Sean Payton attacking specific area as Broncos open offseason training

After Denver's sixth consecutive losing season, new HC Sean Payton plans to use a grueling offseason to reshape the Broncos.

"This offseason for us needs to be difficult," Payton recently told Amanda Balonis Renner of CBS Sports. "Right now, I think it's a little bit more like we need to roll up our sleeves."

The Broncos will begin their offseason training program on Tuesday. According to longtime Denver sportswriter Mike Klis, they will repeat strength and conditioning drills four times a week until June 15, the end of mandatory minicamp.

Payton's emphasizing conditioning to improve injury prevention. Denver battled a seemingly never-ending barrage of injuries last season, losing starters WR Tim Patrick and OT Garrett Bolles. According to Football Outsiders, the Broncos led the league in adjusted games lost (AGL) — a stat that measures injuries to starters and key rotational players — with 148.6, the sixth-highest the site recorded since it started tracking the stat in 2010.

The problem extends beyond last season. The Broncos have ranked bottom 10 in AGL over the past four seasons.

So Payton made the right move when he hired strength and conditioning coach Dan Dalrymple and vice president of player health and performance Beau Lowery. Both worked under the HC in New Orleans.

Along with ensuring that the team is in peak condition, Payton recently confirmed starters will play in the preseason, avoiding the same mistake that doomed Nathaniel Hackett.

The adjustments will challenge the Broncos, but they need it because they have the league's second-longest playoff drought (seven years).
Also, Denver should trust Payton because he's one of nine active HCs with a Super Bowl ring.