As the old adage goes, “When it rains, it pours.” That looks to be the case for the Denver Broncos just five games into the new season. With head coach Sean Payton in charge, things have not gone well for the franchise. They have started 1-4 and have been the laughingstock of the league during that stretch.
The latest loss came at the hands of the New York Jets, who were internally motivated due to the words Payton directed at former Broncos head coach and current Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. Payton would go on to speak poorly of Hackett’s time with the organization, and not only did Payton lose the battle; he may be losing the war as well.
When you start as poorly as Denver has, whispers get louder, and as the Broncos look to find the answers, the players in the locker room feel something big may be coming.
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Big Changes Coming for Broncos in 2023?
According to NFL Network’s James Palmer, the sense is it is about to get worse before it gets better in Denver, with the latest report of a possible teardown expected by the players.
Report: Players with in the #Broncos locker room believe that a "Potential tear down" is coming, via @JamesPalmerTV
Broncos are 1-4 and already started trading players, who will be next?
Palmer: "The sense that I get from players in that locker room is that a potential tear… https://t.co/LQMeLvEUSE pic.twitter.com/Rqy6ExvYx2
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 9, 2023
The Broncos have already started to trade players and make moves that look like long-term transactions rather than season-saving ones. Palmer alludes to the growing feeling within the locker room that more changes seem likely at this time.
Fresh off trading recently-signed pass rusher Randy Gregory to the San Francisco 49ers, the sentiment is that may just be the tip of the iceberg.
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It may be frowned upon to speak about a season so early in the year like it is a lost cause, but if Palmer’s prediction comes true, Denver could be headed for a rebuild. It looks like that is what Payton and the Broncos are prepared to do in just the second week of October.
What Does That Mean for QB Russell Wilson?
Russell Wilson’s tenure in Denver has been a rocky one, with far more downs than ups to speak of. Could one of the big moves the Broncos are readying for in the locker room be a change at QB?
It may be too early to speculate, but a big change at quarterback surely fits the description Palmer presented.
In the meantime, nobody is comfortable in that locker room. There’s no rosy outlook for the Broncos or their fans, who are desperate for a competent football team.