PHOENIX — Goodbye to Dre Greenlaw. Hello to Jonah Elliss.

At least at inside linebacker.

Coach Sean Payton on Tuesday said it was “tough” that the Broncos released Greenlaw after just one season after he had been a marquee free-agent signing in March 2025. But Payton said Elliss will help fill a depth void by getting some work at inside linebacker after being an outside linebacker his first two seasons.

“You’re going to see Elliss take some snaps inside,’’ Payton said at the NFL owners meetings at the Arizona Biltmore. “That’s something we’ve discussed relative to our depth with the edge.”

The Broncos signed Greenlaw to a three-year, $31.5 million deal after he had played his first six seasons with San Francisco. But he sat out eight games in 2025 with injuries and one due to an NFL suspension.

When the Broncos elected to re-sign Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad to be their starters at inside linebacker, Greenlaw was released March 12. He quickly re-signed with the 49ers.

“That was a tough one,’’ Payton said. “(Greenlaw is) so passionate. I would say in my career as a coach, I’ve been lucky enough to coach a lot of passionate players that love the game. And I think, I’m always disappointed internally that that didn’t work out and because I love that player. I love how he competes. I love all the things he brings. And you feel somewhat responsible when it doesn’t work out.”

At outside linebacker, Elliss has been a top reserve on a deep crew. The starters are Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper and the Broncos also have a top reserve in Dondrea Tillman and up-and-coming second-year man Que Robinson. Elliss shifting to inside linebacker provides an opportunity for Robinson to be a top reserve.

Playing Elliss at inside linebacker also would provide the Broncos with a more seasoned reserve behind Singleton and Strnad. The Broncos also have at the spot raw young players in Karene Reid, Jordan Turner and Levelle Bailey and Drew Sanders, who missed all of last season after foot surgery.

“It’s the decision to give (Elliss) snaps going forward (at inside linebacker),’’ Payton said. “It’s a position where we’re wanting. … And it was really looking at your assets, and we know he’s smart, tough. … So sometimes you have to look at the skill set and then project where you think it can go and your depth on the edge that allows you to do something like that.”

The Broncos last season were No. 2 in the NFL in total defense while going 14-3 and then losing 10-7 to New England in the AFC Championship Game. In addition to Greenlaw having been released, the Broncos also had the departure on defense of two free agents in starting lineman John Franklin-Myers and safety P.J. Locke, a reserve in 2025 until he started the final four regular-season games and two playoff games.

On offense, all starters from 2026 are in line to return and the Broncos added wide receiver Jaylen Waddle in a trade two weeks ago from Miami. Payton was thrilled with the deal in which Broncos gave up their No. 30 pick in the first round and third- and fourth-round selections while also getting back a fourth-round pick.

“This process took a while,’’ Payton said. “Credit (to) Miami and (general manager) George (Paton), the patience of coming to a real fair deal. (Waddle is) explosive. The single biggest thing that I think he does well is he’s extremely fast and he stops fast. … The other thing that came up time and time again is how competitive he is. … All the other stuff, it was 10, 10, 10, 10, 10.

“I’ve seen him outside as a tremendous route runner, inside. The route tree is pretty expansive. … You’ll see him play inside in the slot, you’ll see him outside. We’ll have speed packages that will feature (him).”

Payton shrugged off whether Waddle could be the Broncos’ No. 1 receiver, saying “we don’t have’’ that. The Broncos also have Courtland Sutton, coming off his second-straight 1,000-yard receiving season.

Denver on offense also re-signed running back J.K. Dobbins, who was lost for the season following foot surgery after rushing for 772 yards in the first 10 games. The Broncos had looked at the start of free agency to possibly sign running back Travis Etienne before he went to New Orleans on a four-year, $52 million contract. But Payton said Dobbins, who got a two-year, $16 million, always was their top target at the position.

“Dobbins was a priority, ahead of all others,’’ Payton said. “Now that will anger people. We know that he has been injured, and we understand that the injures haven’t been soft-tissue driven. He is someone who is one of those compound multipliers, like he brings 10 others along with him in a positive light.”

The Broncos since the start of the NFL new league year March 11 only have brought in two new players in Waddle and safety Tycen Anderson, who is most adept on special teams. Payton shrugged off any criticism about Denver’s low number of outside additions.

“You cannot chase what others outside of the building feel like you should be doing,’’ Payton said. “We spent a lot of time on this free-agency class.”

Payton said the Broncos considered it more of a priority to bring back many of their players, which they have done by re-signing 17 unrestricted, restricted and exclusive-rights free agents. And he made note of the Broncos over the past two years having signed 10 key players to extensions.

Plus, the Broncos already have a good deal of depth at many positions. The hope is to distribute some of that depth by taking a look at Elliss at inside linebacker.

Payton made note of having coached Elliss’ brother, Kaden, and he is an inside linebacker. Payton had Kaden as a New Orleans reserve from 2019-21. Kaden played one more year with the Saints, went to Atlanta for three seasons as a top-notch starter, and just returned to New Orleans on a three-year, $33 million deal.