Denver, CO
Kiszla: Why Sean Payton can lead Broncos to 11-6 record in his first season as coach
On his greatest remaining days as a professional quarterback, Russell Wilson won’t ever be pretty much as good as Patrick Mahomes, one of the best on the planet at his craft.
However after dropping 15 consecutive video games to Kansas Metropolis, the Broncos now have a preventing probability towards the Chiefs as a result of coach Sean Payton can out-scheme and outsmart Andy Reid on any given NFL Sunday.
That is my record of the highest 5 NFL quarterbacks, and I’m sticking to it:
No. 1: Mahomes
No. 2: Joe Burrow, Cincinnati
No. 3: Josh Allen, Buffalo
No. 4: Lamar Jackson, Baltimore
No 5: Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia
The old fashioned is useless. Tom Brady has lastly known as it quits, and if he’s good, Aaron Rodgers will do the identical. The younger lions are roaring now. Among the many 5 quarterbacks on the high of the heap, with Justin Herbert and Trevor Lawrence looming on the fringes, there may be no person older than Mahomes, who celebrated his twenty seventh birthday in September.
Coming into a season wherein Wilson will flip 35 years outdated, I firmly consider he can and will likely be a high quality NFL quarterback once more. However high 5 on the place? Dream on.
And that’s exactly why the Broncos finally did the best factor by buying and selling for Payton after basic supervisor George Paton talked New Orleans down from the Saints’ preliminary demand of two future first-round draft selections. DeMeco Ryans, a 38-year-old former linebacker, wasn’t going to stroll into Dove Valley headquarters and instantly command the respect of Wilson with a plan on the way to repair a quarterback that has slipped off the trail to the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame.
Payton coached Drew Brees, whom Wilson deeply admires, for an important run of 15 seasons in New Orleans, the place they received a Tremendous Bowl collectively after San Diego had deemed Brees expendable. On the conclusion of a disappointing 5-12 season, Wilson heaped reward on Payton.
“He’s one of many world’s greatest, clearly, a man who has coached a Corridor of Fame quarterback in Drew Brees, who was one among my closest pals,” Wilson stated January 8. “He’s as aggressive as may be, he’s a winner and clearly received a Tremendous Bowl … I used to be capable of be round him on the Professional Bowl and simply the wizardry you’d have on the sphere was simply magnificent.”
Within the ongoing debate about whether or not the Broncos flushed $245 million down the bathroom on a contract extension for Wilson, I actually don’t a lot care whether or not he has an workplace at workforce headquarters or does excessive knees on the workforce flight to London. All that issues is Wilson will perceive who’s the boss from the primary coaching session when Payton is in cost. The veteran quarterback typically appeared to treat Nathaniel Hackett as little greater than one other yes-man in his entourage.
The Broncos beat Carolina 24-10 in Tremendous Bowl 50 with a protection that defiantly yanked the Superman cape off Panthers quarterback Cam Newton. However Denver by no means would’ve gotten to the championship sport with out one of the best job of teaching I’ve witnessed throughout practically 40 years of overlaying sports activities on this dusty outdated cowtown when Gary Kubiak nursed the bruised ego and physique of Peyton Manning to carry collectively a workforce that would’ve simply fallen aside.
Whereas quarterbacks rule within the NFL, teaching issues. The highest 5 coaches within the league? Right here’s my record:
No. 1: Reid
No. 2: Invoice Belichick, New England
No. 3: Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh
No. 4: Payton
No. 5: John Harbaugh, Baltimore
There are Grumpypants amongst us that can quibble that Payton solely received a single Tremendous Bowl in New Orleans. Properly, in his twenty fourth NFL season Reid may lastly win his second championship.
In contrast to Huggy Bear Hackett, who appeared extra eager about profitable Mr. Congeniality than the AFC West, Payton is from the Invoice Parcells college. The Broncos will shortly study to understand that powerful love interprets to victories in a troublesome sport.
