Sean Payton: Broncos 'Need' to Find a 'Joker' Weapon This Offseason

A year ago, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton revealed on the Up & Adams Show that he was looking to “fall in love” with a quarterback in the NFL draft. Payton and the Broncos went against the general consensus, evaluating Bo Nix as a franchise-caliber, top-of-the-first-round quarterback, and avoided getting on the “NFL media bus” and kowtowing to the groupthink surrounding the former Oregon quarterback.

It’s early, but it would be shocking if Payton and the Broncos aren't ultimately proven right, as Nix appears to be a viable franchise-caliber quarterback just one year into his NFL career.

Once again joining Kay Adams on her show leading up to the Super Bowl, Payton discussed a number of topics, including, to no one’s surprise, adding a ‘joker’ to the Broncos offense.

"We do the evaluation of our team, and the purpose of that is to establish ‘must, needs, and wants,'" Payton told Adams. "I would say we need a ‘joker.'"

Simply put, the Broncos got some of the worst output from their running back and tight ends in the entire league this past season. It’s impossible to place the entirety of the blame on each positional unit or individuals as the Broncos, as a result of lacking early draft capital and cap space following the Russell Wilson trade/release (among other moves), made it so they had to bargain-bin shop at some areas of the roster, including running back and tight end.

That's what Payton's talking about when he says 'joker.' Running back and tight end.

"A joker can be a tight end or a running back that has exceptional [receiving ability]. We were spoiled here (in New Orleans) when you think about it," Payton told Adams. "We had Reggie Bush, we had Jimmy Graham, Jeremy Shockey, Darren Sproles, Alvin Kamara. Those are interior, either tight ends or running backs, that they have to be elite receivers that can play tight end or running back. And then you get the matchups. We had quite a few of them here (in New Orleans) because you are getting two-high defense and you have to work the inside."

There are other “needs” on Denver's roster, of course, but it does seem like a versatile pass-catching option at either running back or tight end might fall in the “must-have” bucket for Payton despite never saying so specifically to Adams. Will the Broncos look to add a weapon like that in free agency or the draft? According to Payton, the plan of action is being constructure currently.

In this equation, the Broncos have to say, ‘What does the draft look like,' and 'What does free agency look like?’ Then try to figure out the puzzle as to where to find these pieces.

Unfortunately, the running back and tight end crop in free agency looks rather bleak. Not all is lost, though, as the 2025 draft class appears to feature a historic crop of running backs in terms of depth, and the tight end group might be the most talented since 2017.

There is no guarantee the Broncos will go for one or the other position with their first selection, but make no mistake; they will find a few targets at both positions to fill the “joker” role and be aggressive to land their guy. The obvious first-round names to consider are Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty as well as the tight ends Colston Loveland (Michigan) and Tyler Warren (Penn State).

Outside of the well-known consensus first-rounders, though, there are a number of Day 2-projected prospects who could fill the role as well. At running back, there are options like North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton (who can do a bit of everything similar to Jeanty), Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson, Kansas’ Devin Neal, Arizona State’s Cam Skattebo, SMU’s Brashard Smith, and Syracuse’s LeQuint Allen (and more).

At tight end, there' sLSU’s Mason Taylor (who is more of a classic tight end but still can be a guy to attack the middle of the field), Bowling Green’s Harold Fannin Jr., Miami’s Elijah Arroyo, Oregon’s Terrance Ferguson, and Texas’ Gunnar Helm.

When, where, and who the Broncos might find to try to find their running back/tight end pass-catching weapon remains to be seen as the offseason is not even officially underway for the NFL. However, as Payton described, the Broncos are in search of a role that he had ample options for during his years in New Orleans to help amplify his young quarterback in Denver going forward.