Broncos Draft: Paton's Legacy Hangs in Balance

0:00It's April 23rd. You're listening to NFL News today. AI-powered football coverage. I'm Corey with the story. The Denver Broncos are heading into the 2026 NFL draft with seven picks, but no first rounder. Marking General Manager George Patton's six draft class since he took over in 2021. He's teamed up with three head coaches already, from Vic Fangio to Nathaniel Hackett, and now Sean Payton, building a roster that's one solid draft. Away from Super Bowl contention. Payton and Payton click-like pros, blending smart-free agent moves with coaching tweaks to lift the team from the league's basement. Patton calls the trash shots with his scouts while Payton weighs in, but their like-minded vibe has kept things smooth so far. On the bus side, Patton's third round picks have stung the most tight-end Greg Dolsich from 2022, fizzled out after injuries and blocking. Wolves, minebacker Drew Sanders battled endless injuries over three years, and Baron Browning flashed promise before a trade to Arizona. All three got derailed by the injury bug, turning

1:04potential into just a handful of starts. But Patton's unearthed gyms, too, like seventh-round steel Jonathan Cooper, an outside linebacker who's racked up 27-sacks over three seasons. After fixing a hard issue, third-round guard Quinn Miners became an all-prost dud at the right guard, and fifth-round center Luke Wattenberg stepped up as a starter with a fresh contract extension. With Bowenick's under center and the playoffs in sight, this draft could seal Patton's legacy if they dodged the injury curse and land more hits like those. Steals, keeping the Broncos charging toward that elusive ring.