Four years ago, the Denver Broncos went on a lengthy and detailed search to replace their former general manager, John Elway, eventually hiring George Paton to fill the role. Paton, a former team scout who became a director of pro personnel under former Minnesota Vikings GM Rick Spielman, was widely considered one of the best up-and-coming executives across league circles.
While Paton took his time and weighed several promotion opportunities in the past, he landed with the Broncos, a franchise that had been struggling to find a direction following its Super Bowl 50 victory.
Over the past four years, Paton has evolved from one of the most controversial figures in the Broncos' front office to one of the best GMs in the league. Highlighted by drafting Patrick Surtain II over Justin Fields with his first-ever draft pick, to the botched hiring of Nathaniel Hackett following the decision to move on from Vic Fangio at head coach, to trading for Russell Wilson and doling out a massive contract extension before the veteran quarterback ever played a snap in an orange jersey, Paton has been a hot topic in Broncos Country.
But when you go back and look at every move Paton has made, even before Sean Payton was hired as the head coach a couple of years ago, the GM's scouting acumen and personnel decision-making have turned the Broncos from an AFC West bottom-dweller into a legitimate playoff contender and a possible Super Bowl hopeful in 2025.
Paton's Draft History
There isn't a single general manager in the sport who hits on every pick in the draft or in personnel decisions when building a roster. It's impossible to do so.
But Paton has done a masterful job when utilizing picks on the second and third day of the draft over the past four years, landing a handful of impact players with limited capital over his tenure as the man in charge.
Aside from drafting the reigning Defensive Player of the Year (Surtain) with the No. 9 overall selection in 2021 and a potential franchise quarterback in Bo Nix with his only first-round selections, Paton has hit on several starters and key role players like Nik Bonitto (Round 2), Marvin Mims Jr. (Round 2), Quinn Meinerz (Round 3), Riley Moss (Round 3), Jonah Elliss (Round 3), Luke Wattenburg (Round 6), and Jonathon Cooper (Round 7).
Paton also has landed several pieces that have built the depth of the team, including but not limited to Eyioma Uwazurike (Round 4), Troy Franklin (Round 4), Matt Henningsen (Round 6), Alex Forsyth (Round 7), and Devaughn Vele (Round 7).
Paton's upbringing as a scout has helped to build a roster that many pundits across the nation are calling one of the best in football going into 2025, completely contradicting the narrative from a year ago.
Contract Extensions & Free-Agent Signings
Again, Paton has had some misses when it comes to free agency and handing out long-term deals. The Randy Gregory and Josh Reynolds signings didn't pan out for various reasons, and we all know the disaster that was the trade and contract for Wilson.
But Paton has done a great job handing out extensions and pay raises for his homegrown talent over the past 16 months while also finding some value in doing so as contracts across the league continue to inflate. He's done a tremendous job getting high-dollar contracts done early, which adds value when players on other teams sign their new deals.
Recent extensions handed out by Paton include Courtland Sutton's recently signed contract, which is a perfect placement for value compared to production. Meinerz was extended as one of the highest-paid guards in the league before Chris Lindstrom and Trey Smith eclipsed his deal. Surtain was the highest-paid cornerback in the league when he was extended, and before Jalen Ramsey, Derek Stingley Jr., and Sauce Gardner got their new deals.
When you look at the timing of the Broncos' contracts under Paton, how they fit in the landscape of the NFL today, and what these players are capable of becoming, he has done a masterful job navigating the rough waters of the NFL salary cap.
While it remains to be seen how the contracts that Paton gave to Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga, and J.K. Dobbins pan out this season due to past injury concerns, Paton has also identified the biggest weaknesses in the roster as a whole and filled them with high-quality players at less-than-premium-level deals. Those players are driving a lot of the hype of a potential breakout season for the franchise.
The Takeaway
When you look at Paton's resume in totality, it's blatantly clear that he is a top-five general manager in the NFL, and he deserves a contract extension sooner rather than later. According to KOA's Benjamin Allbright, who spoke on-air about the situation during last Saturday's training camp practice, it seems likely that an extension is coming following the 2025 season.
While Paton still has a long way to go to be considered better than the likes of Howie Roseman of the Philadelphia Eagles or Brett Veach of the Kansas City Chiefs, he has done a tremendous job in building a high-quality roster and finding talent that continues to grow throughout the depth chart.
The synergy between Paton and Payton is continuing to grow, and it appears that this team as a whole has a great culture with high expectations inside and outside of the confines of Dove Valley.
Paton needs to be a piece to continue to build with for several years going forward.
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