Former NFL MVP Defends Russell Wilson Amid Ugly Fallout With Broncos
Despite all signs pointing to the Denver Broncos going in a different direction at quarterback than Russell Wilson this offseason, a few have yet to give up on what the nine-time Pro Bowler could provide on the field as a lead signal caller for 2024. It's hard to see the 12-year veteran suiting up in an orange and blue uniform again next season, but that doesn't mean all hope is lost on him.
Former NFL MVP quarterback and CBS Sports analyst Matt Ryan spoke on the situation with Andrew Mason of Denver Sports by voicing that Wilson can still play at a high level, even if it may not be with the Broncos:
“Russ can still play. At least in my opinion, there’s no doubt about that. Whether it's there [with the Broncos] or not remains to be seen. I think Sean [Payton] — just from the decision that they made towards the end of the season — I think it’s a hard relationship to repair between those two. That level of trust will just never be the same if they decide to keep him."
The last quarter of the season didn't quite go as planned for the Broncos. With Wilson unwilling to restructure his contract moving forward, Denver decided to bench him in the final two games of the season in favor of backup Jarrett Stidham.
The Broncos ended with an underwhelming 8-9 record to cap off the year, accompanied by some glaring changes needing to be made in the coming months, and it may start with the quarterback position.
Ryan continued to break down why the fit of Russ with coach Payton failed to meet expectations across this last season, noting the difference they had in play styles being the ultimate factor that led to the demise of the connection:
You know, Russ played some efficient football. There’s no doubt about that at times. I think one of the hard things is for Sean, having been around a guy like Drew Brees for a long time who played a particular style, it’s a different style of play (with Wilson). And it just didn’t end up working out. I thought Russ, he made the off-schedule plays, and was really good in the off-schedule — which he’s really done his entire career. And I think that maybe some of the other things that weren’t the right fit for the two of them together."
The shift from Brees to Wilson was a massive adjustment from what allowed Payton to be successful in his time with the New Orleans Saints. While the intention from the jump was to fix Russ from his disastrous 2022 campaign under former Broncos head coach Nathanial Hackett, the idea didn't quite pan out after 15 starts.
For Payton and the Broncos, the goal over the summer will be to find someone to put under center that clicks with a system better than Russ fared. The team is set with the 12th overall pick in this year's draft with the opportunity to take a shot on a potential quarterback of the future who connects better with the vision of this offensive unit.
As for Wilson, it will be far from a simple process to get back to a productive and high-level quarterback in this league, but it's not impossible. If he can land in a situation that compliments his strengths in the run game and play action for the back end of his career, there's a chance we could see a slight resurgence from Russ on what would be his third NFL franchise.
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