Broncos owner Greg Penner 'really pleased' with free agency class

Denver Broncos general manager George Paton and head coach Sean Payton are primarily responsible for building the team's roster and managing the football operations, but the checks are signed by team owner/CEO Greg Penner.

Paton and Payton answer to Penner, who ultimately has the final say on everything with the Broncos (although he has said he doesn't interfere with the football decisions). Penner empowers Paton and Payton to lead personnel moves, but if those moves don't pan out, Penner has the authority to bring in new decision makers.

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Good news for Paton and Payton this offseason: Penner has co-signed on the free agent class.

“I was really pleased," Penner said when asked about the team's free agency signings at the NFL's Annual League Meeting in Florida on March 31. "I thought George and Sean put together a really good plan and executed it well. I think we got better on the field and, frankly, the makeup of the team improved with the guys that we brought in.

"It’s interesting each year — our first year, we were really forced to be aggressive because we had big holes on the offensive and defensive lines. Last year in free agency, we had to be more measured because we didn’t have much cap space. This year, I’d say we were more opportunistic. We had some key needs at inside linebacker, safety and tight end. They identified some players that really would be a good fit for us and got those done. I was really pleased.”

Denver's most notable additions were safety Talanoa Hufanga, linebacker Dre Greenlaw and tight end Evan Engram, signings that filled the team's three biggest needs going into free agency. Attention now turns toward the 2025 NFL draft (April 24-26). The Broncos hold seven picks this year, and their biggest remaining need is running back.