Paul Klee: Sean Payton arrived at Broncos HQ with answers

Feb. 11—Patrick Sean Payton arrived at Broncos HQ with answers.

How refreshing.

During a 48-minute intro and address in the film theater at UCHealth Training Center, the Broncos coach offered a comprehensive preview of what's to come — the transformation of the Broncos will be "uncomfortable" due to its severity, how he prefers "anonymous donors" to airing your daily life on social media, why he only would take a job where football "matters" (such as New Orleans or Denver, he said), how Bill Parcells shaped his approach to leadership.

"Law and order," as Payton put it.

What he didn't say was equally important. He didn't say "we've got time before that," "we'll have to take a look," or "we're learning the roster." He didn't deflect. He had answers now.

What he didn't say said as much as what he did say. How it was is not how it's going to be.

In fact, Payton sounded like a football lifer who had 12 months to detail an inevitable return to the sideline. Payton will not be learning on the job. He will be executing a plan that's been simmering in his head for a solid 12 months. He brought a been-there done-that air that Vance Joseph, Vic Fangio or Nathaniel Hackett could not. It's not their fault. They couldn't.

The 59-year-old Payton has been there, done that, with a bad team before.

Broncos Country would enjoy the book "Payton and Brees: The Men Who Built the Greatest Offense in NFL history," written by author Jeff Duncan. Duncan provides delicious insight into the Saints' restoration project — and, in theory, how Payton will go about fixing the Broncos.

I learned a ton, such as how the Saints had won a single playoff game in 40 years when Payton arrived in 2006. (Jeez, Saints.) Payton proceeded to flip the program, unloading 11 starters and adding more than 25 new players, including quarterback Drew Brees.

In Year 4, the Saints won Super Bowl XLIV over Peyton Manning's Colts. It's kind of incredible.

Change is coming to the Broncos, who went 5-12, and it will be severe and uncomfortable.

Why Brees? According to the book, Brees checked the boxes of Parcells' "11 Commandments of Quarterback Play," including Rule No. 1: Press or TV agents or advisers, family or wives, friends or relatives, fans or hangers on, ignore them on matters of football — they don't know what's happening here.

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And that provides some clarity as to why Payton did not blink when asked if Russell Wilson's personal quarterbacks coach would be part of the operation moving forward.

"That's not going to take place here," Payton said flatly.

A gradual rebuild is not going to take place here. The Payton Broncos will be as aggressive as the salary cap and draft pick allowance will permit. I foresee an above-average backup quarterback.

Plus, the Walton-Penner ownership group fired a coach 15 games into his first season and was willing and able to present Payton one of the richest contracts in coaching history, any sport.

The Broncos' new owners don't strike me as an overly patient bunch willing to wait for wins.

I listened to a half-dozen of Payton's interviews from radio row at Super Bowl LVII. His go-to talking points were his affinity for A) his FOX crew and B) a robust "defense and running game."

But the latter weren't constants in 15 seasons guiding the Saints. Six times he had a top-third defense, six times he had a bottom-third defense. Five times he had top-third rushing game, five times he had a bottom-third rushing game. The constant was an all-time quarterback, Brees.

What else did I learn about the new guy in town? He refers often to his early Saints days to describe what he faces with the Broncos and thinks the world of Broncos Country's passion.

His respect for Parcells, for whom he worked as the quarterbacks coach in Dallas, is evident in almost every interview. It's not nothing Parcells won two Super Bowls and Payton has one.

Payton also says he's funny. We'll be the judge of that.

Ex-NBA coach Avery Johnson officiated the wedding when Sean married Skylene, his wife. Daughter Meghan has a podcast focused on sports gambling. One episode discussed the betting odds for Sean Payton's next coaching job — and the guest was Sean Payton, or Dad.

As far as I can tell, after a week, Payton is part Parcells (the turnaround guru), part Mike Shanahan (winning is the acceptable standard) and part his one-and-only self. I don't see Parcells or Shanahan purchasing a $30,000 stereo to turn the locker room into "Club Dub."

But who knows? We're learning the roster.

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