Broncos' Biggest Winners & Losers of Sean Payton Taking Back Play-Calling

Sean Payton has taken back the play-calling duties at Denver Broncos HQ.

First-year offensive coordinator Davis Webb had been under heavy scrutiny as the play-caller amid the Broncos' struggles out of the gate. On Wednesday, rumors lit up the NFL that Payton's patience was wearing thin, but he didn't even wait until after this week's road matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers to make the decision.

Payton made the decision to take back the play-calling on Monday. So the ESPN rumors were well-founded after all. On Thursdays, we're supposed to hear from the Broncos' coordinator trio, but instead it was Payton who stepped up to the podium and announced he's taken back the play-calling duties.

"We’ll make a change offensively," Payton said. "I’ll call the plays."

Payton did the best he could to tip his hat at Webb and preserve a semblance of dignity on behalf of his young protege. But it's not just Webb dealing with a dinged PR profile; Payton has plenty of egg on his face, too.

"I want to say this first, and I said it to Davis the other day talking to him. I’ve done this long enough where I know when I have a future head coach, and he’s going to be one," Payton said. "All the things that it’s hard to find will happen. In fact, the same thing to some degree—a little bit different—happened to myself early in my career."

And by the way, if you ever doubted Payton's confidence in his play-calling acumen, after relinquishing them to Webb in the offseason, the veteran coach disabused you that notion when he was asked about the NFL's growing ranks of talented play-callers.

“I think I’m still one of them," Payton said.

With Payton taking back the play sheet, there are some big winners and losers at Broncos HQ. Let's examine.

Winner: Bo Nix | QB

Amid Nix's early-season struggles, it's easy to forget he's the only quarterback in NFL history to pass for 7,500-plus yards, 50-plus touchdowns, and win 20-plus games through his first two years as a pro. It was unprecedented success, as there have been quarterbacks, like Justin Herbert, who had crazy statistical production out of the gate, but not the wins.

Nix had both. And who was the guy calling the plays and putting the young quarterback in position to achieve such individual success, leading to the Broncos' immense collective success? Payton.

Nobody is perfect. We've critiqued Payton's play-calling at times with Nix as his quarterback. Overall, though, Payton's resume speaks for itself.

Payton's play-calling helped bring the city of New Orleans its one and only World Championship and vaulted Drew Brees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Payton placed Nix on a similar path to start his career, and although the veteran coach genuinely thought giving Webb the play sheet was the best thing for his young quarterback and the team, the results simply haven't been there.

It's a tough setback for Webb, and I'm sure that Nix feels for his dear friend and coordinator. But he's got to be quietly excited by Payton taking back the play-calling, as Nix has been on pace to produce a career-low season statistically.

Loser: Davis Webb | OC

In all honesty, Webb is one of the few losers in this equation. But if he has the right mindset, he can take this as a learning experience, grow from it, and become a better coach and play-caller in the future.

I'm sure this was a tough decision for Payton for multiple reasons, not the least of which is how it'll affect Webb's NFL profile as a future head-coaching candidate. That's why Payton led with the head coach stuff in his initial statement.

If Payton's big decision leads to an offensive renaissance for the Broncos, and Nix looks like the quarterback of yore, it'll give owners and front offices around the league even more doubts about Webb's wherewithal as a head-coaching candidate.

But that's only an immediate setback for Webb, relative to the 2027 hiring cycle. If the Broncos go on to meet their playoff expectations, regardless of whether it results in a Super Bowl berth, Webb could still garner head-coaching interest, but more likely, he'll have to wait another year.

That's okay. He's only in Year 4 as an NFL coach, and he's still young at 31. Payton ultimately had to do what he believed was best for the Broncos, not what's best for Webb's NFL resume.

If one of the collateral effects is that this decision keeps Webb in Denver for another year, I'm sure it's a consequence Payton will accept happily, even if his protege isn't quite as thrilled.

Winner: Courtland Sutton | WR

Sutton has only caught nine passes for 86 yards through four games. He's on pace to finish the season with under 100 targets, which has never happened with Nix as his quarterback.

Under Payton's play-calling, Sutton produced a career-high 10 touchdowns in 2023 with Russell Wilson as his QB, followed by back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and his second Pro Bowl selection with Nix.

Sutton would never say it publicly, but he knows his stock just went up.

Loser: Evan Engram | TE

I say 'loser,' but it could end up being a big win for Engram, too. With Webb as the play-caller, Engram's snap share has risen dramatically since last season because of the coordinator's prioritization of the multiple-tight-end sets.

Engram has been kept in to block at a much higher clip, which has also seen his usage in the passing game climb, too. Unfortunately, though, Nix and the Broncos haven't been able to exploit Engram's increase in playing time with producion on the field.

Last season, Engram finished third on the team in receiving, but he was overall frustrated by the amount of snaps he have up to Adam Trautman. We'll see if Payton chooses to continue the multi-tight-end thing, and I have a sneaking suspicion that he will.

If so, Engram will actually end up being a winner in this big decision. If Payton goes back to the 11 personnel/spread approach he favored last year, Engram might see his playing time decrease.

Winner: J.K. Dobbins | RB

It's no coincidence that every winner I've mentioned so far is also on my 'Biggest Disappointments at the Quarter Pole' list. That includes Dobbins, who is also on pace for a career-low-type season.

The Broncos' ground game just hasn't clicked yet, like, at all. The Broncos made the decision to re-sign Dobbins with a 4x raise, and so far, that investment has been squandered.

That's about to change, though, provided Dobbins can stay healthy (knock on wood). He and Payton made magic together last season before the veteran back suffered a foot injury that ended his campaign.

Winner: Broncos' O-Line

The Broncos returned the same starting five for the third straight year. So why has this offensive line looked orders of magnitude worse than it did the previous two years?

It's the same scheme, the same quarterback, and the same collection of backs. Even Zach Strief remains this team's run game coordinator and ultimate O-line czar.

The only new factor was that Payton wasn't calling the plays. It certainly hasn't helped that Denver has faced, literally, the NFL's four best teams in consecutive weeks to start this season.

That has something to do with the O-line situation, and why it's allowing a career-high level of pressure on Nix. Payton's play-calling should get this unit back on track.

Winner: Jaylen Waddle | WR

Payton famously advised his wife, Skylene, to draft Waddle in fantasy. Outside of one game, though — Week 2 — Waddle hasn't been much of a fantasy factor, though he did score his first touchdown as a Bronco last week.

In two of Denver's four games, Waddle has totaled two or fewer receptions. That's obviously not what the Broncos had in mind when they relinquished a first- and third-round pick to acquire Waddle and his contract.

Payton now has all the weapons that he's coveted traditionally and that have been hallmarks of his offenses over the years. Sutton gives him the big-bodied X receiver; Engram is the athletic, pass-catching tight end; RJ Harvey is the explosive receiver out of the backfield; and Dobbins is the between-the-tackles grinder.

The only thing missing was the explosive downfield speed demon, and that's exactly what Waddle brings to the table. When we previewed the 2026 season, we got excited about the notion of opponents having to play the Broncos more honestly because of Waddle's skill set, and how they wouldn't so easily be able to double-team Sutton with impunity.

Webb was unable to make opponents pay for doubling Sutton or putting a two-high ceiling over this offense. Payton will test those boundaries with much more consistently moving forward.

Waddle's stock just went up, too.

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