Broncos Reveal Opinion on Whether QB Russell Wilson is 'Fixable
As an organization, the Denver Broncos are reeling. After losing a nationally televised game on Christmas Day 51-14 and dropping to 4-11 on the season, the Broncos became just the second NFL team over the past four decades to fire a head coach before his first year was even over.
Head coach Nathaniel Hackett was fired on Monday, along with two of his hand-picked assistants — special teams coordinator Dwayne Stukes and offensive line coach Butch Barry. The Broncos would have preferred to let Hackett finish out the season before dropping the hammer, but the organization was so "embarrassed" by the team's performance and lack of poise in L.A., the decision couldn't wait.
Despite his complicity in the Broncos' atrocity of a season, George Paton's head has yet to roll, and CEO Greg Penner revealed that the general manager still has the Walton/Penner ownership group's faith and belief. Thus, Paton was allowed to hold court next to Penner on Tuesday in the wake of Hackett's firing, and boy, did he have some 'splaining to do.
The Broncos are now in full-blown search mode for a new head coach. However, that next head coach will be inheriting a unique situation in Denver — and I'm not just talking about the inordinate number of injuries or the seven straight seasons of missing the playoffs.
Russell Wilson is the elephant in the room. In Year 1 as a Bronco, the nine-time Pro Bowler in his 11th season regressed in alarming fashion, to the point where it's fair to wonder whether he's even fixable. Paton offered up his, and, ostensibly, the Walton/Penner group's view on Wilson.
“That wasn’t what it’s all about," Paton said on Tuesday. "That’s not why we’re getting a new coach—to turn around Russ. It’s about the entire organization. It’s about the entire football team. It’s not just one player. It’s not whether Russ is fixable or not, but we do believe he is. We do.”
Indeed, firing Hackett and undertaking another sweeping search for a head coach might not be "all about" fixing Wilson. But it's got to be priority No. 1 for that coach, and thus, inexorably tied to who the next head coach should be, simply because the Broncos invested long-term into the veteran quarterback to the tune of $245 million.
Releasing Wilson would incur north of $100 million in dead-cap charges over the next two seasons, which would cripple Denver's ability to compete.
“The decision to have Russell here was a long-term one," Penner said on Tuesday. "This season has not been up to his standards or expectations. We saw some glimpses of it in the last few weeks. He knows he can play better. We know he can play better, and we know he will do the right work in the offseason to be ready for next year.”
Paton's belief that Wilson is "fixable" had to be cajoled out of him. His first foray into the Russ topic was triggered by a question on how much Wilson will factor into the new head coach hire.
“It’s really important that whoever we hire has a relationship with the quarterback—‘Russ’ and whoever the backups are—but the entire offense, as well as the entire defense. We need someone to fix the special teams. Really, all three phases are what we want our coach to be an expert in, not just one person.”
Paton sounded very reluctant to anoint Wilson this team's starting quarterback of the future, falling back on "whoever the backups are" as his brain seemingly buffered. Reading Paton's remarks, it seems much more black and white, but anyone who listened to him deliver these words could sense a reluctance to connect Wilson with the Broncos' next head coach, at least, and the team's future, possibly.
That's my interpretation. We have to go off of what Paton actually said. But there's a reason why NFL insiders are buzzing about the rumored possibility of the Broncos trying to talk Wilson into retiring.
Paton eventually came out with his opinion that Wilson could be redeemed, but it was an odd exchange, to say the least. One would think that the team's GM would be a little more prepared to address that topic on the heels of firing a head coach and Wilson turning in the worst statistical season of his storied career.
But Paton sounded unsure. Reluctant — breathing some life into the rumors about Wilson having a clouded future in Denver. Paton later tried to find something positive to say about Wilson, devolving back to the (ever so brief) flashes he's shown at different points this year.
“We saw flashes of Russ this year," Paton said. "Russ even said he didn’t play up to his standard. The first half of the Chargers game, the first half of the Raiders game. He finished strong against the Chiefs. You can go through the season, and you do see flashes. He’ll be the first one to tell you he didn’t play up to his standard and didn’t play up to our standard. He needs to be better. I don’t think we’ve made a coaching move based off Russ."
Hackett obviously failed as the coaching steward of the Broncos' quarter-billion-dollar investment in Wilson. If what the Broncos' brain trust said about Russ is taken at face value, then obviously, the next head coach has to be the right fit for the QB and a man with a pedigree that can be trusted as such a steward.
It's going to be an interesting offseason. The Broncos will set about their four head-coach hiring search in the past six years. Wild, unprecedented stuff.
There is a lot more to unpack from Penner and Paton's remarks. We'll get to that in another article.
After Tuesday's presser, it feels like the ground beneath Wilson's feat in the Mile High City has shifted somewhat.
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