George Paton's 6 best decisions with the Broncos
Broncos GM George Paton is now signed through the 2030 season. Here's a quick look at some of his best decisions in Denver.
Denver Broncos general manager George Paton finally agreed to a new five-year contract on Friday, a well-deserved act of faith for the man who has weathered some of the most difficult storms since the Peyton Manning era. In honor of the freshly-inked deal, let's take a look back at the five best decisions made by Paton in his tenure since 2021. 1.
Cutting ties with Russell Wilson, Nathaniel Hackett Although this correlates to the worst decision of the Paton era, firing Nathaniel Hackett and cutting quarterback Russell Wilson was a much-needed and justifiable decision. Wilson's dead money (a then-record $85 million ) forced the Broncos to get more creative with how they acquired talent: growing through the draft, as well as strategic trades. The Hackett firing was ultimately ownership's call, and coach Sean Payton had a big say in the Wilson decision, but Paton was undoubtedly involved in both moves, helping fix his previous mistakes.
2. Trading for the rights to head coach Sean Payton In the wake of the Hackett firing, the Broncos needed a battle-tested, championship-caliber coach. And it didn't matter if he was retired.
Sean Payton had stepped away from the New Orleans Saints after the 2021 season to go into broadcasting. Paton and Co. made sure Payton wouldn't be off the sideline for more than one season, trading a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft and a third-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft for the play-calling savant.