When you boil it down, the reality of the Denver Broncos’ salary cap pinch might necessitate that they reach for a reclamation project under center this offseason. It could realistically already be argued that Broncos head coach Sean Payton mostly failed with his bid to reclaim the full range of quarterback Russell Wilson’s formerly unique skill set in 2023.
Now backed into a corner by the weight of the deal GM George Paton orchestrated to acquire the now-dethroned starting quarterback, Payton cannot let himself be passive — he must get creative. Unfortunately, if the Broncos move on from Wilson, recycling veteran quarterbacks is notoriously difficult.
Payton could find a signal caller in San Francisco 49ers backup Sam Darnold, who could be on his way to redemption, owing much to the masterful tutelage of his quarterback coach Brian Griese.
“Sam has checked his ego at the door,” Griese said during Super Bowl week via Denver Sports’ Andrew Mawson. “He’s got a lot of talent and is going to play really good football in the league… And Sam came to us and wanted to come and learn our offense and get some stability and foundation under his feet because he hadn’t had a lot of stability under his feet. And I think that’s what we talked about when he came here, and I think that’s what he’s gotten. And he’s continued to work. When he’s had his opportunities, he’s gone and played well for us. And who knows what his opportunities are going to be going forward, but I think he’s going to be a better football player.”
Former Broncos QB Brian Griese — now the QB coach with the 49ers — loves what Sam Darnold showed as the 49ers backup in 2023.
“Sam has checked his ego at the door … He’s got a lot of talent and is going to play really good football in this league. …” pic.twitter.com/tziNRqFECh
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) February 15, 2024
Darnold took a methodical step back in a concerted effort to reboot his onboard computer and build a better framework to deliver long-term success. It was a bold move for the former third overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft to make, but one which he felt Griese, in particular, could really help with. First, though, Darnold had to be receptive to relearning stuff from scratch.
“Griese has been awesome so far,” Darnold said via Yahoo! Sports reporter Jennifer Lee Chan back during the summer of 2023. “Really, throughout the whole process, right when I decided to sign here. Griese has been awesome for me just to be able to talk to about learning the system, about coming to a new team, certain expectations coming in, and being the new guy on the block.”
Where better to land than within the Kyle Shanahan system? Shanahan’s quarterbacks in San Fran have been the poster boys for success in recent years, and with Griese providing inspirational guidance, it’s no great surprise to see players attracted to learning the ropes in the Bay Area.
Back in 2022, Griese left the cozy confines of the media commentary booth to get his hands dirty once again, and his results working with Mr. Irrelevant — Brock Purdy — have been nothing short of stunning. As it relates to the still-only 26-year-old Darnold, the backup quarterback has reestablished confidence significantly enough that he can command the huddle once again.
“It’s also having that mindset of, ‘Okay, when I step in that huddle, I am the leader,'” Darnold explained during OTAs. “And guys are going to, if they have questions. They should feel confident in me that I know the answer in terms of scheme and what they got, so Griese has been great that way.”
A belief that Darnold is indeed turning his career around for the good has flowed resoundingly from the lips of Griese, all of which provides good solid evidence that the former first-round draft pick is ready to make a push for a starting job somewhere else once again.
Could it possibly be in Denver? Time will tell.
