5 Things Broncos Ownership Must Consider Ahead of a True Rebuild

The 2-5 Denver Broncos are coming off their first home win of the season and will face the Kansas City Chiefs for the second time before heading into their bye week.

While a win over the Chiefs isn’t an impossibility, it’s certainly a long shot. The more likely outcome is the Broncos being 2-6 entering the bye week, which should leave no further question about the team’s need for a full rebuild.

I’ll be talking more about the particulars that go into a full rebuild and how they apply to the Broncos, but here are five things that the Walton/Penner ownership group needs to keep in mind when determining how the rebuild path will proceed.

1. Assess Status of Current Leadership

The fact that Denver's new ownership didn't hire GM George Paton but did acquire head coach Sean Payton is irrelevant to whether or not the team's two top football leaders can be part of a rebuild.

The relevant questions to ask are whether or not the owners believe the Broncos need to rebuild, whether or not said leaders are willing to do so, and if they are, what the plan is those leaders have to rebuild the team.

If Paton continues to think of the Broncos as a “sleeping giant,” that doesn’t sound like somebody who is realistic about a rebuild. Nor is that the case if Payton believes another round of free agency will solve the Broncos’ woes.

Before bringing anybody back for 2024, the team's football leadership needs to be serious about a rebuild and present a plan for how to get it done. From there, ownership can decide whether or not said leadership can be part of a rebuild moving forward.

While it’s easy to fire somebody for appearance’s sake, that can’t be how the Broncos approach this situation. They need to make decisions based on what they hear from leadership about the team’s current state.

2. Ask Serious Questions About the QB Position

I don’t doubt that Broncos ownership was excited about Russell Wilson’s arrival, but there are serious questions to ask about whether or not he can be part of the team after 2023.

It’s been said before but bears repeating: Wilson isn’t the problem but he isn’t the solution, either. The Broncos have to consider the possibility that Wilson will need to be released or traded after the season, even if it would be a painful decision.

That’s especially true if the Broncos finish with a top-five draft pick and there’s a quarterback that leadership (whether current or newly hired) loves. Finding a rookie QB that a regime loves is one part of what it means to rebuild.

Furthermore, the fact that Wilson’s 2025 salary becomes fully guaranteed if he’s on the roster on March 21, 2024, means the Broncos have to make a decision about his future sooner rather than later. Otherwise, the Broncos are stuck with him for more than just 2024.

This may include the need to bench Wilson soon because his 2025 salary is guaranteed for injury. Again, it may not be Wilson’s fault the Broncos have won just two games, but they can’t risk him getting injured down the road.

3. Ask Serious Questions About Which Players Belong

While there is a need for the Broncos to accumulate draft picks and free up cap space in 2024, the primary question to ask about any player who is on the roster is whether or not he is good to have in the locker room as a rebuild takes place.

Somebody like left tackle Garett Bolles might be worth keeping because he's playing well and has the locker room’s respect. While the Broncos shouldn’t rush to extend him, that doesn’t mean he must be traded at all costs.

However, somebody like wideout Jerry Jeudy may not be somebody to keep moving forward. Jeudy is talented but it’s fair to ask if he will be patient during a rebuild and not let his frustrations become a bigger issue.

To be sure, the Broncos shouldn’t keep every player because he’s a good influence in the locker room. But the team does need to ensure that those who stick around understand that a time-consuming rebuild is underway and to show patience and leadership as the process takes place.

4. Focus on Draft to Rebuild the Roster, Not Free Agency

The Broncos spent a lot of money in free agency in 2023. One could argue that the Broncos had to do it, given their lack of draft capital in 2023, and that they needed to do what they could to give Wilson a chance to succeed.

But free agency can’t be the place where the Broncos attempt to rebuild the roster. The draft is the place to do that.

Therefore, the Broncos must prioritize draft capital. That does mean they need to do what they can to trade players who aren’t part of the future, though they shouldn’t force anything.

When it comes to free agency, though, they need to avoid spending money this time around. It will be tempting to go after, say, free-agent pass rushers, because it could be a good group of players.

But the Broncos shouldn’t do that. They need to resist that temptation and concentrate on drafting and developing players.

Furthermore, the Broncos shouldn’t worry too much about bringing back all of their unrestricted free agents. There may be a couple worth bringing back after they test the market first, but others need to be allowed to seek their fortunes elsewhere.

5. Accumulate Cap Space for Future Seasons

While the Broncos do need to free some cap space for 2024, they shouldn’t do so just so they can go sign more free agents. Denver needs to keep as much as possible to carry over into 2025.

Teams do have to meet certain spending thresholds, but those apply to cash spending, not cap space utilized. It’s possible to meet those cash thresholds without having to push tight against the cap.

By accumulating cap space, the Broncos are in a better position to build the team in the future. This is particularly true if they draft a quarterback in 2024 who shows he can be the guy to build around.

It may be frustrating for fans to sit out free agency for a year, but it’s needed in order for a rebuild to work. Fans should not be holding out hope for a free agency haul, whether it’s like 2014, 2023, or any other year.

When the Broncos hit their bye week, I’ll go into more detail about these considerations and what they mean.

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