Among the platitudes and cliches that spilled from the podium at Denver Broncos headquarters on Tuesday, the team made an effort to present a united front at the top of the leadership pyramid, led by CEO Greg Penner. With rumors and questions about GM George Paton’s job security swirling and head coach Sean Payton facing blowback for his handling of the Russell Wilson benching, Penner presented a rosy picture of the pair’s relationship.
“It’s been a year now, and I thought it worked really well, especially the partnership between Sean and George,” Panner said on Tuesday. “That relationship between head coach and GM is critical. I was impressed with the way that they handled going from free agency to the draft. It was great to see a number of young players that George and his staff had drafted previously step up and play key roles. I thought there was improvement this year, and I think George can help us build a winning roster here.”
What happens next for the Broncos? Don’t miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!
Penner, Paton, and Payton each fell on their sword, accepting their share of the responsibility for producing a seventh straight losing season. How the Broncos triumvirate maneuvers to make significant progress apparently starts with stressing longer-term objectives.
Cynics within Broncos Country might suggest that the trio’s flimsy attempt at extending an olive branch of sorts to its dethroned quarterback fell flat. The chances of the Broncos conjuring up a modicum of trade value for Wilson are slim, especially when you factor in the veteran quarterback’s prohibitive contract and recent standard of play.
Furthermore, Paton and Payton leaving an “open door’ to their fractured relationship with Wilson might be a PR ploy, considering how his demotion was handled, the QB’s indignant feelings at being benched for the first time as a pro, and the veteran’s allegations that the Broncos threatened him.
