ENGLEWOOD — The Sean Payton era is for the birds.

Both of ’em.

The Broncos coach, who wouldn’t know shy if it tackled him in the open field, was asked Tuesday if he has a middle finger ready for all the haters who think he’s lost his football marbles.

“I have two middle fingers,” Payton said. “I’ve gotten better with age not using them.”

We’ll see about that.

If Payton pulls off this Mile High rebuild, get your popcorn ready for his victory lap. It’s going to make Jared Bednar’s emotional parade and Michael Malone’s big gold chain look tame.

Confidence is never in short supply when it comes to Payton. Whether it’s from the Super Bowl ring won in New Orleans, or his status as the first coach to sign a deal with the Jordan Brand, Payton walks with a swag nobody’s going to cripple. Not Russell Wilson. Not Roger Goodell. Nobody.

And you know what?

That part of Payton’s game is what the rebuilding Broncos need most. They must know the man at the top believes in what’s going on at Broncos HQ — since almost nobody else does.

And Payton let it be known he’s heard the outside noise loud and clear. From the over-under total of 5.5 wins, to Pro Football Focus saying Denver has the NFL’s worst roster, you don’t need to squint to see what football thinks of the 2024 Broncos. It thinks they stink.

The Broncos roster has all the name recognition of a Hallmark movie. After cornerback Patrick Surtain II and wide receiver Courtland Sutton, could a random outside Broncos Country name five players? Maybe they can. Maybe not. But the Broncos coach is their biggest celebrity.

You and I are both old enough to remember Aqib Talib, Chris Harris Jr. and the “No Fly Zone.”

These Broncos are the No Names.

So what’s the best way to get a team to perform above its ability? Belief is always a handy tool.

“I feel the competition,” Payton said after the first workout of mandatory minicamp. “I think it’s part of what makes this job exciting, because it is very competitive. It’s meeting the challenge and giving these guys the best plan, the best opportunity.”

He drove home the point: “I look forward to training camp and the start of the season.”

Is proving the football world wrong the driving force behind Payton’s Hail Mary in Denver?

Sure feels like it. And few things motivate a man like a good grudge. Payton’s bold decision to draft Bo Nix at No. 12 — the sixth quarterback off the board — proved he will do this his way.

“Really paying attention to your gut, your experience and what you’re seeing. Those are the things that drive me now,” Payton said.

Payton likes to emphasize the dire straits of the New Orleans Saints franchise before he arrived. But what if I told you these Broncos were in worse shape than those Saints?

Denver won 32 games over the five seasons before Payton’s arrival.

New Orleans won 35 over the five seasons before Payton’s arrival.

Embracing the rivalries was a solid start. They matter here. Losing 16 straight to the Chiefs drove Broncos Country to the brink. But it also made Colorado crazy when Nathaniel Hackett was unwilling to recognize it’s necessary, not optional, to know that Raider hate is true love.

“We never want anyone in our division to win anything, right?” Payton said.

Brace yourself. The ’24 Broncos will kick off with a real talent deficiency. Next they must flip the script, among other things, by shadowing his own swag and believing the NFL’s cockiest coach knows what the heck he’s doing.

“When we all go off into the pasture we’re measured with our wins,” Payton said. “Ultimately we’re measured with divisions (titles), Super Bowls, playoffs. Those are still very much things that drive me. When you’ve tasted that a number of different times — whatever you think it’s like, it’s 1,000 times better.”