the 2024 Draft: Sean Payton reveals his messages to the Broncos
This summer, a lot of people have come out and criticized the Denver Broncos for selecting former Oregon Ducks standout and Heisman finalist Bo Nix with the 12th overall choice. People have accused Sean Payton and the Broncos brain trust of “reaching” for Nix, selecting a player who is “too old” and has “maxed out” his playing potential.
Even though everyone’s assessment of Nix as a player is correct, all of the criticisms of him have been comparatively extreme. But politely speaking, why should any analyst’s viewpoint be given more weight than Sean Payton’s? During his tenure with the New Orleans Saints, Payton designed multiple offenses ranked in the top ten, demonstrating his superior knowledge of the quarterback position compared to both you and me.
And he has faith in his judgment to assess the role.
Payton recently appeared on Jay Glazer’s podcast, UNBREAKABLE, where he shared some intriguing insights about Bo Nix and maybe some insider knowledge about other teams that were interested in Nix but were ranked lower than the Broncos in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Payton has knowledge that you and I do not, despite the fact that it has been simple for folks to claim, “Nobody else would have taken Nix in the first round,” since it supports their narrative that he was never a first-round player in the first place. And he told Jay Glazer, without mentioning names, that the teams following the Broncos—or at least one other team—would have grabbed Nix if the Broncos hadn’t selected him.
Media insiders with predetermined agendas will argue that Payton is only resorting to prepared defenses in an attempt to maintain his composure in the face of criticism for selecting Nix at #12 overall. However, there is ample proof to know and comprehend that Nix was a first-round target to other teams besides the Broncos.
The moment Nix finally takes the field as an NFL starting quarterback will be the most telling of all. As if he needed to defend this selection in the first place, Sean Payton has done his share to “defend” it. The head coach of the Broncos is enthusiastic about his rookie quarterback, and the coaching staff clearly has faith in the young player. At the most crucial point in the game, they have a plan and a direction.
Quite frankly, there’s been no indication that the Broncos made a mistake in selecting Nix. Payton has been true to his word about the guy during the offseason. All of the speculation that fans, experts, and commentators are voicing regarding Nix at this point is unfounded. Those who have watched him in action report that he appears to be sharp.
The Denver Broncos were not the only team to believe that Nix was deserving of a draft pick, even though we may not know exactly which other teams were considering picking him in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Whether or if they were correct will become clear to us in due time.
