Broncos Double Down on Culture After Dre Greenlaw Misfire

Be that as it may, the Broncos are unlikely to change their training routines or defensive philosophy just because of one former player. And remember, there are always two sides to every story. 

Even so, after cutting bait with Greenlaw, Payton was obviously remorseful that it didn't work out, and he chose his words carefully when asked about why things didn't work out with the veteran linebacker.

“That was a tough one. Here is why: he is so passionate," Payton said of Greenlaw on Tuesday from Phoenix, AZ. "In my career as a coach, I’ve been lucky enough to coach a lot of passionate players that love the game. I’m always disappointed internally that that didn’t work out because I love that player. I love how he competes. I love all the things he brings. You feel somewhat responsible when it doesn’t work out."

After one year in Denver in which he missed half the season, there are many Broncos fans who believed Greenlaw's potential level of play was worth giving it another season to hopefully reach it.

Ultimately, the Broncos' brass disagreed. The team has come to terms with missing on Greenlaw and has subsequently become a bit more conservative in its approach to signing outside free agents.

Sticking With the Core Culture Contributors

The Broncos sticking with who they know has largely been the theme of the 2026 offseason, the obvious exception being the blockbuster Jaylen Waddle trade, but Paton and Payton had plenty of advanced intel on him.

Amid Denver's unique offseason approach, it's easy to lose sight of how much money the team has spent to extend its core, star players in recent years, like cornerback Patrick Surtain II, right guard Quinn Meinerz, rush linebacker Nik Bonitto, wide receiver Courtland Sutton, defensive lineman Zach Allen, left tackle Garett Bolles, and others.

"Then you kind of look at just an extension of what we’ve done over the last year and a half. We had 10 extensions, and these are some of the best players in the league: Surtain, Meinerz, Bonitto, Zach Allen, [Malcolm] Roach, ‘Court’ [Sutton], Bolles," Paton said. "All of these guys. You can’t do that and then make a big splash like some of these teams do."

Ultimately, the Broncos are confident in the approach they've taken this offseason, even in the face of the dismissive analysis outside the building that they're simply "running it back."

"So we feel really good about what we accomplished in free agency," Paton said. "We filled a lot of needs with good players that we know, and yet we had flexibility to go make a trade. If we didn’t, if we just jumped out and made a big splashy trade, we wouldn’t have been able to make the trade.” 

The Takeaway

When it came to the linebacker corps, the Broncos erred on the side of the familiar and the proven. Some fans will take exception to the decision to re-sign Alex Singleton and Strnad while releasing Greenlaw, but the Broncos trust them as a duo.

Greenlaw could bounce back in his return to San Francisco, provided he's still a fit for what the 49ers have cooking now on defense. Regardless of the failed marriage with Greenlaw, the Broncos aren't looking in the rearview mirror.

The Broncos are focused on the future and chasing a Super Bowl dream.