Broncos Insider Implies Russell Wilson Got What He Deserved in Year 1

The Denver Broncos need to get a return on the quarter-billion-dollar investment made in quarterback Russell Wilson last summer. The Walton/Penner ownership group, which purportedly pushed Broncos GM George Paton to sign Wilson to a new contract before he'd ever taken a snap in Denver, is banking on Sean Payton being the impetus to the quarterback's redemption.

Payton's presence is comforting. But after the Broncos kowtowed to every Wilson whim last year, hopefully, the 12th-year pro recognizes his complicity in the team's five-win finish.

Woody Paige — the long-time Denver beat writer and bonafide Broncos insider — recently predicted that Payton's team would make the playoffs in 2023. Paige's tone in his most recent column in The Denver Gazette was a bit more somber, however, and even a tad accusatory on the subject of Wilson and his outlook.

Wilson had gotten his wish to leave Seattle, and he has gotten his comeuppance in Denver.

A humbled 34-year-old quarterback will return to the Broncos’ facility and camp in 16 days.

These days he plays for Sean Payton, which should make a significant difference.

What happens next for the Broncos? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

The word "comeuppance" implies that a person got what they deserved. So, we can infer that Paige is of the belief that the misfortune that befell Wilson last year was brought on by himself. Wilson did, at the very least, request to be traded.

Far be it from me to put words in Paige's mouth, though. Let's examine the trail that led to Wilson's big regression.

The QB was rumored to have pined for Payton in his last couple of years in Seattle. Wilson also campaigned for the Seattle Seahawks to #LetRussCook.

The Seahawks were ultimately unwilling to acquiesce to Wilson's purported push to replace Pete Carroll with Payton, but they did finally grant his request to be traded. After the QB was dealt to Denver, the Broncos also gave Wilson what he asked for, allowing him to "co-author" an offense with Nathaniel Hackett that would, in theory, #LetRussCook.

Wilson's dream of being the dropback QB didn't pan out, and it resulted in catastrophe, not only for him but for Hackett and the entire team. 2022 is a classic cautionary tale of 'be careful what you wish for because you just might get it.' Wilson was given everything he asked for, and he proved unequal to shoulder it.

Broncos fans can only hope that Payton can take a significantly humbled Wilson and get back to basics by putting him in a scheme that will cater to his strengths and be cognizant of his limitations.

That means the Broncos will have to be a committed rushing team, which should bolster Wilson by not exposing him to the pass rush as often as he was last year (when he was sacked 55 times). Such an offensive attack should also play into Wilson's traditional knack for making plays with his legs — not just as a rusher — but as a QB with a killer instinct when throwing on the run.

Get ready to see a lot more play-action in Denver and a lot less three-wide-receiver sets. Payton is about to deploy a heavy dose of two-tight-end looks to spark the running game, insulate Wilson, and loosen defenses up with savvy play-action passes, some of which will capitalize on the QB's deep-ball accuracy.

The pieces are there for Wilson to succeed in Denver this year, especially after Payton made sure the Broncos invested in some offensive line upgrades. Fans can only hope that Wilson took to heart the humiliating lessons the 2022 season had to teach.

One would think that Wilson has been humbled. Similar to how the United States Marine Corps takes new recruits and breaks them down in boot camp in order to build them back up into bonafide warriors, perhaps Payton can do the same with Wilson.

If so, Payton can help Wilson cut the cord to the past and put 2022 in the rearview. When Broncos training camp arrives on July 28, it'll be time to focus on the here and now.

A humbled Wilson could also be a driven Wilson.

Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.

Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!