ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -– For weeks Denver BroncosGeorge Paton, general manager of the team, used words like “aggressive”, chomping on the bit and “allencompassing” when asked about his pursuit for a quarterback by a team that has been clamouring for one since Peyton Manning’s retirement in 2015.
Paton has been talking for a little more than a year about making thoughtful decisions, following through with plans, getting input, crunching numbers, and being “all on the same page”.
Paton then took all that aggression, composure and thoughtful analysis, combined it all and made the most pedal-tothe-metal moves. he traded for former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell WilsonTuesday
Some in the league might have wondered if the everything-in-its-place Paton had this wild side as he turned a detail-oriented career as a scout into a steady, highly productive climb up the ladder into his first general manager gig. They shouldn’t be surprised.
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He became the Broncos franchise player in pass rusher Von MillerJust after Halloween, Wilson was drafted to make it easier for more draft picks to come to work. Wilson was landed on Tuesday. This is a deal that took weeks to make, one Wilson signed with one of few solid, no-trade clauses in league, and one that is one of the most significant in NFL history.
Paton managed to find a way of adding a little pragmatism. Wilson, who is 33 years old, missed three starts in his professional career. Manning was 36 in 2012 when he signed with Broncos. He had previously missed the previous season because of his fourth neck operation.
Wilson will have, if the Broncos’ hopes are true, many prime seasons remaining. Wilson has been the solution to the quarterback problem for nearly a year. Aaron RodgersThey have been the source of almost continuous discourse.
The Broncos have the young man in that equation.
Paton has often said how much draft picks are important to him — the Broncos have 11 for the 2022 draft at the beginning of the day — but when he was asked this week at the combine whether he would part with several first-rounders to make the deal he desired, he answered:
“That’s the flexibility that comes with a lot of picks. We can give a little to get a player and it’s not going be going to force you to draft. It’s all on the table.
Wilson’s acquisition required the Broncos to give up a lot of their other assets, including their quarterback. Drew LockThey traded for Paton, who obviously they weren’t selling on — Teddy BridgewaterShortly after having evaluated the Broncos’ roster in the early part of last year, he was offered the job. But defensive end Shelby HarrisClosed end Noah FantThese were the starters that will need to be replaced.
The Broncos gave up prime NFL draft real property — two first-round picks and two second-round picks. These types of picks typically yield starters, if a team even takes seriously the draft.
Paton has a lot riding in this — basically Wilson and a fourth round pick in exchange for three or more players and possibly five additional starters — but he kept his promise. It turns out that all those times Paton was asked about did not result in him doing. EverythingHe was willing to do whatever it took to stop the team’s quarterback turntile and the growing number of playoff missed opportunities.
And a team which has acquired four of its top five passers in franchise history — John Elway, Manning, Jake Plummer and Craig Morton — from someplace else, has added another big résumé guy to the list.