ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — With increased success comes more difficult decisions.
And as General Manager George Paton indicated following Sunday's 53-man roster deadline, that was certainly the case during the construction of the Broncos' initial squad.
Following two consecutive playoff berths — and an appearance in the AFC Championship game a season ago — the Broncos return an abundance of contributors that have played significant roles in leading the team to elevated levels of success over the last two seasons. For Paton, who enters his sixth season at the helm of the Broncos' front office, the abundance of high-level talent resulted in perhaps more difficult decisions ahead of the deadline than in previous years.
"I think it [speaks to the strength of the team]," Paton said of the challenge of building the roster. "Every year is hard, regardless of your depth. This is a tough day. It's always challenging. This year, I think we spent more time on this roster going through a lot of different scenarios with a lot of these players that were released."
Among those released ahead of the deadline are several players that Paton said the team "would love to get back" as Denver looks to build its 16-player practice squad. With the caliber of talent the group boasts, though, Paton acknowledged the uncertainty and risk that the next 24 hours will bring.
"You always worry about the guys you want to bring back, that they could get claimed," Paton said. "If they do, like we told them, we're going to give them a hug and wish them the best. That's part of it; that's part of the league. It's a risk when you put guys out there. It's just part of it."
For Paton and the Broncos, the roster-building process will not end here. As the team continues to prepare for the regular season, Paton and Co. will explore league-wide options.
"It's a puzzle," Paton said. "It's ongoing. Now we're building the practice squad, we're looking at the wire tonight obviously. So, it's fluid, and yet yes, this was a tough roster to make."
Paton expressed confidence in the 53 players that earned their roles, speaking positively of the depth the team boasts at several positions. But for those that spent the summer competing for a role on Denver's roster and did not land on the initial 53, Paton echoed a message shared by Head Coach Sean Payton throughout the summer.
"We root for these guys," Paton said. "It's no different than losing a scout or losing an Assistant GM. You're rooting for them. You want these guys to do well. These guys have put in a lot of work and dedication. We love these players, and we want them to do well. We hope they are here obviously, but if not here, we wish them the best. You never know what happens here down the road. We like this group. We like this group that is going to be on the waivers tonight. We would love to get a lot of them back, and we'll just see how it goes."
