Analyst has Broncos' top priority as something they may not be able to fix
The Denver Broncos offseason is nearing its end, but one NFL analyst thinks there is still one big priority before the 2023 season starts. The Broncos have been pretty busy this offseason, as they should. There is a lot to fix and after last season, everyone has come to more of a realization that this […]
The Denver Broncos offseason is nearing its end, but one NFL analyst thinks there is still one big priority before the 2023 season starts.
The Broncos have been pretty busy this offseason, as they should. There is a lot to fix and after last season, everyone has come to more of a realization that this team is further away from competing than we thought. After getting Russell Wilson via trade, a lot of people thought this team was ready – they were not.
The Nathaniel Hackett-Russell Wilson experiment didn't work. The Broncos are hoping that bringing in a coach in Sean Payton who does stuff his way or the highway, will get Wilson back into form and have this team heading in the right direction. But, the biggest thing is getting the two to click, and one NFL analyst thinks that's the Broncos' biggest current priority.
Top priority: Russ & Payton sitting in a tree …
A year ago in this space, I pegged Denver's top to-do as "Russ & Nathaniel sitting in a tree …" Said tree was beamed into a wood chipper when comforting summertime highlights of Russell Wilson throwing the ball in shorts morphed into an autumn apocalypse. Nathaniel Hackett and his quarterback doubled as a floating disaster from wire to wire, prompting Broncos brass to pull Sean Payton off the street to save the day. I refuse to buy into flowery think-pieces about Wilson as a bounce-back candidate, but I largely trust Payton to craft a functional, productive attack. Their partnership is one of the offseason's largest looming mysteries. I remain convinced that Payton was given the green light to move on from Wilson if he's shot for good. We'll see meaningful snaps from Jarrett Stidham if trouble arises.
-Marc Sessler, NFL
Let's take a look across the league at the teams who win a lot. The Kansas City Chiefs have Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid, which may be the best duo in the league at their respective positions. The two get along and work well together. Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni, who both just went to a Super Bowl, also have a great relationship.
Successful teams work together and it all starts with the head coach's relationship with his best player, or the captain, which in most cases is the quarterback. For the Broncos, they may not be able to fix this big priority of getting Wilson and Payton to work well together.
If Wilson can't work with Pete Carroll and butt heads with him, what makes you think he can with Sean Payton, in styles of offenses that are both going to be very similar. It won't happen. I think we end up seeing Jarrett Stidham this season more than we should have to, and I think that is the reason why.
