Broncos HC Sean Payton's Roster Hole Revelation: Smoke or Fire?

In Sean Payton's sit-down with Kay Adams of the Up & Adams Show ahead of Super Bowl LIX, the Denver Broncos head coach was unusually open about the state of his team's roster entering the 2025 offseason. Either that or Payton was working seriously hard to conjure up a smoke screen.

However, one thing Payton said was so self-evident and obviously true to outside scrutiny that it's hard not to take it at face value. When it comes to the Broncos' big roster holes, Payton threw out the elusive, over-used 'joker' position (a pass-catching running back or tight end) before adding two spots on defense.

"We'll look closely through the middle," Payton told Adams. "Inside linebacker, safety—there'll be a few other positions."

Indeed, with starting duo Cody Barton and Justin Strnad both set to hit unrestricted free agency, the Broncos have a massive hole at inside linebacker, even with Alex Singleton's expected return from a torn ACL in 2025. However, even if both Barton and Strnad were under contract this coming season, linebacker would still be a pressing need as the duo faltered down the stretch, while the latter posted an alarmingly high missed-tackle percentage.

The safety issue Payton spoke to is a bit less obvious, but it comes down to the Broncos' disappointment in how P.J. Locke acquitted himself as a starter after the team re-signed him to a two-year deal last spring. Brandon Jones more than held up his end of the bargain as the Broncos' free-agent replacement for Justin Simmons, but Locke was often exposed in coverage and to devastating effect at times.

Locke is under contract for 2025, but there's a reason he's been mentioned as a prime cap-casualty candidate. His level of play isn't commensurate with his $3.49 million salary. The Broncos could save $4.19M by cutting Locke before June 1.

Then there's the safety depth. Beyond the two starters, the collective of Devon Key and JL Skinner didn't inspire a lot of confidence when Locke faltered, so the Broncos have multiple fish to fry, potentially, at safety.

"In this equation, you have to say, 'Alright, what's the draft look like?'" Payton said to Adams. "And then 'what's free agency look like?' And try to figure out the puzzle as to where we find these pieces."

NFL teams typically try to fill the immediate roster needs in free agency — cap space willing — to free them up to be a bit more best-player-available-disciplined in the NFL draft. With $34.7M in projected cap space, according to Over The Cap, the Broncos have the breathing room to make a splash or two in free agency.

A few splash-level safety candidates would be Miami's Jevon Holland, San Francisco's Talanoa Hufanga, and even Kansas City's Justin Reid. At linebacker, Philadelphia's Zack Baun and Kansas City's Nick Bolton would qualify as big-time splashes.

And don't forget Germaine Pratt, who requested a trade in Cincinnati this week. Pratt might not qualify as a splash in the same way that Baun or Bolton would, but he'd absolutely be an upgrade over what the Broncos currently have at linebacker.

The 2025 draft class offers up some excellent linebacker options, depending on how early the Broncos would want to get in on the action. Early-round options like South Carolina's Demetrius Knight Jr. and Alabama's Jihaad Campbell are options. UCLA's Carson Schwesinger could make a lot of sense for Denver, as would Georgia's Jalon Walker and Florida's Shemar James, among others.

At safety, Georgia's Malaki Starks has been mocked to the Broncos in the first round. Notre Dame's Xavier Watts and Ohio State's Latham Ransom have also garnered some Broncos mock links pre-draft.

The Takeaway

Payton was weaned in the Bill Parcells school where football secrecy reigned supreme. No head coach wants to stand in front of the microphone and camera and spill the beans on his team's biggest needs entering an offseason, but the three spots Payton mentioned to Adams are so obvious, perhaps he felt he had nothing to lose.

As Payton intimated, the question isn't whether the Broncos will pursue linebackers and safeties this offseason; it's whether those positions will be prioritized in free agency or the draft. Perhaps it'll be both.

Either way, it might be the 'lying season' in the NFL, but someone may have slipped Payton some truth serum before sitting down with Adams. Consider the Broncos to officially be in the linebacker and safety market this spring.