Head coach Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos are currently looking to bounce back after what was overall a brutal 2023-24 NFL season, which was the former Super Bowl championship winning coach's first at the helm in the Mile High City. The Broncos were one of the last winless teams remaining several weeks into the season before defeating the Chicago Bears, and Payton and quarterback Russell Wilson never quite saw eye to eye, leading to Wilson's departure this offseason.
Evidently, part of Payton's issue this year stemmed from the fact that he at times physically could not see the playbook, including an instance on January 9 where he quite literally called the wrong play, and this was an issue he has now taken steps to address this offseason by having his cataracts removed.
“First day ever wearing sunglasses coaching,” said Payton, via Charean Williams of NBC Sports (via Mike Klis of 9News). “Waiting for the Bill (Parcels) phone call to (Call me a wimp).
Payton had previously revealed at his end of season news conference that he had been planning to get his vision fixed, per Williams, and has now evidently followed through on that plan.
Can the Broncos bounce back?
As previously noted, 2023-24 was a bit of a lost season for the Broncos, as the team suffered several setbacks and a clear lack of chemistry on both sides of the football en route to missing the playoffs once again. Among their more embarrassing performances of the year was a 70-point NFL record explosion that their defense gave up to the Miami Dolphins in an early season game, one that made Denver the laughingstock of the NFL for a week.
As the season progressed, the Broncos would start to put some things together and began winning at least somewhat more consistently, but it didn't end up being enough to get the team into the postseason, rendering the Russell Wilson “era” a complete and total failure.
Wilson was released after being benched to end the season and now plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers, leading to a major question as to who will be the starting quarterback for the Broncos this season.
One potential answer is rookie quarterback Bo Nix, who was selected by Denver with the number twelve overall pick in the first round of this April's NFL Draft out of Oregon.
Another potential answer is former Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham, who seems ready to take on the job if it is given to him.
“I've dealt with this before when I was in New England when we drafted Mac Jones,” said Stidham, per Jeff Legwold of ESPN. “It's a business, I totally understand it, but at the same time, I'm here to compete. I'm not just going to sit down and let someone else walk on in here–I'm going to work my butt off to get the job. I'm super excited about it.”
The Broncos also recently traded for former New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson.
In any case, the season will get underway in September.
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