PHOENIX — Eventually, as Sean Payton recounted, the angst spread to his own family. By the second day of the NFL’s legal-tampering period on Tuesday, March 11, the Broncos still hadn’t signed anyone. And so Payton’s phone buzzed — not an inquisitive ring from owner Greg Penner, or an agent, or a reporter.
It was his 71-year-old brother Tom, wanting the scoop. There was no scoop. A different plan was brewing behind closed doors, one that finally brought star receiver Jaylen Waddle from Miami to Denver after months of expressed interest.
“I do think patience is important,” Payton told a table of reporters on Tuesday morning at the NFL’s annual spring meetings.
At that moment, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero strolled past. Payton pointed and guffawed.
“Free-agent frenzy!” Payton cracked, referring to the NFL Network’s “Free Agency Frenzy” program. “Right here. You’re the ‘frenzy’ guy.
“And if it’s ‘frenzy,’” Payton continued, turning back to reporters at the table, “that’s not good. But it sells.”
After a month of local and national chatter around the Broncos’ lack of free-agency activity — giving way to local and national praise around the Broncos’ eventual splash deal for Waddle — an animated Payton sold his own version of events on Tuesday morning. Speaking to media members at the AFC coaches’ breakfast, Payton said Denver’s retention-heavy approach was the plan all along. He repeatedly chastised the NFL’s marketing of the “frenzy” of free agency. And ran a verbal victory lap on the Waddle trade, which he called a “real fair deal.”
Payton dug his heels in, too, on the cornerstones the Broncos re-signed.
“(J.K.) Dobbins was a priority,” Payton said on the return of Denver’s lead running back, carefully enunciating his words to follow. “Ahead of all others. Now, that’ll anger people. We know he’s been injured. We understand. And the issues haven’t been soft-tissue driven. But he’s someone that’s one of those, compound multipliers. Like, he brings 10 others along with him, in a positive light.”
Tight end Adam Trautman (82) of the Denver Broncos stiff arms cornerback Noah Igbinoghene (6) of the Washington Commanders while gaining extra yards after the catch on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, at Northwest Stadium in Landover, MD. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)
Tight end Adam Trautman (82) of the Denver Broncos stiff arms cornerback Noah Igbinoghene (6) of the Washington Commanders while gaining extra yards after the catch on Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, at Northwest Stadium in Landover, MD. (Photo by Timothy Hurst/The Denver Post)
Broncos coach hints at RB, TE options in NFL draft
For all Payton’s conviction on Tuesday, though, there was a contradiction to his messaging. Denver is betting on the locker-room chutzpah that was established in a dream 2025 season, when late-game execution and the power of friendship led to 12 wins in one-score games. The Waddle trade was made with the Broncos’ emphatic belief that the star former Dolphins receiver will be a culture fit. Beyond that, Payton made clear the Broncos valued bringing back what they knew as opposed to searching in the free-agent market for a relative unknown.
On the flip side, Payton still continues to directly acknowledge that the Broncos played the margins too thin for comfort last season.
“Just go do the analytics — lopsided, in your favor, one-score games,” Payton said. “Which, certainly, 11 of 13 would be. And then track the next season, and there’s nothing that correlates (to improving). And so that’s why I said to you, I never feel good. You always understand the next challenge. We have a tough schedule.”
The Broncos’ current antidote to expected regression in close games, then, is Waddle, a speedy and precise receiver who should raise the ceiling. But at present, the same weaknesses that existed on last year’s roster still exist, by virtue of widespread retention at other positions. The Broncos have the exact same four-man rotation at running back under contract for 2026, which largely underwhelmed in the run game after Dobbins’ season-ending injury in Week 10.
When reminded he’d emphasized the need for run-game improvement back in late January, Payton acknowledged Denver could likely look at running backs in the NFL draft.
“That could be a position that gets addressed, if the opportunity presents itself,” Payton said.
Payton, too, lauded the Broncos’ re-signing of veteran tight end Adam Trautman when prompted, calling the 29-year-old Trautman “one of the better blocking tight ends in the NFL.” Denver was “leery” in free-agent evaluation, as Payton said, of any tight end that could simply pop on a few frames of tape. The staff knew exactly who Trautman is as a player, Payton said. And didn’t take him for granted.
But on the flip side, again, Payton said point-blank that the Broncos could take a tight end in April.
“Hopefully we can get to know ‘em,” Payton said of this draft class, “and possibly have a target in there.”
Overall, across a 30-minute sit-down, Payton straddled the fence between bullishness on his current roster and an eye towards April’s draft. The head coach said the Broncos’ offseason process is to first conduct an initial evaluation of the draft class, then look at free agency, then return to the draft to “address this must,” as Payton put it.
And Payton hinted that Denver preferred to address those musts with a new crop of rookies, rather than this year’s free-agent market.
“Look, we never get to live in a perfect world,” Payton said. “But you’d love to always be drafting the best player. And sometimes, there’s a lot of times that can happen. So, George and I, we’re all sitting there going through the puzzle.”
Waddle fit Payton’s puzzle. The Broncos will attempt to find draftees that fit that puzzle. For better or worse, the majority of free-agent prospects didn’t.
“If you can train and are like-minded like us, come on in,” Payton said, referring to Waddle. “Now, if you can’t?”
He trailed off and pivoted subjects, the message lingering long enough.
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