If what Rapoport is reporting, is indeed accurate, that is very interesting.
It's one thing to quickly-pivot to Plan B when Plan A does not work-out. However, Ryans and Payton would seem to be polar opposites.
So Denver's #1 choice was a young (38 years old), would-be first-time head coach with a defensive-pedigree; and its #2 choice is a highly-regarded offensive mind 59-year old with 15 years of head coaching experience who requires significant draft choice compensation to be hired.
Makes me wonder if Jeff Saturday might have been Denver's #3 choice, followed by an elephant in a tutu.