5 Reasons Broncos QB Russell Wilson Will Thrive in 2023

The destiny of the 2023 Denver Broncos hinges on one thing: Russell Wilson returning to vintage, Pro Bowl form.

Legendary coaches like Bill Parcells will publicly scoff at the notion of an entire team's destiny hinging on one player because, after all, the Broncos aren't playing "solitaire," but privately, the Hall-of-Famer knows full well that a team can go only as far as its quarterback can take it.

The 2016-22 Broncos are emblematic of this NFL reality. After seeing a diminished Peyton Manning lead a team (that also happened to feature one of the most mythical defenses of all time) to triumph in Super Bowl 50, the John Elway front-office regime in Denver fooled itself into thinking it was one middle-of-the-road QB away from winning it all again.

It was obviously a flawed thesis.

The Broncos teams of the past seven years had a lot of talent, although it varied somewhat depending on the year. But Denver couldn't get the quarterback right, so all the Duke's horses and all the Duke's men couldn't stitch the Broncos back together again.

There is excellent coaching acumen in Denver this year and lots and lots of talent. But once again, the Broncos' floodgates can only be opened, and all those horses unleashed, if Wilson rubber-bands back into vintage form.

I like his odds. Here are five reasons why Wilson will rebound spectacularly.

1. Sean Payton | Improved Coaching

Coaching is the other key ingredient missing over the past seven years in Denver. But even as lackluster as Vic Fangio was for three years, give him a bonafide franchise quarterback, and the Broncos probably don't miss the playoffs in each season.

Payton isn't just an accomplished NFL head coach. Yes, he has 15 years of head-coaching experience, and he won a Super Bowl.

But it's that excellent resume combined with Payton's talents as a quarterback whisperer that sets him apart. Payton is one of the best play-callers in NFL history, and as a former QB himself, he knows how the sausage gets made under center.

Payton put Drew Brees on a Hall-of-Fame path and turned journeymen QBs like Trevor Siemian and Teddy Bridgewater into efficient signal-callers. Plus, what Payton achieved with Jameis Winston, in and of itself, should be viewed as an NFL QB coaching clinic.

After subjecting himself to the painful process of watching Wilson's 2022 film in Denver, Payton quickly deduced that the dropback-heavy approach Nathaniel Hackett tried to employ had to go bye-bye. In order for Wilson to thrive, he can't be placed in a #LetRussCook environment.

Wilson has to be given better coaching and schematic structure, starting with an offense that makes the running game its business. Such an attack, if successfully realized, opens up all sorts of options for a strong-armed mobile quarterback who oozes deep-ball accuracy.

Denver's newfound emphasis on the running game isn't a capitulation to the notion that Wilson is 'washed.' Quite the contrary. Payton recognizes that Wilson's best years came in such a system where his mobility and knack for playmaking had a foundation on which to thrive.

Plus, under Payton, Wilson will be a significantly more prepared quarterback in all things, but especially critical situations, like third downs, red zone, and end-of-game sequences. Payton's attention to such details has already been made apparent through the offseason training program, and it will have a palpable effect on the Broncos' efficiency in these clutch situations.

2. Upgraded Offensive Line

After complaining for years about it in Seattle, Wilson was sacked a career-high 55 times in Year 1 in Denver. Think about that. The 2015 Broncos, under Wade Phillips, led the NFL in sacks with 52. That puts things in perspective.

Payton moved quickly in free agency to solve two lingering problems on the Broncos' O-line, signing left guard Ben Powers and right tackle Mike McGlinchey to lucrative long-term deals. With with left tackle Garett Bolles returning from injury and Quinn Meinerz reprising his role at right guard, four of the Broncos' five spots upfront will be manned by true 'dawgs.'

Center Lloyd Cushenberry III has a lot to prove, but he has seemingly earned Payton's vote of confidence already. While Cushenberry will be a guy to watch, the hope is that improved play around him will be like a tide that raises his ship, too.

