Broncos OC Dishes on How to Maximize Russell Wilson's Scrambling
With a decade of stellar play, numerous accolades, and a Super Bowl ring on his NFL resume, one might assume that all the annoying questions about Russell Wilson's 5-foot-11 frame would have evaporated long ago.
The size question has largely disappeared because it’s better to keep one's mouth shut and be considered a fool — as opposed to opening it and dispelling all doubt. Less informed critics might claim that the Denver Broncos' starting quarterback might have a pass batted down in crunch time due to his lack of NFL prototypical height, but that's a simplistic argument these days.
Wilson's new offensive coordinator in Denver — Justin Outten — knows his star signal-caller's height is only worthy of a cheap locker room joke at best. Outten has first-hand knowledge of Wilson's phenomenal ability to accurately find the small-window throws time and time again, which sets him apart and makes a mockery of the height criticisms.
"For as short as he is—we make fun of him all the time—his ability to get that ball across the line of scrimmage with the angles that he creates is remarkable,” Outten said on Thursday. “It is something you can't coach. It puts defenses in a bind because if you give him a six-inch hole, he's going to throw that thing in there. Just tight windows down there, and he's able to put it in there.”
Earlier this week, head coach Nathaniel Hackett touched on how he doesn't want Wilson taking the type of big hits that would eventually wreak havoc on his body. An organizational masterplan to extend and preserve Wilson's career is one thing, but it can’t come at the expense of restricting the quarterback's legendary ability to go off script.
Fortunately, putting the shackles on No. 3 is apparently not on the agenda — at least, that is if Outten is to be believed. Any offensive coordinator worth his weight in gold is aware of Wilson's ability to scramble and make laser-guided throws, and how central it is to what makes him an elite quarterback, so Outten is still incorporating it into his scheme.
“As far as schemes, your most successful play down there is a scrambler,” Outten said. “It's something that he's very used to, and he knows exactly what is on his backside of progression that he can work to eventually. It's really remarkable to see what type of arm angles he comes up with.”
It’s a tightrope of risk and reward that the relatively inexperienced Outten has to walk as the Broncos draw up their offensive masterplan for the regular season. Keeping Wilson healthy is the first objective for the organization as a whole, and rightly so.
But throwing a wet blanket on Wilson's preternatural ability to improvise and create off script would be like removing the revolver from a gunslinger's holster and still expecting him to win his fire-fights. The Broncos have to strike the right balance of protecting Wilson and setting him up to win from the pocket, while also encouraging his backyard mentality when the play breaks down.
You can't go broke taking a profit, even in the ultra-competitive AFC West.
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