The Chiefs aren’t going wherever. However the remainder of this division is smooth, with the Chargers but to show they’ll win huge with Herbert as their quarterback.
With higher damage luck, a revamped offensive line and smarter strikes by Paton in free company, there’s each motive to consider that 2023 is the 12 months Denver ends its playoff drought.
The Broncos employed a world-class soccer coach.
With Payton in cost, put me down for an 11-6 report throughout his first season in Denver.
Denver, CO
Denver Broncos NFL Draft picks 2024: Grades, fits and scouting reports
The Denver Broncos enter the 2024 NFL Draft on April 25 with eight picks over the three-day draft.
The Broncos have the No. 12 pick and are one of a handful of NFL teams searching for a franchise quarterback. The end of the short-lived Russell Wilson era in Denver created a need at the game’s most important position and left a lack of draft capital in its wake.
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Head coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton have said they’re open trading up to get one of the draft’s top quarterbacks if they find the right scenario. Denver’s current quarterback situation includes Jarrett Stidham, Ben DiNucci and Zach Wilson, the former Jets first-round pick acquired in a trade this week.
NFL Draft 2024 tracker: Live blog, pick-by-pick grades and analysis
Big board best available: Who’s left from Dane Brugler’s Top 300?
But that position, important as it is, represents just part of the draft puzzle for the Broncos as they enter a significant reconstruction of the roster. In addition to jettisoning Wilson, the Broncos released safety Justin Simmons, traded wide receiver Jerry Jeudy and allowed starters like linebacker Josey Jewell and center Lloyd Cushenberry to leave in free agency. Payton is in the early stages of building a new foundation. The draft is instrumental to that work.
Keep coming back here throughout the draft for analysis and grades for each Broncos pick.
GO DEEPER
NFL Draft 2024 ‘The Beast’ Guide: Dane Brugler’s scouting reports and player rankings
Round 1
No. 12
Round 2
No picks
Round 3
No. 76
Round 4
No. 121 (from Dolphins)
Round 5
No. 136 (from Panthers via Browns)
No. 145 (from Jets)
No. 147
Round 6
No. 207 (from 49ers)
Round 7
No. 256 (from Jets)
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(Photo: Scott Winters / Getty Images)
Denver, CO
11-year-old Denver boy reported missing in College View neighborhood
An 11-year-old boy was reported missing in Denver on Wednesday, according to a Denver Police Department post on X.
Ivan Villalobos was last seen in the area of West Evans Avenue and South Bryant Street in the College View neighborhood around 11:45 a.m. Wednesday.
He is Hispanic and is 4 foot 11 and 110 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes, police say. Ivan was last seen wearing a gray polo T-shirt and black sweat pants with white and black shoes.
Anyone who has seen Ivan or has information on his location should call the Denver Police Department at 720-913-2000.
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Denver, CO
Texas man sentenced after motorcycle sprint from Colorado Springs to Denver in 20 minutes
A judge has sentenced a motorcyclist after he shared a video online of his dangerous trip from Colorado Springs to Denver. Rendon Dietzmann pleaded guilty earlier this month to speed exhibition, the same plea to which he reiterated his guilt in El Paso County Court on Tuesday.
Dietzmann was arrested in Texas in February, months after posting the video titled “From Colorado Springs to Denver in 20 Minutes” which appeared to show him traveling at high speeds, sometimes reaching speeds of 150 mph on a motorcycle while weaving in and out of traffic.
The drive typically takes about an hour on Interstate 25, which has a speed limit of 65 mph or 75 mph, depending on the exact location, an increase from 55 mph in 2014.
Dietzmann is from Justin, Texas, and goes by Gixxer Brah on YouTube. He regularly posts videos from a camera mounted to his helmet while driving his motorcycle.
A judge sentenced Dietzmann to 14 days in jail, which he has already served, and a $1,000+ fine. The judge also added 12 points to his license, which strips Dietzmann from driving in Colorado.
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