It's a guarantee that Wilson won't be sacked anywhere close to as often as he was last year. The most Brees was ever sacked in New Orleans was 37 times back in 2013 in a season where the Saints dealt with a lot of unique obstacles upfront.

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3. A Unified Coaching Line of Communication

Last year, Hackett allowed Wilson's private throwing coach Jake Heaps unfettered access to the Broncos' building. It was a categorical mistake because too many cooks can ruin the broth.

Heaps' influence detracted from that of Hackett, then-Broncos QBs coach Klint Kubiak, and then-OC Justin Outten. Whatever Hackett had in mind for Wilson, all the voices vying for space inside the veteran QB's head simply confounded the message.

Payton dispensed with the Heaps thing immediately. Payton can't control what a player does privately away from team facilities on his own time. But the head coach can control who has access to the building, the offices, the meeting rooms, and the practice field.

And where does Wilson spend most of his time during football season? Broncos HQ.

Thus, the coaching emphasis Wilson receives in 2023 will come from a singular source: Payton. Sure, it'll be funneled down the chain of command through new Broncos offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, passing game coordinator John Morton, and QBs coach Davis Webb, but there's no question about what the philosophy is and from whom it originates.

4. A Slimmed-Down Russ

Wilson opted to enter Year 1 with the Broncos on the heftier side. For whatever reason, he'd opted to add some pounds of muscle to his 5-foot-11 frame, but it ended up backfiring on him.

Wilson looked slower and less fleet of foot. The added weight arguably contributed to some of his injury issues, to boot.

Whether it was a decree from Payton, or Wilson's own idea, the veteran has slimmed down considerably and looks much more svelt entering 2023. Father Time remains undefeated, yes, but Wilson's slow-down as a pocket maneuverer and scrambler had more to do with the additional lbs than his age.

In his age-35 season, Broncos Country will see a Wilson who physically resembles the quarterback that dominated the NFC West for a decade much closer.

5. An Arsenal Teeming With Talent

Lastly, the Broncos have furnished Wilson's path to redemption with a talented pool of skill-position players. The wide receiver corps is flying under the radar when it comes to the ubiquitous offseason rankings and lists, but let them sleep.

Jerry Jeudy cracked a code down the stretch last year and will only continue to thrive under Payton's competence, while Courtland Sutton is poised to get back into the business of making big plays downfield.

Throw in Tim Patrick's return from an ACL tear, and the arrival of 2023 second-round speedster Marvin Mims, Jr. (hand-picked by Payton), and the top-four wideouts on the Broncos' depth chart is formidable. We'll see what becomes of KJ Hamler, but Payton was savvy enough to sign two former Saints wideouts to serve as a bridge for the Broncos in 2023. Expect one of Marquez Callaway or Lil'Jordan Humphrey to make this 53-man roster.

Then we have a reimagined tight end room, featuring 2022 third-rounder Greg Dulcich at the top of the depth chart, poised to serve in the 'joker' role in Payton's offense. Time will tell whether Albert Okwuegbunam does enough to impress the new regime, but Payton hedged by signing blocking stud Chris Manhertz, and acquiring Adam Trautman in a draft-day trade with the Saints.

To fully realize their potential, the Broncos' skill positions, as a collective, will need running back Javonte Williams to be available early in the season and healthy. The Broncos keep touting his ahead-of-schedule timeline, as he recovers from a multi-ligament knee injury, so optimism on that front is warranted, for now.

Just in case, Payton signed Samaje Perine — a do-it-all back whom the Broncos view as an RB1-caliber player. Beyond Williams and Perine, there are question marks, with names like Tony Jones, Jr., Jaleel McLaughlin, and Tyler Badie vying for RB3.

But no NFL team has Pro Bowlers at every spot on a given depth chart. All things considered, Wilson will have no shortage of playmaking weapons.

Bottom Line

Considering these five factors, you've got to like Wilson's odds of restoring the luster to his name. When I look at how things are shaping up for the offense in 2023, I'd say the Broncos are loaded for bear on this hunt.

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