The Lead
As Sean Payton's tenure officially begins, we're still a long way off from seeing how the Broncos will look under his leadership.
Still, in trying to assess what his impact may be in Denver, several NFL analysts are bullish on the Broncos' outlook under Payton.
For Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer, the decision to bring Payton aboard could not have been better, as he gave the Broncos an A-plus.
"The Broncos needed to swing for the fences with their next head coach to make the most of having Russell Wilson at quarterback," Iyer wrote. "They hit a grand slam by trading for and hiring Sean Payton. …
"Beyond his offensive influence tied to Wilson and creating a more balanced, explosive attack while eliminating more negative plays, Payton is a well-organized motivator. His effect on the whole team will be seen, down to having the right complementary defense and more dangerous special teams."
NFL.com’s Judy Battista didn't assign grades to the hires, but she did express confidence in Payton's ability to reverse the franchise's fortunes.
"His track record as a creative offensive mind and his reputation as a culture builder give him the best chance of the available candidates to quickly turn the franchise around and salvage the acquisition of Wilson last offseason," Battista wrote.
Below the Fold
Former Pro Bowl running back Maurice Jones-Drew recently did a deep dive across the league to evaluate all 75 starting running backs from the 2022 season, and it sounds like he'll be interested to see how Javonte Williams rebounds this season.
"Williams shared the load early with Melvin Gordon before sustaining a season-ending knee injury in Week 4," Jones-Drew wrote. "Looking ahead to 2023, Williams should be back in a feature role for a much more dynamic offense under Sean Payton."
