Broncos might be really “blah” this year, but it’s not for lack of effort

The outlook for the 2023 Denver Broncos isn’t great.

Their over / under win total is set at a modest 8.5 games. That means the oddsmakers think the Broncos are about a .500 team, poised to go either 8-9 or 9-8. Heck, maybe they’ll go 8-8-1 for the sake of symmetry.

This isn’t like last year.

Denver was certainly thought of as a playoff team, with some brave souls even thinking they were poised to compete with the Chiefs for the AFC West title. That couldn’t have been further from what actually happened.

Kansas City went on to win the Super Bowl; the Broncos had their most frustrating season in franchise history given the expectations and finished a brutal 5-12.

The first year of ownership for CEO Greg Penner and his partners could not have been a fun one. They didn’t make the trade for Russell Wilson, but they did sign off on his massive new contract. That was the first sign this team being bad wasn’t for a lack of effort.

When things went horribly wrong with Nathaniel Hackett as the head coach, Penner pulled the plug quickly. He fired Hackett after a Christmas Day meltdown in Los Angeles, ending his time in Denver after just 15 games.

“One expectation is that year two will be a little smoother than the first year. It was a great year—we learned a lot. Of course, there are always going to be some surprises,” Penner told the media in late July.

Some surprises is probably putting it lightly.

Penner could’ve had no possible idea that Wilson’s play would take such a dramatic dip and his head coach would be in so far over his head that he’d have no choice but to dismiss him in December.

There was nothing smooth about the 2022 Broncos. That was as turbulent of a ride as anyone could ever experience.

So what did Penner do this offseason? He opened up his checkbook again, reportedly paying $18 million a year to bring in Sean Payton. It’s not often a coach with a Lombardi Trophy to his name becomes available, and Penner pounced at the opportunity after a thorough search.

Again, he’s trying.

“I think it’s great that (Sean) has strong convictions and views. It comes from years of experience. He has a lot of emotion and cares passionately about this team and what we’re building. His heart is in the right place and his intentions are right,” Penner said of Payton.

And that’s what the Broncos need. On Monday, Payton laid down the gauntlet that the preseason is to be taken seriously and they’ll do things his way or hit the road.

That’s a far cry from Hackett’s strategy of wrapping players in bubble wrap, getting embarrassed in Buffalo (eventually apologizing) and not letting most of the starters take a snap.

It’s no secret that anyone who’s been at training camp the last two weeks has been a bit underwhelmed. That’s not Penner’s fault. He’s got nearly $350 million invested in his head coach and quarterback. They have to raise the bar as there’s only so much Penner can do besides spend money.

That’s why when folks say “oh, it’s early” I don’t buy the argument. It can be early when your head coach is Hackett or Vic Fangio or Vance Joseph, but not with Payton.

It can be early when your QB is Trevor Siemian or Paxton Lynch or Drew Lock, but not with Wilson. Both he and Payton have Super Bowl rings. Fans want results and they want them now. It’s disappointing camp hasn’t looked crisper, although there have been some signs of improvement the last few days.

And for Penner he’s going to be a frustrated owner if the Broncos lay another egg this year like they did last season. He’s put two very expensive and well qualified men in positions of huge power. It’s up to Payton and Wilson to deliver.

They might not, that’s the unfortunate reality. Mediocrity (or worse) could ultimately describe the 2023 Denver Broncos.

But it’s certainly not the fault of Penner, as he’s done everything he can to try to return this proud franchise to the postseason and beyond.

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