Broncos Fans Need to Learn These Three Harsh Lessons
It has been a frustrating season for Denver Broncos fans. High expectations for the 2022 season haven't been realized, and while just six games have been played, time is running out for the Broncos to assert a position as a playoff contender.
The Broncos were expected to have a quality offense, with a defense that wasn't as good as in the past, and special teams that might take time to get things together. Special teams have been as expected, but the defense has exceeded expectations, while the offense has failed to meet them.
Some want to blame Russell Wilson, others point to head coach Nathaniel Hackett, and others want to castigate the Broncos' offensive line. The truth is, everyone shares in the blame, though to what degree depends on who you believe.
But a few hard truths have been dropped in the laps of everyone, from general manager George Paton to Broncos fans themselves. Too many assumptions may have been made going into this season, and there are a few lessons to learn.
I do not bring these up to point fingers. I do this so that fans can learn from what has happened thus far and know what to be careful in embracing when you hear narratives and talking points rolled out about what other teams have done.
Let's look at three lessons fans can learn from what has happened and what that means for the Broncos going forward.
1. The Quarterback is Important, but Can't Always Work Miracles
Wilson has had a lot of success in the NFL, but he's played a different style of quarterback when compared to the likes of Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers. But there's a theory out there that Wilson wants to play a style of offense that those QBs play.
Whether you believe that to be the case or not, Wilson's track record wasn't enough by itself to ensure the Broncos immediately became a playoff contender out of the gates. Wilson has shown he can do great things, but there's always a learning curve when it comes to working in a new offense.
If it's true that Wilson wants to play a style of offense more like Brady and Rodgers, then what he wants isn't working. We see Wilson at his best when he is able to use his mobility to his advantage, work the field and go for the big play from time to time, while aided by a reliable running game.
I've said this before and will say it again: It may benefit Wilson more to play in an offense that plays more to what he's done in the past. The Broncos' coaching staff could find ways to incorporate plays more like what the Green Bay Packers run over time, but it didn't have to be immediate.
However, if the coaching staff is doing this because Wilson wants to do it this way, then he needs to be honest with himself and realize it isn't working as expected. And fans need to look at it the same.
With that said, it's not entirely on Wilson, and that brings me to the next point.
2. Offensive-Guru Head Coaches Still Need to Manage Locker Room Personalities.
There is one truth about Wilson, regardless of what you believe: He is a larger-than-life player who gets a lot of attention. A head coach needs to be able to manage that situation in order to succeed.
Hackett was among those coaches who fit the mold of young, offensive-minded guys who knew how to get the most out of such players. However, being an offensive genius doesn't help you if you can't manage personalities on the team.
This brings us back to Wilson. If it's true that Wilson wants to do more things that don't play to his strengths, that's on him. But if Hackett is too willing to let Wilson have his way rather than getting Wilson to understand he may need to do things differently, that's on Hackett.
If a player is not performing to expectations, particularly if he is trying to do things that don't play to his strengths, it's the head coach's job to recognize and address that.
One doesn't have to bring up play-calling to understand that. Yes, there are legitimate criticisms about the play-calling, but that's not the only thing Hackett needs to fix in order to have success.
And if Hackett doesn't get any issues with locker room personalities addressed, he won't last. The Broncos have already committed too much money to Wilson and can't get out of the contract without wrecking their cap situation, but the head coach's contract has no impact on the cap.
Therefore, regardless of how much blame one assigns to one party or the other, Hackett is the one that will take the fall if things don't go to plan. And fans will need to remember that having an offensive guru isn't enough by itself.
3. The Rest of the Roster Matters, Too.
Paton gave up a lot of draft capital and several former players to acquire Wilson. It's understandable he would have to pay the price to get a top veteran quarterback.
However, the offense wasn't just a quarterback away from becoming a top unit. It bears repeating: The offensive line is nowhere near where it needs to be.
Losing Garett Bolles for the season to injury hasn't helped, but even his presence wouldn't solve the major issues with the interior offensive line.
Lloyd Cushenberry remains a liability at center. I am stunned that the Broncos coaches thought enough to pull Calvin Anderson after he struggled against the Los Angeles Chargers, but left Cushenberry in the game.
Left guard Dalton Risner may be a fan favorite, but he is struggling. He's not making his case for a new contract after the season. And while it's good to see Quinn Meinerz back on the field at right guard, he can't be expected to make up for the struggles of Cushenberry and Risner.
Cameron Fleming and Billy Turner aren't long-term solutions at offensive tackle, but they're playing better than Risner and Cushenberry. Still, they are on one-year deals (as is Anderson), meaning the Broncos will be looking for an offensive tackle this offseason.
And that doesn't touch upon running back, with Javonte Williams injured and everyone else becoming free agents after the season, with Mike Boone the only one who might be retained. While you don't want to spend big money on a running back, you still need a reliable option.
There are also questions to ask about wide receiver, because Jerry Jeudy hasn't developed as expected, and it remains to be seen whether KJ Hamler is part of the long-term plan. The Broncos did get a promising debut from tight end Greg Dulcich, but need to address depth with both Eric Saubert and Eric Tomlinson on one-year deals.
The good news is that the Broncos' defense is in good shape overall, but there's a lot of work to do to build the offense for the long term, whether it's starters or depth. Fans need to remember that, even if Wilson was playing better and Hackett was coaching better, the offense remains a work in progress.
Bottom Line
If things don't improve in the next two games, regardless of the outcomes, the Broncos will need to make plenty of changes during the bye week. They could have made adjustments in the extended week off after the Indianapolis Colts game, but we didn't see enough.
Again, there is still time to put together a respectable season, but it comes by addressing the issues that plague the offense, which applies to Hackett, Wilson and the rest of the roster — and with Hackett and Wilson, this needs to happen in-season, though, with other roster spots, there could be a change made in the starting lineup.
While some will want to assign blame to one person, the truth is that multiple people deserve it. And rather than worry about how much to assign, fans should simply want those responsible to address it.
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