The Denver Broncos have a new head coach this year in Sean Payton, but the team’s incumbent general manager, George Paton, is returning for his third season with the club.
When the Broncos were seeking a new head coach last December, Paton said he would have a “collaborative” working relationship with the team’s next coach. Payton echoed that sentiment when he was hired in February.
Now, with the NFL draft just one day away, the dynamics of the power structure will be put to the test. What happens if Paton and Payton disagree about a prospect when the Broncos go on the clock — who has the final say?
During their pre-draft press conference last week, Payton and Paton both said such a decision would already have been made on the team’s big board.
“The two of us working together relative to the draft that — the reason these meetings go for three weeks, four weeks and into the late nights — it’s no different than game planning in football,” Payton said on April 20. “On Sunday, you’re making a call on fourth-and-four, but that was decided on Wednesday night.
“I think the same thing takes place relative to the draft. With each of these three days, oftentimes there are certain decisions and reactions that have been kind of covered well before it ever took place. I think that’s the best way to handle it.”
Paton said the discussions on draft day are peaceful compared to the decisions that are made leading up to the draft.
“That decision would have been made,” Paton said about arguing over a certain prospect on draft day. “I know that’s a cop-out answer. We’ll discuss this so much. That’s all we do all day is discuss these different scenarios. Even deep in the draft. We actually have a mock that goes to the seventh round, believe it or not. That won’t happen.
“Draft day is actually peaceful. It’s quiet, the work has been done and it’s calm up until your pick. Then you’re making calls, you’re working trades. Those decisions will have been made.”
Before joining the Broncos, Payton worked with New Orleans Saints general manager/executive vice president Mickey Loomis from 2006-2021. Payton said he never had a draft-day argument with the GM over a certain prospect.
“It’s funny, because I think a lot is made of, ‘Did you guys ever disagree over a selection, or a free agency signing?’” Payton said. “This is the truth. In 16 years, I can’t recall one time that when the time came to select players, [that we had] a disagreement. The disagreements or the discussions are weeks prior or days prior.”
So there won’t be a power struggle when Denver goes on the clock during the NFL draft this week. The Broncos plan to stick to their big board, which was built during the weeks and months leading up to draft day.
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