As the Denver Broncos begin to sift through all that was the 2024 season, they have already come away with at least one conclusion: They found their quarterback of the present and future in Bo Nix. The Broncos ended an eight-year playoff drought with a 10-7 finish but saw how much work is left to be done in a 31-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills this past Sunday in an AFC wild-card game.

It starts with me,” Sean Payton said after the Broncos’ loss. “It’s always a tough pill to swallow especially when it’s a postseason game.”

Payton's Broncos stood little chance against the Bills, but one exec believes Denver is close to being "very good — like, 13 wins good."

The Denver Broncos' first postseason trip since the 2015 campaign was short-lived. Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills defeated Denver 31-7 in Sunday's AFC

Sean Payton didn’t just take his foot off the gas. He yanked the emergency brake, got out of the car, handed the keys to Josh Allen, and crawled home on all fours.

Moving on from Russell Wilson ultimately proved to be a cathartic experience for the Broncos, which they badly needed. Obviously, it was prohibitive for the team's salary cap to absorb, but it forced the Broncos to turn the page conclusively and hitch their wagon to a burgeoning youth movement that has emerged.

For the first time in four years, Sean Payton is headed to the playoffs, and the Denver Broncos coach is realizing he missed the experience.

Vance Joseph and Davis Webb are names to watch as NFL teams consider poaching members of the Broncos’ coaching staff.