Payton Addresses Russell Wilson's Play One Week Into Broncos Camp
Sean Payton's Russell Wilson Reclamation Project continues apace at Denver Broncos training camp. Following the seventh practice of Broncos Camp, Coach Payton provided a progress report on how Wilson is navigating the new scheme and coaching he's receiving.
“I think he’s doing well. I like what I’ve seen," Payton said on Wednesday. "There are times when you’re not seeing a clean picture and he’s scrambling. In a game-type mode, though, where we’re running the ball more and with the installations that we’re doing—I think he’s doing well. I like where he’s at.”
On Day 1, Wilson was observed holding onto the ball a beat too long, before pulling down the ball and scrambling. In live-bullet situations, such plays are the sort that either lead to sacks, hits, sack-fumbles, and/or all manner of risky plays for an offense.
But after each practice, Payton and Wilson study the film of that day's session, and the Broncos' new head coach, no doubt with help from QBs coach Davis Webb, is coaching some of those early tendencies out of the veteran signal-caller. The goal is to have Wilson ready to expertly command Payton's scheme by September.
"There are a lot of nuances still we are working through," Payton said of Wilson on Tuesday. "There were some good things in the running game today. Each day, you kind of look at the film and you start again with the corrections. I have been pleased with his progress and where he is at dating back to the offseason and to where we are now into our first full week."
Wilson has thrown a fair number of interceptions through one week of camp practices, which has chagrined many Broncos fans. But it's important to remember that the practice environment is meant for a QB to test the limits of the scheme and himself in a low-stakes situation.
Peyton Manning was famous for throwing training camp picks. Each one of those interceptions, however, served a purpose and taught the Hall-of-Famer a lesson that came out in the wash positively for the Broncos during the season.
Conversely, in 2018, Case Keenum purportedly didn't throw an interception during training camp. The Broncos won six games that year.
Combined with Payton's mandate for establishing a productive power rushing attack, what Wilson is learning about himself and the scheme this summer will hopefully pay dividends when the cleats hit the grass in September, and the games begin to count for the Broncos. Comparing Wilson now to his 2022 version is an apples-and-oranges proposition that might not hold much utility to Payton, who wanted to quickly put all that bad ju-ju in the rearview when he arrived back in January.
“It’s hard because there were a lot of other factors a year ago," Payton said of Wilson on Tuesday. "We are really focused on what he is doing within the offense. Obviously, he is moving around well, his weight is down, he is in really good shape and he’s working really hard.”
Payton is a blunt communicator who tells it like it is, even at the podium, though he'll never let slip anything he doesn't want the media — and by extension, his NFL rivals — to know. But if Payton says he's pleased with Wilson's play after one week of camp is in the books, Broncos Country would be wise to take it to the bank.
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