Sean Payton spent very little time on the Broncos initial depth chart

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton wasn’t really in the mood to talk about the team’s initial depth chart after practice on Tuesday.

Payton was peppered with questions about it, after the NFL made the Broncos (and all teams) release one before 2:00 p.m. MT.

Rookie QB Box Nix was listed as third behind Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson, something that created lots of conversation. Nix has been working with the starters plenty at camp, or with the second-team. It surprised many he was ahead of Wilson.

“Rookies are at the back of the line,” Payton explained.

That was the first of many questions about the depth chart, and the answers from Payton only got spicier.

“I’m not ready for a depth chart, but I have to get a depth chart. So, it’s easy to push the (rookies) to the back of the line. I’m not trying to send messages at all,” Payton said.

When asked why he puts rookies on the bottom, as they were at every position, Payton offered up an answer that got some laughs from the media.

“Just cause it’s easy and I don’t have to spend 40 minutes with (Broncos head of PR) Patrick (Smyth), I can spend five,” Payton said.

After questions went in a different direction, they returned to the depth chart, and Payton wasn’t thrilled.

“There wasn’t a lot of thought. We just got the depth chart out and that’s it,” Payton said. “We’re spending too much time on this depth chart, but keep going, keep asking.”

So, there you have it. From the head coach himself, don’t pay too much attention to this Broncos initial depth chart. He did one because the NFL made him, and spent barely any time on it.