Interpreting Russell Wilson's Message to Broncos on Day 1 of OTAs

First impressions can be important. While it's safe to say that Sean Payton and Russell Wilson have long been acquainted, they're teaming up together for the first time under the Denver Broncos banner.

That started on Tuesday, as the Broncos kicked off Phase 1 of their offseason training program, which will focus on strength and conditioning. Eager to get back at it, and, likely, make a good impression on his new head coach, Wilson was "among the first players to arrive" at UCHealth Training Center, per 9NEWS' Mike Klis, showing up before the sun had even risen.

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It's fair to wonder what message Wilson is sending with his enthusiastic early-bird-gets-the-worm punctuality. As a veteran quarterback, Wilson has always met the expectation for being one of, if not the, first players through the door for any team event, and, often, the last to leave.

Payton surely expects that from his quarterback, and Wilson knows that. Perhaps it's as simple as Wilson confirming that he's going to meet his head coach's expectation and standard. Wilson told Payton in January that he "wants to be coached."

Honestly, from here, Wilson has nowhere to go but up. Coming off the worst season of his storied career, Payton's arrival is like a lifeline for Wilson, a nine-time Pro Bowler entering his 12th year.

Last year, the Broncos' offense was just as bad, if not worse in some cases, as the horrid units quarterbacked by the Siemians, Keenums, Flaccos, Locks, and Bridgewaters of the preceding six seasons. The production Wilson provided the Broncos in 2022 was not even close to commensurate with the team's cost to acquire him.

The onus is on Payton to begin extracting a return on the Broncos' investment in Wilson. It's not just the draft capital Denver relinquished in the trade to Seattle, but the $245 million extension Wilson was given on the doorstep of the season.

The veteran head coach hasn't said a whole lot by way of Wilson compliments since arriving in Denver, but what he has said has emphasized the QB's competitiveness, experience as a winner, and mobility.

“He’s super competitive. He’s won at a high level. He’s someone that I think moves well," Payton said in March at the Annual League Meeting in Arizona. "He’s someone that I think works extremely hard. It’s hard to find guys with all those traits."

Payton's reported message to the Broncos on Tuesday, in the first team meeting in which he presided, was about letting go of 2022. It's not about holding onto that pain or pointing fingers.

Now that the Broncos have reconvened, the focus is on the here and now. Bury those bones and don't look back.

"Now, I watched, with every one of you, the season that took place a year ago," Payton said in March. "There’s probably a little bit of dirt on a lot of people’s hands. When you win five games, it is what it is. I don’t think I need to elaborate any more. It wasn’t good. Wasn’t good on offense, that’s for sure. It was hard film to watch.”

Payton believes the Broncos weren't "pushed enough" last offseason, which led to the team being too injury-prone and, well, soft. The "difficult" work of getting the Broncos back into football shape, including Wilson, began this week.

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