play. Like I said, Marvin works really hard. He’s a really quiet guy. He doesn’t say a whole bunch, and just does the work he’s supposed to do. That’s all you can ask for.

“He’s been waiting for his opportunity to go out there and let it shine, and he did that. We talked about it at half time that there was going to be a play. We didn’t know exactly when or what play it was going to be, but there was going to be a play that we would capitalize on. We just had to make sure that we capitalized on it when it happened, and he did.”

Over the last four weeks, Mims has 21 touches for 234 and two touchdowns on offense plus six punt returns for 117 yards. That’s an average of about seven touches for 88 yards a game with a score every other game. Payton has finally found a perfect role for the dynamic receiver, and Mims is making the most of it.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Drew Brees on what coaches should do to help their quarterbacks

Drew Brees says hiring a head coach from an offensive background isn’t necessary to cultivate a young quarterback, but the best passers have positive influences:

Drew Brees has seen a thing or two in his football life, and he shared his thoughts on what teams should look for when hiring a new head coach during a recent appearance on “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd. Specifically, the legendary former New Orleans Saints quarterback advocated for coaches with background working on the offensive side of the ball.

While Cowherd’s question focused on the Chicago Bears, who need a new coach to mentor and develop Caleb Williams, much of what Brees spoke about could soon apply to the Saints’ situation, too.

“Whether that’s an offensive head coach or that’s just someone who is really responsible for his growth and development, certainly you need that person,” Brees said. “And look that might be a veteran backup quarterback rather than relying on coach to be that person. At the end of the day what I think and every quarterback would tell you is that early in their career they needed someone to help them develop great habits, great discipline and great process.”

Derek Carr isn’t a youngster at quarterback, but he may not be long for New Orleans, either. The Saints haven’t drafted a quarterback in the first round since they picked Archie Manning way back in 1971, and that streak is going to end sooner or later. It might happen as soon as 2025 if their next head coach doesn’t plan on Carr running the offense.

And if that’s the case? It isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker for the head coach to come from an offensive background in order for a rookie quarterback to develop quickly. Like Brees said, someone needs to be there as a positive influence, whether it’s an experienced backup or a talented position coach.

We don’t know who will be coaching the Saints or the Bears in 2025. But if Brees is onto something here, both teams should be taking a hard look at the environments they’re creating for their quarterbacks, especially if New Orleans turns the page in next April’s NFL draft.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Tom Brady breaks down Sean Payton’s trust in QB Bo Nix

Tom Brady spoke with Colin Cowherd about the confidence Sean Payton has in Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix.

Facing third-and-11 in the third quarter of Monday’s game against the Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton called a play that asked rookie quarterback Bo Nix to deliver a strike from his own end zone to midfield.

Nix pulled it off, connecting with wide receiver Marvin Mims on a 93-yard touchdown pass. That play was a textbook example of Payton’s confidence in his rookie quarterback.

Making an appearance on Colin Cowherd’s show on Tuesday, former NFL quarterback Tom Brady was asked about Payton’s trust in Nix on that play.

“The trust that a coach has in a player, it manifests itself all the time,” Brady told Cowherd. “I can always tell when I watch a play-caller try to manage a game from the sideline, he’s trying to manage the risk. And when you have a quarterback where you feel like, ‘You know what, I know he’s going to make good decisions,’ well, then you can actually go out there and — you don’t have to manage. It’s hard to manage a quarterback because you’re in the eye of the storm on every play; you touch the ball 70 snaps. So when you have a quarterback that you’re trusting who’s making good decisions, well then you want to give him more opportunities.”

Brady went on to say Payton is a phenomenal coach and Nix is embracing his opportunity to learn and grow under Payton.

Monday certainly wasn’t a perfect performance from Nix — he completed 51.4% of his passes and threw two interceptions — but the rookie continues to make progress every week, and it’s clear that Payton is the perfect coach to help mentor him.

Nix and Co. now head into their bye week with an 8-5 record, putting them on pace to make the NFL playoffs this fall.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Broncos-Browns was not a Scorigami, but the game did make history

41-32 was not a Scorigami (it happened one other time in NFL history), but the Broncos-Browns game was still historic.

The Denver Broncos defeated the Cleveland Browns 41-32 on Monday Night Football in Week 13. That’s not a typical scoreline, but it surprisingly was not a Scorigami (a first-ever final score).

Monday marked the second time in NFL history that a game ended 41-32. The last time featured the Miami Dolphins defeating the Boston Patriots way back in 1967.

“Holy cow,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said after the wild game. “Some games go in a direction you think they are going to go. Obviously that one went in a much different direction. We did enough and made enough plays in the end to win.”

Though the final score was not a Scorigami, Denver did make some history on Monday night. NFL teams were 5-41 in the last decade when allowing at least 550 yards. The Broncos allowed 552 yards to the Browns and improved that record to 6-41.

Denver quarterback Bo Nix also made history with a 93-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Marvin Mims, the longest completion by a rookie in franchise history.

“It was a different game,” Payton said. “We have to learn from it. It is good to get the win, which is important because we are at that time of the season into December here where all these things matter. We were able to do that. We are going to rest up during the bye and get ready for an Indianapolis team.”

