Sean Payton explains his philosophy for building offensive lines
· Yahoo Sports
It's no surprise the Denver Broncos are right on the brink of prolonged success, a testament to the hard work the Denver front office has accomplished since coming together in 2023 when head coach Sean Payton was paired when general manager George Paton. Another reason for the Broncos' success can be tied to the play of quarterback Bo Nix behind the best offensive line in the NFL.
But, could there be change brewing on the horizon for the line? In their NFL combine interviews, both Paton and Payton emphasized the offensive line. With several young players in the wings (i.e. Frank Crum and Alex Palczewski), the Broncos could be looking at a youth movement on their hands.
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"It’s hard to find those guys and the defensive linemen in free agency this time of the year," Payton said. "There are certain positions that are abundant, but that’s one that’s tough. I think (the offensive line is) one of the most important positions on your team because it can kind of permeate your building. I think it starts with selecting what you’re looking for, what your profile is for a starter, sometimes a developmental player.
"There are certain things that are just ingrained in my head, what a developmental offensive lineman has to be. I think that was one of our first missions three years ago coming here, is to try to get that room right. I think one of the reasons it permeates your team is that if they’re good, your defensive line quickly has to catch up. So historically speaking, for me, we’ve always invested maybe early draft capital for that position."
Denver has been successful in finding free agent offensive linemen (Ben Powers, Mike McGlinchey), but they have also seen the pitfalls of giving an offensive lineman a massive deal that they would never live up to.
The Broncos may also be seeking additional draft capital through a potential trade of Powers, a deal which could free up $8.38 million in salary cap savings.
The evolution of the offensive and defensive lines are critical to survive in an ever-changing NFL. "I think you always have to feed the offensive lines and defensive lines to sustain success in this league," Paton said at the combine. "We’ll continue to do that, regardless of how good our offensive line is.”
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Denver Broncos: Sean Payton talks philosophy for offensive lines