Woody Paige: This season will be George Paton’s chance to shine as GM for the Denver Broncos

By Woody Paige July 16, 2022 | updated 3 years ago

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The Waltons Et al. will own the franchise, but the Broncos are George Paton’s team.

Nobody will be giving Paton football marching orders. Not Joe Ellis or the other two Broncos trustees. Never again will former president of football operations John Elway rule over Paton. No chance of Brittany Bowlen or any other members of the Bowlen family telling George what to do. Vic Fangio and Pat Shurmur aren’t challenging his decisions. Both are out of NFL jobs.

And although Rob Walton briefly played college football (offensive lineman) in the early 1960s at the College of Wooster before transferring to Arkansas, he, Greg Penner, Carrie Walton Penner, Mellody Hobson and Condoleezza Rice won’t show up at Dove Valley and take control of training camp cuts, who starts at right tackle, trades, the Broncos’ depth chart for the regular season and even what color jerseys the players wear in games.

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By George, Paton’s the general of the Broncos as much as Gen. Patton was of the Seventh United States Army.

George Paton is doing OK for a guy only in his second year as an NFL general manager.

But he should wait for a more impressive title and a raise until the Broncos again have a winning season and advance to the playoffs. After all, the Broncos finished 7-10 and in last in the AFC West Division in 2021 when Paton was a rookie GM.

The Broncos seemingly haven’t beaten the Chiefs since War World II, and they’ve lost six of the past seven vs. the Raiders.

Paton still must prove himself to the new ownership group, the millions of Broncos’ fanatics and the media.

It could have been worse for George. A Jerry Jones type could have bought the Broncos. Jones, like Walton, graduated from Arkansas, became rich, bought the Cowboys in 1989 and fired legendary coach Tom Landry immediately and general manager Tex Schramm soon after, and assumed total control of the franchise.

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Walton won’t fire Paton and coach Nathaniel Hackett now. If the Broncos don’t reach the postseason for another six seasons, or, preferably three, neither will keep his position.

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So, Paton is secure for a while.

Ellis is sticking around as CEO in the transition period. Elway is a consultant for a year, and the fresh ownership are expected to retain 12 of the franchise’s 13 vice presidents this season. Brittany Bowlen could be out. The Waltons may bring in additions in legal, finance and marketing, and chief communications officer Patrick Smyth should have a more powerful position with Paton. And, as I’ve written, Peyton Manning will be offered a minority share of ownership and an advisory role, although he doesn’t want to serve in an executive capacity.

Paton is 52, the same age as Greg Penner, who most probably will become the new Broncos’ CEO.

Paton already has put his palm print on the Broncos, getting rid of Fangio and Shurmur, the two most recent starting quarterbacks and all but two assistants. The strength and conditioning and training staffs return.

Paton hired Hackett.

And 52 of the 90 players who will report to camp have been Paton acquisitions since he signed a six-year contract 18 months ago.

George’s most significant achievement was trading for Russell Wilson.

March 16, 2022 will live forever in Broncos history with May 2, 1983 and March 20, 2012.

If Wilson can match Elway’s five or Manning’s two Super Bowls, and the two quarterbacks’ combined three championships, while playing for the Broncos, he, too, will be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (considering his two Super Bowls in Seattle), and Paton will be with the Broncos beyond his long-term deal.

At least 10 of the Paton Players will be in the starting lineup in the opening game against the Seahawks, and 16 of the 19 players he has drafted in 2021-22 could be consistent contributors. Pat Surtain II and Javonte Williams are Pro Bowl possibilities. Four others started games in ’21, and two of the ’22 class (which didn’t include a first or second pick), Nik Bonitto and Greg Dulcich, should contribute immediately.

As the Broncos’ main man this season, George Paton will get the acclaim or the blame from the Waltons and all of us.

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Woody Paige: This season will be George Paton’s chance to shine as GM for the Denver Broncos

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