Yahoo Sports’ Jason Fitz and Frank Schwab discuss the state of Denver’s roster and how long it will be before the Broncos can become contenders. Listen and subscribe to the “Zero Blitz” podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.
Video transcript
My one big thing for the Broncos is thinking about how long is this rebuild going to last?
And when you think about it, they traded for Sean Payton, they traded for Russell Wilson, they gave up five first- and second-round picks for those two guys.
When you think about the construction of any NFL roster, a good one anyway.
1st and 2nd round picks are the foundation of your team.
You throw five first and second round picks in the last few drafts at the Denver Broncos, all of a sudden I like them a lot more.
This should be the foundation of your team for years to come and they are just zeros.
You add the Russell Wilson hit that will hang over them for years to come.
And it’s a really terrible experience with the Denver Broncos right now.
The only thing they have is a great coach, Sean Payton is a great coach.
I wonder if he’s been here too long because of this mess.
If, if this is a five- or six-year rebuild, is Sean Payton still here in 2028 or is he anything?
I’m going back to Fox II, I don’t like it anymore.
I think these are real questions for the Denver Broncos.
Whereas most of the NFL rebuilds two or three years.
Look at the Houston Texans, they will be the team we talk about all the time.
Right.
You know, you hit a home run as a quarterback, you hit a home run as a coach, you can be a contender again in a year or two.
I don’t see that for the Broncos.
I think this is long term considering how much this fan base has suffered since Peyton Manning retired.
This is very depressing.
I, I’m not going to lie.
Maybe Peyton could get him out of this.
Maybe Bo Nix will be amazing right away and he will lead them to the playoffs in a few years.
But if there is a long-term rebuild in the NFL, I think it could be the Denver Broncos.
Yes.
And so, you know, I love cooking shows and there’s, there was a show, I don’t know if you’ve seen it, it’s called Next Level Chef.
OK.
So all these chefs are on the floor, like third floor, second floor, first floor and they have their hand against the wall, something is falling and there are ingredients in it.
So part of what the chef has to do is run, not just knowing that he’s making a dish, but also knowing whatever challenge he has to face.
While this platform is moving, they need to grab a protein and everything they need to cook the entire dish while this platform is moving.
And half the time you’ll see a great chef standing there at the end, they just didn’t go get good food.
And then he’s looking around and thinks: I have nothing to cook with.
That’s how I feel about Sean Payton right now.
As if Sean Payton looked around and said, man, I, I, somehow didn’t get a protein that was good enough and none of my sides are going to be good enough to make this a competent dish like the Broncos for the your point.
I believe they are at the part of this process that returns everything to the pegs.
But, oh, it’s important to remember what they gave up before they got to this process, because that makes rebuilding more difficult.
It’s just that there are no two ways around it.
They, they will need time.
Even if Bo Nick ends up being the A quarterback, they will have to surround Bo with more talent, which will require two or three in a nice off season.
Frank, in the best offseason you could imagine, you’d be lucky to get four or five.
I can’t lose, oh my God, the starters that you’re going to build around in the future and I’m talking through the draft and free agency combined.
If you get four or five key guys in free agency or in the off-season, you’ve hit a home run, the Broncos, even if they hit a home run with their quarterback, will probably still need, what, 16 new starters along the way. Over the next few years, this is real, their roster is really depleted.
I mean, Patrick Certan and whoever, I mean, that’s what the Broncos are now and maybe some of their younger kids will develop quickly, but I really don’t like the direction of the Denver Broncos.