The Broncos have a bye in Week 14 before hosting the Colts in Week 15.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

X reacts to Joe Buck’s foolish take on Dan Quinn

Social media let Joe Buck have it for his inaccurate take on Dan Quinn.

Late in the Monday Night Football game between the Denver Broncos and Cleveland Browns, ESPN’s Joe Buck made his case that Sean Payton should be the NFL Coach of the Year before things got awkward.

Buck’s argument: Payton has the Broncos in the middle of the playoff race with a rookie quarterback. Six quarterbacks were drafted in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft, four of whom are currently starting, and two have their teams firmly in the playoffs mix: Bo Nix [Broncos] and Jayden Daniels [Washington Commanders].

Did Buck forget that Washington coach Dan Quinn has the Commanders sitting at 8-5, with a rookie quarterback and a completely overhauled roster thanks to years of Ron Rivera’s lousy drafting?

So, was Buck’s exuberance a mere slip? It didn’t take long for him to react, mentioning Quinn’s candidacy for NFL Coach of the Year, but only in passing.

“I’m not slighting Dan Quinn, by the way, who has done a great job in Washington, and he is doing it with Jayden Daniels,” But, you hear it about [Mike] Tomlin and Dan Campbell, who has been amazing, [Kevin] O’Connell in Minnesota, and Jim Harbaugh with the Chargers. But the one guy doing it with a rookie quarterback is Sean Payton.”

Wait, what?

Instead, he had a chance to backtrack but reiterated his inaccurate point about Payton.

X — formerly Twitter — noticed Buck’s foolish take.

Interestingly, Buck said the Broncos were only projected to win four or five games. Almost no one had the Commanders predicted to be better than the Broncos, yet Quinn and Daniels have already doubled Washington’s 2023 win total — with four games remaining.

Broncos’ depth chart for ‘Monday Night Football’ vs. Browns

This is how the Broncos’ depth chart shakes out going into ‘Monday Night Football’ against the Browns.

After making five roster moves last week, the Denver Broncos have updated their depth chart ahead of a Monday Night Football clash with the Cleveland Browns in Week 13.

The Broncos cut tight end Greg Dulcich, activated linebacker Drew Sanders, dropped lineman Calvin Throckmorton down to the practice squad and promoted linebacker Zach Cunningham last week.

Note that the Cunningham and Sanders additions are not yet reflected on the team’s published depth chart, so we added them below as a projection.

Following those moves, here’s a look at the team’s updated depth chart going into the Browns game.

Broncos offensive depth chart

WR Marvin Mims Troy Franklin
LT Garett Bolles Matt Peart
LG Ben Powers Nick Gargiulo
C Luke Wattenberg Alex Forsyth
RG Quinn Meinerz Alex Palczewski
RT Mike McGlinchey Frank Crum
TE Adam Trautman Lucas Krull
WR Courtland Sutton Lil’Jordan Humphrey Devaughn Vele
RB Javonte Williams Jaleel McLaughlin Audric Estime
FB Michael Burton Nate Adkins
QB Bo Nix Jarrett Stidham Zach Wilson

Broncos defensive depth chart

Note that cornerback Riley Moss (knee) has been ruled out.

DE Zach Allen Jordan Jackson
NT D.J. Jones Malcolm Roach
DE John Franklin-Myers Eyioma Uwazurike
SLB Jonathon Cooper Jonah Elliss
WLB Nik Bonitto Dondrea Tillman Drew Sanders
ILB Justin Strnad Zach Cunningham
ILB Cody Barton Levelle Bailey
LCB Pat Surtain Levi Wallace Tremon Smith
RCB Riley Moss Damarri Mathis Kris Abrams-Draine
NCB Ja’Quan McMillian
S P.J. Locke JL Skinner
S Brandon Jones Devon Key

Broncos special teams depth chart

PK Wil Lutz
KO Wil Lutz
P Riley Dixon
H Riley Dixon
LS Mitchell Fraboni
KR Marvin Mims Tremon Smith Jaleel McLaughlin
PR Marvin Mims Tremon Smith

Monday’s game will be nationally televised on ESPN. Playing at home, the Broncos are considered favorites in Week 13.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Darren Rizzi has a big opportunity to buck one of Dennis Allen’s worst trends

Darren Rizzi has a big opportunity to buck one of Dennis Allen’s worst trends. His predecessor lost four times after shutting out an opponent in the first half:

New Orleans Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi has a chance to buck an alarming trend that started under Dennis Allen, after holding the Los Angeles Rams scoreless in the first half.

Saints fan and professional statistician Jeff Asher shared an interesting stat; Allen-led New Orleans teams had lost four games after not allowing the opponents to score in the first half. Sean Payton never once lost one of those games.

And the only other time the Rams had been shut out under Sean McVay was the infamous Super Bowl LIII against the New England Patriots. Los Angeles will be entering unknown territory here.

The Saints were only able to muster six points themselves, so the game could still go either way. It’s another important test for Rizzi, and a big opportunity for him to buck one of the most troubling trends of his predecessor’s tenure.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]