The Denver Broncos drafted All-Pros in 2021, 2022, and 2023.

General Manager George Paton, who’s been endlessly criticized by Broncos Country, deserves props for those additions.

Paton and head coach Sean Payton have found something special as they look to compete for championships in the near future.

The Denver Broncos drafted All-Pros three of the last four years

One of the reasons Denver made the playoffs this year is due to Paton’s handling of the front office.

The Broncos had the largest dead cap number in the history of the NFL this year–$89 million. And yet they still found a way to compete and make the postseason. Yes, $53M of that dead cap was from the Russell Wilson trade and subsequent signing. Those mishaps were Paton’s doing.

But he righted the ship despite that misstep.

Not only did Denver win while seemingly everything went against them, their future is bright because of Paton’s drafts, too.

Rewind to 2021 and the Broncos took Patrick Surtain in the first round. He quickly became the NFL’s best cornerback, and earned 49-of-50 votes as a First-Team All-Pro this year. It’s Surtain’s second All-Pro selection, joining 2022’s campaign.

He’s the cornerstone of the defense and a player the Broncos have already been building around for years. They’ll continue to do just that for the foreseeable future.

Two rounds later, Paton found a dynamic guard in Quinn Meinerz out of D-III Wisconsin-Whitewater. To take a gamble on a player from a tiny school like that was a big risk. But this year Meinerz became well-known as the best guard in football. Like Surtain, he’s a First-Team All-Pro.

In 2022, without a first round pick because of the Wilson deal, Paton still found an All-Pro in Nik Bonitto in the second round. Bonitto enjoyed a breakout season in 2024, leading the Broncos with 13.5 sacks. He was also the only player to have a pick-6 and fumble-6 of greater than 50 yards this year, and resembled Von Miller in his play style. Bonitto finished as a second-team All-Pro this season, but his career is still on the rise.

Then, in 2023 and without a first round pick due to the Sean Payton deal, the Broncos selected Marvin Mims in the second round. Mims looked like something of a bust as a wide receiver for his first year and a half, but he’s always been a superb special teams player. Mims was named First-Team All-Pro at punt returner, and also had a breakout season on offense.

The Denver Broncos drafted All-Pros, four of five of them from this year–Zach Allen was a free agent acquisition–and there may be more in the 2024 class, too.

The best NFL teams are painstakingly built

Look around the NFL Divisional Round and you’ll see some of the best front offices in the league.

Kansas City has long been heralded as one of the best, and their current dynasty proves that fact. It’s not just taking a shot on Patrick Mahomes in 2017, it’s drafting Trent McDuffie, George Karlaftis, Chris Jones, and many more. They also made a midseason move to bring in DeAndre Hopkins.

Similarly, before this season kicked off the Baltimore Ravens were named the top front office by other executives. They’ve drafted well, re-signed Lamar Jackson, and have made great free agent moves like the signing of Derek Henry this offseason.

The 49ers, Eagles, Lions, Packers, Bills, and Steelers all made the top 10 in The Athletic’s preseason front office rankings. All of them, save the Niners, were 2024 playoff teams.

Clearly, Denver still has a way to go to find themselves in that top 10, but Paton and Payton have done a great job as of late.

Going back to that 2021 NFL Draft, Paton found 10 players who started this season. That includes guys like Jonathan Cooper, Riley Moss, and of course Bo Nix.

And now that the foundation has been built with guys on rookie contracts, Paton and Payton just have to fill some holes to take this team to the next level.

Denver will still owe Wilson $32M next year, but they will have at least $54M in cap space per Spotrac. That number could increase to over $60M with a few cuts.

So, expect the Broncos to be players in free agency. They need a starting running back and tight end. They need depth at wide receiver. And likely a middle linebacker, possibly a safety.

Notice, the quarterback is not a piece they’re still searching for. More credit is due to Sean Payton than George Paton for that pick, but the two seem to be working well together. QB is the most important and most difficult position to fill, and they did so with Nix, who is now the future of the franchise.

“You know all good things come to an end,” Bo Nix said of the 2024 season. “This has been a good run. We started where we were. And to be where we are now, play an extra week of football and an opportunity to play in the playoffs, it’s exciting and it’s an exciting time to be in Denver right now.”

Bo knows.