Sean Payton: Player who helps the “team get better” is best for Bo Nix’s development

The Denver Broncos have found their franchise quarterback in Bo Nix, who had a very good rookie season in which he led Denver to the postseason for the first time since 2015. The next step for head coach Sean Payton and the rest of the organization is to do everything in their power to help the young quarterback develop and continue to improve.

With the Broncos holding the 20th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the idea of finding another offensive weapon to put next to Nix in the form of a tight end or a running back has been floated around, as Payton’s offense did not get the production it needed from those two positions in 2024, despite Nix’s success.

When asked about how to further Nix’s development in 2025 at the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday, Payton mentioned that the team doesn’t have to focus on an offensive weapon to help out the signal-caller from Oregon, but instead just go after the best overall player.

“The running back and the tight end could obviously help in his development,” Payton said. “I would also say a really good, elite pass rusher can help in his development, a really good cover corner… The best player that helps the team get better is going to help in his development.”

The Broncos had great production from those positions in 2024, as Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II locked down one side of the field with four interceptions and Nik Bonitto made a name for himself off the edge with 13.5 sacks and a pair of touchdowns. However, the depth behind those two was shallow throughout the season, and Payton knows that having good depth is a key to getting this Broncos team back to where it was after the 2015 season.

“When you talk about getting [Nix] weapons, certainly that’s important… I think we’ve got to look closely at what helps the team, because that, in turn, can really end up helping [the quarterback],” Payton said.

While an edge rusher might not be the first need for Denver after a season in which the orange and blue posted 63 sacks, the 14th-most by a team in a season in NFL history, other spots on the defense such as an inside linebacker and backup cornerback need to be addressed. The hole at linebacker was put on full display in the AFC Wild Card Game against the Buffalo Bills in which the Broncos struggled to suppress the run all afternoon, while the corner issue was exposed by former Bronco Jerry Jeudy’s 235-yard explosion against Denver in Week 13.

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and Penn State tight end Tyler Warren are two of the four best options for the Broncos overall, and are the top targets at their respective positions if they manage to fall down to the 20th pick.

Neither Jeanty nor Warren will work out this week at the Combine, a trend that is becoming more popular by the year as prospects continue to prioritize Pro Days held at their respective universities instead. The Heisman runner-up will meet with the Broncos at the Combine despite not doing any drills as Payton and the rest of the staff assess who the best candidate is to further Nix’s development.