Everything we learned from Sean Payton and George Paton at the NFL Combine

It’s officially draft season.

Broncos general manager George PAton and head coach Sean PAyton spoke to the media on Tuesday ahead of the start of the NFL combine. IT was the first time Payton had spoken since announcing most of his inaugural staff in Denver. Paton hadn’t spoken since Payton’s introductory press conference.

Here’s what we learned…

The Broncos are in talks with Dre’Mont Jones

Paton said on Tuesday that the team has been in talks with impending free agent Dre’Mont Jones and his agent and that those talks have been “very positive.”

“Dre’Mont is a very good player,” Paton said. “He’s one of our core players on defense.”

Jones joined the Broncos as a third-round pick in 2019 and has 22 sacks in four seasons as a Bronco, including 6.5 last season.

The 26-year-old defensive lineman’s rookie contract expired after this season. The Broncos have until March 7 to apply the franchise tag, which would lock Jones into a $19 million salary for 2023. Jones, and the rest of the Broncos’ unrestricted free agents, will be allowed to negotiate with other teams starting March 13.

Pro Football Focus projects Jones will receive a four-year, $58 million contract this spring. Spotrac projects his market value at four years and $69 million.

Alex Singleton could get a second season in Denver

When the Broncos signed veteran linebacker Alex Singleton to a one-year contract worth a little over $1 million last offseason, they saw him as a core special teams player who could earn reps at linebacker.

By the end of the year, Singleton had 163 tackles.

“He’s a baller,” Paton said. “We’d like to have Alex back.”

Singleton is set to hit unrestricted free agency and is likely set for a significant pay raise, but he’d like to remain in Denver.

Four key Broncos are set to return

Paton gave injury updates on four Broncos starters, and all four were positive.

Wide receiver Tim Patrick tore his ACL during training camp last season, which took one of the Broncos’ best weapons off the field and one of their best leaders out of the locker room. According to Paton, Patrick has started running again.

“I don’t know where he’ll be back in terms of the offseason program, but next season certainly he’ll be 100 percent,” Paton said.

Running back Javonte Williams also tore his ACL, but he also tore his PCL and meniscus, which makes his recovery significantly more difficult. His injury occurred in early October, creating a real possibility he wouldn’t see the field in the first of half of the 2023 season.

On Tuesday, Paton said that Williams has started jogging and the recovery is moving along “on track.”

“They anticipate he would be ready for the start of the season,” Paton said of Williams.

Left tackle Garett Bolles broke his leg in October but is expected to be back for the 2023 season. Edge rusher Randy Gregory will be healthy for the start of the offseason program.

The Broncos haven’t made a decision on Jerry Jeudy’s fifth-year option

Jerry Jeudy’s rookie contract runs through the end of the 2023 season, but because Jeudy was a first-round pick, the Broncos will have a decision to make; will they pick up his fifth-year option?

The Broncos have until May 1 to make a decision and it appears they’ll wait until the deadline to make a final call.

“We make those decisions, I believe in May, right near the draft. We’ll make that decision. Really happy with where Jerry is at,” Paton said.

If the Broncos pick up the option, another year will be added to Jeudy’s contract with a $13 million price tag. It would be a major surprise if the Broncos decline.

The Broncos’ top picks are in the “sweet spot”

For the second consecutive season, the Broncos don’t have a first-round draft pick. They don’t have a second-round pick either.

But their pair of third rounders are right where the Broncos want them.

“I do think the top five of the third round is kind of the sweet spot of the draft,” Paton said.

The Broncos’ first two picks of the draft are scheduled to be the second and third picks of the third round, but that may change.

“We’re always looking to add,” Paton said. “It’s not always easy.”

Sean Payton is excited to bring in Davis Webb

Davis Webb, 28, was a backup quarterback for the Giants last season but is retiring to take the Broncos’ quarterbacks coach job.

“He came highly recommended from a bunch of different coaches; Brian Daboll, Eli Manning, I spoke to a number of people,” Payton said.

Webb’s study habits set him apart from the pack.

“He’s a coach’s kid, Davis is,” Payton said. “He had a file on his computer of every gameplan that he’s ever had since he was in high school, then college.”

The Broncos also added another rookie coach in Chris Banjo, who was with the Cardinals last season and will be the assistant special teams coach this year.

“I knew that he was still playing at Arizona, but he was at that stage in his career where he was looking forward maybe to getting into coaching,” Payton said. “I had called him one night and low and behold, it was something he wanted to do and do pretty quickly.”

As a side note, two young coaches were involved in the hiring process at defensive coordinator. Defensive line coach Marcus Dixon, 38, and defensive backs coach Christian Parker, 31, were both in the room for the final round of interviews for defensive coordinator, according to Payton. Parker had previously interviewed for the position.

Training staff is game-changer

The Broncos hired Beau Lowry to bet the team’s vice president of player health and performance last week. Lowry had previously worked for Payton in New Orleans but left the Saints to join the LSU staff.

“He’s very much respected,” Payton said. “I mean, he fellowed under [Dr. James] Andrews. We lost him in New Orleans. We tried not to, but he wanted to live a little bit closer to Baton Rouge, and that’s why he went back up there. That’s a game changer for us, I think.”

The Broncos have had among the league’s worst injury luck over the past half-decade, so a new-look performance staff could be a step in the right direction.

Mike Westhoff will be a “veteran teacher”

For the second time, Payton lured Mike Westhoff out of retirement this offseason.

Now 75 years old, Westhoff will serve as the Broncos’ assistant head coach.

“I always enjoy the veteran teachers,” Payton said. “The guys that I consider to be real special.”

Westhoff has four decades as a special teams coordinator, and Payton said he has a Hall-of-Fame type of resume. Westhoff won’t work only with the Broncos’ special teams, though.

“He will serve in a number of roles as we put in not only our special teams, but we put in our program,” Payton said. “I think he’s got a great background, and he’s a great teacher.”

Vic Fangio was Payton’s first choice for DC

Payton made it clear that he wanted the top defensive coordinator on the market this offseason: Vic Fangio.

“I tried to talk to him and tried to twist his arm,” Payton said.

Ultimately, Fangio didn’t want to return to the team he was fired from 12 months earlier.

According to Payton, longtime Patriots assistant coach Matt Patricia could still be on the way.

For more on what Payton said about Fangio, Patricia and new defensive coordinator Vance Jospeh, click here.