3 Roadblocks That Could Derail a Broncos' Turnaround in 2023

There is a tremendous amount of optimism that the Denver Broncos will make a push for the postseason under the new coaching regime. While there is little doubt that Sean Payton's pedigree as a head coach will improve the Broncos, certain factors could derail the 2023 season.

As much as Broncos Country wants to fantasize about how well this season could go, we must consider what could send Payton's team into a downward spiral. Here are three problems that Denver could run into in 2023.

Russell Wilson Doesn’t Bounce Back

Wilson had his worst season as an NFL quarterback last year, with 16 touchdowns and 11 interceptions — a significant dropoff from what we’re accustomed to. Part of this collapse is due to former head coach Nathaniel Hackett’s incompetence as the leader of the 2022 squad.

However, Wilson isn’t blameless. His decision-making and habit of holding the ball too long caused him to make ill-advised passes and eat sacks. He also didn’t trust the legs that had helped him mightily in the past.

Entering his age-35 season (a November birthday), it’s evident that Wilson's body is slowing down bit by bit, and he may not be the vintage version of himself moving forward. To his credit, though, he has lost some weight and looks much leaner.

Wilson may bounce back with better coaching under Payton, but we won’t know for sure until the season begins whether 2022 was just an anomaly.

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Lack of D-Line Talent

After losing Dre’Mont Jones and trading away Bradley Chubb, the Broncos' defensive line looks thin, which is a generous assessment. Rush linebacker Baron Browning will start the season on the PUP list, which makes an already depth-anemic edge room even more starved.

Frank Clark helps the edge depth, but Randy Gregory's injury/suspension history makes him hardly reliable. Jonathon Cooper is a solid rotational piece but not starter material. At the same time, Nik Bonitto is still unproven and would have to make an astronomical jump in his development to make a substantial impact.

The interior depth is also lacking. Beyond D.J. Jones and Zach Allen, there isn’t a name that jumps out. Matt Henningsen and Eyioma Uwazurike are still developing, and Mike Purcell hasn’t been the same since a foot injury he suffered shortly after signing his contract extension.

If Denver can’t manage to pressure Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert, it could spell disaster. Not to mention opposing teams could run the ball down Denver's’ throat. Hopefully, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph can whip this unit into shape.

RB Room is Thin

Payton has insisted that Javonte Williams will be ready for the season. While possible, it’s hard to say how Williams will look after tearing three ligaments in his knee in Week 4 of last season.

Then we learned that free-agent acquisition Samaje Perine suffered a bruised thumb at mandatory minicamp. Behind Perine are Tony Jones, Jr. and Tyler Badie, who haven’t seen much action in the NFL.

Payton's offense is purported to feature a run-heavy focus, but without horses in the stable, the Broncos can’t lean on the ground game. Hopefully, Perine's injury doesn’t linger into the season; otherwise, Williams may have to carry the rock more often. There is still time to add to the room, and GM George Paton might need to work some mile-high magic.

Bottom Line

At the tail end of an optimistic Broncos offseason, considering what roadblocks could plausibly hinder the team is essential. If any of these factors are presented this coming season, this crazy train could jump the rails faster than you can say 'Blizzard of Oz.'

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